What's New for Agronomic Weed Control: 2026

Below is the annual overview of newer herbicide products. As in the recent past, there are no new herbicide modes of action, but there are a few products with new active ingredients and premixes. Also this year, information on herbicide-resistant crops and an overview of new ESA requirements are highlighted.

Herbicide Updates

Convintro (group 12; Bayer) with the active ingredient diflufenican, is not a new mode of action but is unique to the North American market and cropping systems. It has a bleaching action on weeds and can cause transient crop injury. This injury is evident as white leaves and stems. Bayer plans to initially market it in corn and soybean, and its primary targets are Palmer and waterhemp and few other broadleaves. It suppresses annual grasses but is weak on ragweed. It will be used PRE with low use rates (≈ 4 fl oz/A) and will be mixed with other products to broaden the weed control spectrum. No EPA approval yet, but possibly soon. 

Icafolin-methyl (group 23; Bayer) is a new experimental active ingredient but not a new mode of action; however, it has not been used in major US agronomic crops yet. It has POST, non-selective activity and controls many annual grasses and broadleaves, including Palmer, waterhemp, and annual ryegrass. It will likely be used in soybean, corn, and other crops and possibly be marketed in the US by 2029.

Liberty Ultra 1.76SL (glufosinate [Liberty]; group 10; BASF) is considered the next generation of Liberty herbicide. It contains L-glufosinate, which is a more active isomer and thus allows for lower use rates. For example, 24 fl oz of Liberty Ultra will be equal to 32 fl oz of Liberty 280 or generic formulations. This improved formulation causes greater spray droplet retention on the weed foliage and provides consistent performance and crop safety. It can be applied to glufosinate-resistant crops. The application timing in soybean is from emergence up to early bloom (R1 stage) and from emergence through R6 in corn. It is best to include AMS, spray at 15-20 gallons/A, and use nozzles that produce medium to coarse spray droplets and a defoamer. It has EPA approval and is being marketed. When using this product, Endangered Species Act drift and runoff mitigation guidelines must be followed. See below and its label for more information.

NovaGraz (florpyrauxifen (aka Rinskor active) + 2,4-D; group 4; Corteva) will be labeled for use in grass pastures and hayfields to control or suppress many broadleaf weeds, such as cocklebur, wild carrot, buttercup, biennial thistles, ragweeds, poison hemlock, dandelion, marestail, and others. It's weak on horsenettle, milkweed, dogbane, Canada thistle, and smooth bedstraw. It is safe on forage grasses AND preserves white clover. The typical rate is 24 fl oz/A plus MSO. It has no to minimal restrictions: 3-day wait for lactating dairy; others 0-day; 14 days for hay. It received federal registration and is available for sale. (This product was previously referred to as ProClova.)

Rapidicil 0.46EC (epyrifenacil; group 14; Valent) is an experimental PPO inhibitor herbicide like Sharpen and has activity on many annual broadleaves and certain grasses; however, it is weak on marestail. It is mobile within the plant and fast-acting with symptoms showing in about 3 days. Currently, it is being tested as a burndown product, but it might be used to control weeds post in Vyconic soybeans, currently in development by Bayer. Rapidicil is still awaiting EPA approval and a possible launch by fall 2026. In North America, Valent has acquired the rights from Sumitomo to market and distribute the herbicide.

Rimisoxafen is being developed by FMC, and they are touting it as a dual mode of action molecule – PDS (group 12) + SDPS (group 32). It will be applied PRE in corn and soybean and controls primarily broadleaves, particularly targeting Palmer and waterhemp. Possibly marketed by later this decade.

Sonic Boom 3.35SC (metribuzin + sulfentrazone, groups 5, 14; Corteva) simply combines two commonly used active ingredients in soybean and a few other crops. Not to be confused with Sonic 70WG, which contains cloransulam and sulfentrazone.

Surtain 1.62ZC (saflufenacil [Sharpen] + pyroxasulfone [Zidua]; groups 14, 15; BASF) is a premix in a novel solid encapsulation formulation technology referred to as ZC. Because of its formulation, Surtain does NOT have burndown activity on weeds, so burndown herbicide will need to be added to the program. It can be applied PRE through early POST (V3) in field corn (not sweet corn) and is compatible with liquid fertilizer carriers. Surtain will provide residual control of annual grasses and large- and small-seeded broadleaves. A typical use rate is 14 fl oz/A and can be tank-mixed; also, if applying after corn emergence, include only NIS and AMS since COC/MSO and UAN can cause crop injury. Also, if mixed with Liberty/glufosinate, some crop injury can be expected. Surtain is currently registered and being marketed.

Voraxor 3.13SC (saflufenacil [Sharpen] + trifludimoxazin [Tirexor]; group 14; BASF) will primarily be used as a burndown before corn, soybean, small grains, and likely other crops. Voraxor broadens the spectrum of control of Sharpen for better burndown of weeds like chickweed, henbit, and purple deadnettle. It is awaiting federal registration with an anticipated launch in 2026 with limited volumes.

Zidua Plus 3.6SC (BASF) is basically a combination of Zidua and Pursuit. It provides residual and knockdown control of weeds compared to Zidua alone and more application flexibility than Zidua Pro. It can be applied PRE up to V6 in soybean only at 6 fl oz/A. It, too, is awaiting federal registration and might be marketed in 2026.

EPA Updates (Endangered Species Act)

To comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, EPA must evaluate the potential effects of pesticides on federally threatened or endangered species and their critical habitats and then recommend mitigation strategies developed in partnership with other federal agencies. Certain mitigation strategies could include: drift reduction adjuvants (DRAs), vegetative filter strips, field borders and grassed waterways, cover cropping, mulching, no- or reduced-tillage strategies. The EPA’s recent reregistration of Liberty Ultra provides a preview of what to expect in future labels. Liberty Ultra requires runoff mitigation, including a minimum of three points from the EPA's Mitigation Menu website, as well as consulting the Bulletins Live! website, among other requirements. See product label for full details.

The updated product labels include new application timing requirements designed to reduce runoff, leaching, spray drift, and other off-target impacts on endangered species and their habitats. In addition, the products may not be allowed in certain counties or townships that contain these species. Farmers and land managers should become familiar with the EPA’s updated work plan and with how to access important application instructions online through the two websites above. Most importantly, be prepared to incorporate any mitigation strategies required by EPA.

Herbicide-Resistant Crops Update

Below is a brief overview of some of the more prominent crop lines with traits that tolerate or resist herbicides that would normally kill or severely injure them.

Enlist E3 soybean from Corteva has been available for the past several years. E3 varieties will be the dominant soybean platform in our state/region with approximately 75-80% of the acreage. There will be many seed companies selling this platform. One thing to keep in mind as a best management practice and to keep this system as a viable option is to make sure to use effective 2-pass herbicide programs. It is best to use effective residual herbicides at planting and to make timely POST applications (in most cases before soybean flowering) when weeds are less than 6 inches tall. In some parts of the country, herbicide programs are not being used correctly, and weeds are escaping or becoming resistant. Don’t let this happen in your fields.

Plenish E3 soybean lines from Corteva are high oleic oil varieties. Since E3 traits have been stacked into these lines, there are more herbicide options for better weed control. Plenish E3 soybeans will be grown and marketed under identity-preserved contract programs and farmers receive premiums from participating processors/elevators such as Perdue. These varieties will mostly be available in southeast PA and Delmarva, but check local options in your area. Since E3 traits have been inserted, herbicide options include glyphosate, Liberty (glufosinate), Enlist One or Duo, plus many other conventional herbicides. Keep in mind that "regular" Plenish varieties will also be available and those are tolerant to glyphosate.

XtendFlex soybean varieties from Bayer are still being sold by certain seed companies. And, at the time of publishing this article (Jan. 2026), dicamba products (XtendiMax, Engenia, Tavium) are still not registered for sale or application. However, there is speculation that this ban might be lifted soon, allowing for dicamba use in the 2026 growing season. Assuming that the ban is lifted, Bayer might use a new dicamba product tradename instead of "XtendiMax" while Engenia (BASF) and Tavium (Syngenta) remain the same.

Vyconic soybeans are being developed by Bayer, and these soybean lines will have many stacked herbicide tolerance traits. These traits will be included in the new Vyconic soybean lines. Currently referred to as HT4, this first platform will have tolerance to glyphosate, Liberty (or glufosinate), dicamba, 2,4-D, and HPPD (namely mesotrione). These are projected to be available in 2027. Later, by 2030 or so, the next generation of Vyconic soybeans, currently referred to as HT5, will include tolerance to various PPO (group 14) herbicides plus all the other previously mentioned traits as well. But these are just projections and exact timelines, and other logistics can change. Once the Vyconic varieties are in place, they will eventually replace the XtendFlex lines.

Enlist corn from Corteva will be available this year and has tolerance to multiple herbicides, including glyphosate, glufosinate (Liberty, others), 2,4-D choline (Enlist One and Duo), and the FOPS such as quizalofop or Assure II. But clethodim-containing products will kill it. So, if these corn varieties volunteer in soybean fields next year, clethodim can be used to control it. Also, other conventional corn herbicides can be used in this system. These varieties will be sold by Pioneer and many other seed companies in their PowerCore and Vorceed product lines.