I generally recommend that farmers apply paraquat plus Basagran plus a group 15 residual herbicide (Metolachlor products, Outlook, Warrant, or Zidua) within 3 weeks after planting (you can go up to 4 weeks after peanut emergence) and then follow up with a postemergence application of PPO-inhibiting herbicides as needed. This year farmers have had challenges getting into fields in a timely manner and weeds are taking off. I generally recommend 8 ounces (2.5 SL) or 5.4 ounces (3 SL) of paraquat products. These rates can be increased to control larger weeds. Also, growers that have considerably larger weeds might need to switch to PPO herbicides more quickly than normal. In the lower southeast a lot of growers apply Storm at 1 pint/acre plus paraquat as a mixture. Storm contains Basagran at a rate that would minimize injury from paraquat but it also contains acifluorfen (active ingredient in Ultra Blazer) and that can increase injury. I generally would prefer applying the paraquat (plus Basagran and residual herbicides) described earlier and then follow up with the PPO herbicide a few weeks later. However, the combination of Storm plus paraquat is very effective, especially if weeds are larger. My issue is that there is a lot season remaining and we often need PPO herbicides later in the season. Applying PPO herbicides multiple times can adversely affect peanut yield.
Credit: peanut.ces.ncsu.edu
