At this time of year, there are questions about weed control. My comments will have a focus on the Virginia-Carolina region, but major themes apply across the peanut belt. With the presence of resistance to ALS chemistry (Strongarm, Cadre, Pursuit) in Palmer amaranth and common ragweed, we need to include overlapping residual herbicides with different sites of action.
A first step, for folks still willing to incorporate herbicides, is to incorporate pendimethalin (Prowl and generics containing pendimethalin) or ethalfluralin (Sonalan) prior to planting. This can be a hard sell: uniform incorporation is critical and this takes time and two passes of tillage. For pre-emergence applications, a Group 15 herbicide (metolachlor products, Outlook, or Warrant) should be included with flumioxazin (Valor and generic flumioxazin) within three days after planting. Fluridone (Brake) is an option when applied with a Group 15 herbicide plus Valor if PPO resistance is a concern (PPO-inhibiting herbicides include Cobra, Ultra Blazer, Storm, and Valor). Prowl H2O is a more water-soluble formulation of pendimethalin that can be applied pre-emergence, although I think this herbicide is most effective when incorporated prior to planting.
Once you have applied preplant burndown herbicides (with or without residuals), preplant incorporated herbicides, and/or pre-emergence herbicides, it is important to keep more residual herbicide in your postemergence sprays. Paraquat plus Basagran plus a Group 15 herbicide (with Zidua and Anthem Flex added to the previous list above of Group 15 herbicides) is a good option to control emerged weeds that are small and extend the residual control further into the season (Storm plus paraquat is standard in the Southeast). We often refer to this approach as “overlapping residuals.” A Group 15 herbicide can also be applied with Cadre, Cobra, Storm, and Ultra Blazer. It is very often more cost effective to apply overlapping residuals early in the season rather than chasing weeds that have emerged throughout the season using postemergence herbicides (Cadre, Storm, Cobra, Ultra Blazer, clethodim products, 2,4-DB).
In the upper Virginia-Carolina region, make sure thrips injury is not excessive if you plan to use paraquat plus Basagran alone or with residual herbicides. Correct the thrips injury with acephate or Hemi plus surfactant first, and then apply paraquat combinations once peanuts have recovered. Peanuts can handle thrips injury or paraquat injury with minimal negative impact; the combination of both at the same time can have a major negative impact on yield. Systemic insecticide applied in the seed furrow at planting can suppress thrips well enough to allow paraquat plus Basagran to be applied at any point within the first 28 days after peanuts emerge. The exception has been imidacloprid (Admire Pro or generics) in some fields where protection is less than ideal due to resistance in thrips to this insecticide.
The critical weed-free period for peanuts is four to six weeks. If we can control weeds throughout that time, we create an opportunity to optimize yield with respect to weeds. But we also must dig peanuts, and season-long weed control is needed to minimize pod loss during digging and ensure deposition of fungicide sprays in the peanut canopy. We may have peanuts in the field; the question is can we get all of them if mid- and late-season weed control is subpar?
Not all herbicide combinations are compatible. Make sure you check with local experts to know whether herbicide combinations are compatible and don’t cause greater crop injury, less weed control, and settling in the tank.
Finally, we have developed a tool to help with selection of herbicides without having to search through our production guides. The tool is designed for the upper Virginia-Carolina region and reflects the tables and recommendations in 2026 Peanut Information and the NC Agricultural Chemicals Manual. The Herbicide Selection Tool is at the following link: https://cropmanagement.cals.ncsu.edu/weeds/herbicideselect.aspx. The tool does not tell you everything you need to do once you have decided what to use; the goal is to get you to the best herbicide option(s) quickly. ∆
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