Cloudy Weather and Glufosinate (Liberty) Herbicide

Mark VanGessel, Extension Weed Specialist; mjv@udel.edu

Several folks have shifted to using glufosinate to help manage herbicide resistant weeds. This is a herbicide that is very dependent on sunlight for optimum performance. The following is directly from the Liberty label:

  • Warm temperatures, high humidity, and bright sunlight improve the performance of glufosinate.
  • To avoid the possibility of reduced control, applications should be made between dawn and 2 hours before sunlight.

In my opinion, you are better off waiting for proper conditions than trying to make it work under poor conditions.

There are a number of brands of glufosinate, and these precautions pertain to all of them (glufosinate is a Group 10 herbicide). Other brand names include Cheetah, Interline, Fever, or Surmise.