PLAIN ENGLISH SUMMARY: 


Pre-emergent Herbicides 101

Weed control in Australian grains farming was revolutionised during the late 1970s and 1980s with
the commercialisation of selective in-crop herbicides. After battling weeds for many years with
cultivation and a limited suite of pre-emergent herbicides, growers were now able to wait and see
what emerged and then selectively remove these from the crop with new highly effective post-
emergent herbicides. For many farms, this enabled the removal or reduction of the use of pre-
emergent herbicides, as these could be tricky to get right and potentially damaging to the crop
should things go wrong. Removing an additional spray pass during the busy planting period was an
additional benefit.

At the same time, the commercialisation of glyphosate also simplified weed control in fallow. This
resulted in growers being able to redesign fallow weed control, with ploughs permanently parked
behind the shed and reduced tillage programs quickly adopted. In addition to effective post-
emergent weed control, the retention of standing stubble in fallow resulted in increased soil
structure and moisture retention.

After 20 to 30 years of post-emergent herbicide dominated weed control programs, many

paddocks now contain problematic levels of herbicide resistance to these post-emergent
herbicides in one or more species. As a result, weed control programs require diversification –
including rotation of herbicide modes of action, increased crop competition, weed seed control at
harvest and, in some situations, careful use of strategic tillage.

Pre-emergent herbicides are complementary to a diverse weed control program. When used at, or
prior to, planting they offer the ability to keep the crop free of weeds for the critical establishment
period, while reducing early-season weed germinations also reduces selection pressure on
subsequent post-emergent herbicides. When used in fallow, a single appropriately timed pre-
emergent herbicide may replace two or more knockdown applications. Pre-emergent herbicides
often also provide a different mode of action to many post-emergent herbicides, providing control
of weeds which may be resistant to certain post-emergent modes of action.

Maximising the performance of pre-emergent herbicides, while minimising the potential for crop
damage or herbicide carry-over, requires an understanding of how each herbicide behaves in the
environment in which it is being used. This Diversity Era online learning course steps through the
key factors that influence how individual pre-emergent herbicides behave and the steps users can
take to maximise efficient use in the field.

Pre-emergent Herbicides 101 © WeedSmart’s Diversity Era 1

 • Module 1 focuses on the need for pre-emergent herbicides that is being driven by herbicide
resistance and how incorporating pre-emergent herbicides in the farming system can assist
in increasing diversification in weed control.

• Module 2 highlights the importance of understanding the weed species to be controlled,

where weed seeds are likely to be in the soil profile the tillage system being used and how
this influences pre-emergent herbicide performance.

• Module 3 discusses herbicide mobility. The ability to wash off stubble, move into the soil
and be taken up by germinating weed seeds influences efficacy. Understanding the
variation in solubility and binding to soil and organic matter between individual herbicides
and how these factors combine with soil type determines where the herbicide will be
positioned in the soil profile.

• Module 4 outlines the factors that influence the length of persistence, and when
persistence can be too long, resulting in herbicide carry-over to sensitive crops.


• Module 5 concentrates on the interaction of the herbicide with stubble and the need for
herbicide incorporation after application. 


• Module 6 addresses the key factors that influence crop safety, particularly in relation to
using pre-emergent grass herbicides at planting in winter crops.

• Module 7 builds on the previous videos to highlight the role of complementary farming
system tactics to get the most from pre-emergent herbicides in winter cropping systems.

• Module 8 outlines the current resistance status of key pre-emergent herbicides, how to
delay resistance and tactics that can assist in managing emerging resistance.


• Module 9 expands on the previous models to focus discussion around using pre-emergent
herbicides in the fallow for extended weed control, particularly focusing on the challenges of
incorporation and persistence.

• Modules 10 and 11 shifts focus to the role for pre-emergents when used at-planting
(Module 10) or when applied after crop emergence (Module 11) in both dryland and
irrigated summer crops.

• Module 12 wraps up the Diversity Era Pre-emergent Herbicide 101 course, discussing the
key roles for pre-emergent herbicides and how to optimise use in the farming system.


• Module 13 takes you through some additional resources so that you can continue to
deepen your understanding of pre-emergent herbicides.

Pre-emergent Herbicides 101 © WeedSmart’s Diversity Era 2