benefin (Balan DF)
Rate 1.2 to 1.5 lb ai/A (2 to 2.5 lb/A Balan DF)
Time Apply to a clean, clod-free soil surface before planting, and incorporate 2 to 3 inches deep within 4 hours after application.
Remarks Use lower rates on coarse and medium soils, higher rates on fine soils. Avoid overlapping spray.
Caution Do not plant wheat, barley, rye, other domestic grasses, and onions for 10 months after application. Do not plant milo (grain sorghum), corn, oats, sugar beets, other root crops, or spinach for 12 months after application.
Site of action Group 3: microtubule assembly inhibitor
Chemical family Dinitroaniline
EPTC (Eptam)
Rate 2 to 4 lb ai/A (2.3 to 4.6 pints/A Eptam)
Time Apply before planting, and incorporate immediately and thoroughly into soil.
Remarks Use lower rate on sandy soils, higher rate on silty and clay soils, and for quackgrass and nutsedge control. Incorporate 2 to 3 inches deep with power-driven rotary tiller for band or broadcast application, or set a tandem disk 4 to 6 inches deep and use it twice, at right angles, for broadcast application.
Caution Crop may be temporarily injured. Do not use EPTC if a grass or grain companion crop is to be planted with the alfalfa. Do not use if atrazine was used in the previous year.
Site of action Group 8: lipid synthesis inhibitor but not an ACCase inhibitor
Chemical family Thiocarbamate
acetochlor (Warrant)
Rate 0.94 to 1.5 lb ai (1.25 to 2 quarts/A Warrant)
Time Apply after emergence up to the 4th-trifoliate stage following emergence of the new stand, or following green-up or re-growth the following spring.
Remarks Apply broadcast over the top of the crop after emergence. Warrant does not control weeds that have already emerged. Warrant may be applied postemergence to Roundup Ready alfalfa in a tank-mixture with Roundup to expand weed control spectrum or for control of emerged weeds at the time of application. REI 12 hr.
Caution Do not exceed 2 quarts (1.5 lb ai) per acre as a single application. Do not exceed a total of 4 quarts (3 lb ai acetochlor) per acre per season when making multiple applications. Wait a minimum of 20 days after application before cutting for forage or hay, or before open grazing of forage by livestock.
Site of action Group 15: very long-chain fatty acid inhibitor
Chemical family Chloroacetamide
imazamox (Raptor)
Rate 0.031 to 0.047 lb ai/A (4 to 6 oz/A Raptor)
Time Apply postemergence to actively growing weeds when most are 1 to 3 inches tall or across, and seedling alfalfa is in the second trifoliate leaf stage or later.
Remarks Adding an adjuvant (nonionic surfactant or crop oil concentrate) and a liquid fertilizer (2.5% UAN) or ammonium sulfate (12 to 15 lb/ 100 gal H2O) solution is required. Alfalfa height may be temporarily reduced after treatment. Weeds under stress are less susceptible to control. Apply at least 1 hour before rain or overhead irrigation.
Caution Do not exceed 6 oz/A product per season. Note recropping restrictions before use. Some crops cannot be planted within 26 months of application. Only rotational crops harvested at maturity may be used for feed or food.
Site of action Group 2: acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor
Chemical family Imidazolinone
imazethapyr (Pursuit)
Rate 0.047 to 0.094 lb ai/A (3 to 6 oz/A Pursuit)
Time Apply after seedling alfalfa has reached second trifoliate growth stage, and when most weeds are actively growing and 1 to 3 inches tall or across.
Remarks Adding an adjuvant (nonionic surfactant or crop oil concentrate) and either a liquid fertilizer (28% UAN) solution or an ammonium sulfate (12 to 15 lb /100 gal H2O) is required. Temporary height reduction or slight leaf yellowing may occur soon after application. Weeds under stress are less susceptible to control. Apply at least 1 hour before rain or overhead irrigation.
Caution Do not feed, graze, or harvest alfalfa for 30 days after application. See recropping restrictions before using. Some rotation crops cannot be planted within 40 months of application. Use only rotation crops harvested at maturity for feed or food.
Site of action Group 2: acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor
Chemical family Imidazolinone
pendimethalin (Prowl H2O)
Rate 0.475 to 0.95 lb ai/A (1 to 2 pints/A Prowl H2O)
Time Apply before weeds emerge, when alfalfa has a fully expanded second trifoliolate leaf, and before alfalfa is 6 inches tall.
Remarks Controls most annual grasses and several broadleaf weeds, including dodder, as they germinate. Soil incorporation with rain or sprinkler irrigation enhances control. Will not control emerged weeds.
Caution Do not harvest for hay or forage within 50 days of application. Do not exceed 4.2 quarts/A of product per year. Refer to label for crop rotation restrictions.
Site of action Group 3: microtubule assembly inhibitor
Chemical family Dinitroaniline
terbacil (Sinbar WDG)
Rate 0.2 to 0.4 lb ai/A (0.25 to 0.5 lbs/A Sinbar WDG)
Time Apply to dormant alfalfa up until early spring prior to 2 inches of growth.
Remarks Limit application to 0.25 to 0.3 lb/A on sandy soils with 0.5 to 0.9% organic matter. Alfalfa tap root must be at least 6 inches long. In sandy soils with at least 1% organic matter apply 0.25 to 0.3 lb/A when alfalfa tap roots are at least 4 inches long. For loam, silt and clay soils apply up to 0.5 lb/A when alfalfa tap roots are at least 4 inches long.
Caution Do not use higher rates on soils with less than 1% organic matter. Do not apply on snow-covered or frozen ground.
Site of action Group 5: photosystem II inhibitor
Chemical family Uracil
trifluralin (Treflan HFP)
Rate 0.5 to 0.75 lb ai/A (1 to 1.5 pints/A Treflan HFP)
Time Before planting, apply and thoroughly incorporate into top 2 to 3 inches of soil.
Remarks Use lower rates on coarse and medium soils, higher rates on fine soils.
Caution Some crop stand reduction and stunting may occur with this use. Do not plant sugar beets, red beets, spinach, proso millet, corn, sorghum, oats, annual or perennial grass crops, or grass mixtures for 12 months after a spring application, or 14 months after a fall application. Moldboard plowing to a depth of 12 inches before planting these crops reduces the possibility of crop injury. If land has not been irrigated, do not plant these crops for 18 months after a spring application or 20 months after a fall application.
Site of action Group 3: microtubule assembly inhibitor
Chemical family Dinitroaniline