By Laura Temple
Soybean Research And Information Network
Herbicide-tolerant soybeans expand weed control options to include dicamba, 2,4-D and more. Yet many soybean varieties are still sensitive to herbicides that other varieties have been bred to tolerate. That means herbicide residue left in spray tanks and booms from a previous application can damage crops much like herbicide drift.
A new potential cleaning solution may be available from an unlikely source.
“While researching medicinal plants, I discovered natural ingredients that can solubilize a wide range of substances, or force oil and water to mix,” says Zhijun Liu, professor in the School of Renewable Natural Resources at Louisiana State University.