With planting underway across the Midwest, Syngenta agronomist Matt Geiger is reminding growers not to cut corners on early-season weed management—even in a challenging farm economy.

“Starting clean is step one,” Geiger said during an interview at the 2026 Commodity Classic in San Antonio. He noted that modern tillage equipment often fails to eliminate emerged waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, creating “tillage escapes” that damage the plant’s vascular system and become much harder to control later. Geiger recommends an early burndown with residual herbicide or spraying right ahead of tillage passes in both crops. “Herbicides aren’t a beauty contest—they’re about preventing weed competition so you can maximize yield while staying easy on the crop,” said Geiger.

Geiger highlighted Storen herbicide, launched in 2025, for corn. Field results show up to three weeks longer residual on pigweeds, stronger activity on large-seeded broadleaves, improved grass control and far greater consistency: more than 90 percent of the time Storen delivered over 95 percent weed control in one-pass programs.

Learn more in this interview:
Matt Geiger, agronomic service representative – Early-season weed control
Classic26 - Matt Geiger, Syngenta (5:06)