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How to Maximize Success with Enlist E3® Soybeans

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With millions of acres switching to Pioneer® brand Enlist E3® soybeans, farmers are asking questions about successfully managing the Enlist® weed control system. Pioneer is here to help. Farmers who choose Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans get a flexible, easy-to-manage weed control system combined with the industry's best resources from Pioneer and the Enlist system.

Use the information below to better understand the power of Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans and how you can maximize the benefits of the Enlist system.

3 Reasons to Choose More Flexible Weed Control

1. Herbicide tolerances of Pioneer® brand Enlist E3® soybeans and more tank-mix options.

Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans have tolerance to 2,4-D choline, glyphosate and glufosinate, so you can tailor your weed control program to the situation and weed pressure on your farm. That means you can spray Enlist One® or Enlist Duo® herbicide, as well as glyphosate or Liberty® herbicide (glufosinate), to control difficult weeds. Enlist® herbicides can be tank-mixed with hundreds of other products, including herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, so you can maximize every pass through the field.

2. With more on-target spraying, Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans are compatible with other soybeans and crops.

The bottom line: When neighboring fields are planted to non-Enlist soybeans or other compatible crops, the Enlist™ system gives you a competitive edge and greater flexibility compared to other systems.

Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans are very compatible with other soybeans. No other conventional or herbicide-traited soybeans are listed as susceptible crops on Enlist herbicide labels. Corn, wheat, alfalfa and sorghum are also compatible crops.

That means you can apply Enlist herbicides to Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans when these compatible crops are downwind, as long as the wind is blowing within labeled wind speeds. In addition to no wind directional restrictions with compatible crops, Enlist herbicides stay where they are put thanks to near-zero volatility of 2,4-D choline.

3. Wide application window

Enlist herbicides can be applied to Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans postemergence through the R1 growth stage. A wide application window provides more opportunities for better weed control. Weed species such as waterhemp and Palmer amaranth germinate later in the season, so controlling those weeds is essential. That's another competitive advantage you get with Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans.

7 Tips for Success

1. Use Enlist® herbicides as part of a program approach

You’ll have the greatest success if you use an Enlist herbicide as part of a program approach for weed control in Pioneer® brand Enlist E3® soybeans. This method improves weed control, reduces weed competition during key stages of crop growth and helps manage herbicide resistance.

  • Enlist herbicides can be used in burndown, preemergence and postemergence on Enlist E3 soybeans.
  • Labeled application rates: Enlist Duo®herbicide 4.75 pt./A and Enlist One® herbicide 2 pt./A.
  • Up to three applications may be made per season:
    • One application in burndown or preemergence.
    • Up to two applications postemergence, at least 12 days apart.
  • Always use a true broad-spectrum soil residual herbicide (not Group 4 or Group 9) in your weed management plan.
  • Consider using a layered residual, such as S-metolachlor, in your post passes for longer-lasting weed control.

2. Application timing matters

Apply Enlist herbicides through the R1 growth stage with Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans. That provides a wide application window, with no calendar cutoff dates for greater flexibility in weed control. Monitor weed size and spray:

  • When weeds are 6 inches tall or less.
  • When weeds are actively growing.
  • Using labeled rates for best weed management.

3. Take advantage of tank-mix opportunities

The wide application window for an Enlist herbicide offers opportunities for you to tank mix with other qualified products, such as other herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. By tank-mixing herbicides, you can spray multiple modes of action in one pass. Plus, tank-mixing applications can save time and money with fewer trips across the field.

  • Layering residual herbicides as part of a tank mix with Enlist herbicides helps provide season-long control of tough broadleaf weeds and grasses.
  • For pigweed and waterhemp pressure, farmers should consider a tank mix of Enlist One herbicide + Liberty® herbicide, the preferred glufosinate tank-mix partner with Enlist One herbicide. A tank-mix of Enlist One + Liberty herbicides provides greater than 90% control of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp in joint research with BASF.1,2
  • For heavy grass pressure, and glyphosate-susceptible broadleaves, farmers can either use Enlist Duo herbicide, a convenient blend of 2,4-D choline and glyphosate, or Enlist One herbicide + glyphosate. Durango® DMA® herbicide is the preferred glyphosate tank-mix partner with Enlist One herbicide.

4. Optimize coverage with nozzle selection and water volume

Nozzle selection and water volume can maximize product performance by managing the interaction between application volume, nozzle flow rate, nozzle type, operating pressure, travel speed, nozzle spacing and droplet size. Here are key items to remember:

  • Use a labeled nozzle that provides the best possible coverage while appropriately managing spray droplets.
  • Use a minimum of 10 gallons of water carrier volume; 10 to 15 gallons recommended for Enlist herbicides.
  • Only use nozzle and pressure combinations specifically listed on the label for Enlist Duo or Enlist One herbicide. Always read and follow the product label, as well as state and local requirements.

5. Check wind direction and speed

Monitor wind direction and speed, before and during an application. Be aware of shifting winds during your application.

  • Recommended wind speed range is 3 to 10 mph; federal label maximum wind speed is 15 mph. Check with your state on maximum wind speed.
  • Know which crops and landscape are downwind prior to deciding whether to make an application of Enlist herbicides or waiting for better wind conditions. Do not spray Enlist herbicides when the wind is blowing toward adjacent susceptible crops. Susceptible crops include:
    • Cotton without the Enlist trait
    • Grapes
    • Cucurbits
    • Fruiting vegetables
    • Tomatoes
    • Tobacco

6. Avoid temperature inversions

A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warm air covers a layer of cooler air and acts like a lid, preventing the cooler air from rising and dissipating into the upper atmosphere. During a temperature inversion, spray particles can become trapped in the warmer layer of air and stay suspended until wind movement increases, resulting in off-target movement.

  • Monitor temperatures using weather apps from your smartphone when planning an application and always check conditions in the field.
  • If the temperature is within 5 degrees of the overnight low, closely check wind speed and particle movement in the field.
  • Measure the temperature at ground level (approximately 3 feet) and at 7 feet above ground. If the difference is more than a few degrees, it is considered an inversion.
  • If you suspect a temperature inversion, wait until later in the day and check again for a more favorable application environment.

7. Clean sprayer tank properly after applying Enlist herbicides

Sprayer tank cleanout is simple with the Enlist weed control system. If the next crop you're spraying is glyphosate-tolerant corn, single-rinse the sprayer with water at least 10% of sprayer volume. For all other crops, triple-rinse with water at least 10% sprayer volume.

Resources for Your Success

1. Application

Download the Enlist Application Guide for a quick overview, or reference the Enlist Product Use Guide for more detailed information. You'll find information on application timing, nozzles, rates, volume, pressure and much more.

2. Tank cleanout

Sprayer tank cleanout is simple with the Enlist® weed control system. If the next crop you're spraying is glyphosate-tolerant corn, single-rinse the sprayer with water at least 10% of sprayer volume. For all other crops, triple-rinse with water at least 10% sprayer volume. Read more in the Enlist sprayer cleanout guide.

3. Tank-mix partners

See the latest list of approved tank mixes with Enlist herbicides.

Pioneer field agronomists work hand in hand with Enlist field specialists to provide the best resources and answer your toughest questions about the Enlist weed control system. Contact your local Pioneer team to start the conversation if you have questions about Pioneer® brand Enlist E3® soybeans and the Enlist weed control system.

Follow a Fellow Farmer


1Control of 3- to 4-inch Palmer amaranth in 2020 Corteva Agriscience trials with Enlist One® herbicide at 32 fluid ounces, Liberty® herbicide at 32 fl. oz., glyphosate DMA at 29 fl. oz. and AMS at 2.5 v/v.

2Control of 3- to 4-inch waterhemp in 2020 Corteva Agriscience trials with Enlist One® herbicide at 32 fluid ounces, Liberty® herbicide at 32 fl. oz. and AMS at 2.5 v/v.

Legal and Trademark

The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies L.L.C.

Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist crops. Consult Enlist herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions.

Liberty®, LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design are trademarks of BASF.