*This article was previously published by Corteva Agriscience.
With the Enlist® weed control system, you may have some customers asking why they can’t use more traditional forms of 2,4-D (amine or ester) on their Enlist E3® soybeans. After all, aren’t Enlist E3 soybeans tolerant to 2,4-D? There are important reasons why only Enlist One® and Enlist Duo® herbicides — which contain 2,4-D choline with Colex-D® technology — are the only 2,4-D herbicides approved for use on Enlist® crops. Enlist herbicides are about much more than a logo on a label.
2,4-D ester
2,4-D herbicide was originally introduced in the 1940s in an ester form. It was a game-changer in broadleaf weed control. 2,4-D itself is an acid. In an ester, the 2,4-D is combined chemically with alcohol. 2,4-D esters readily absorb into plants, making them very effective at killing weeds.1 This also increases the potential for injury to nontargets in cases of off-target movement or application error.1 Ester formulations also have higher vapor pressures than amine or choline forms. The higher the vapor pressure, the more likely the 2,4-D will volatilize.
2,4-D amine
In amine forms, the 2,4-D acid reacts with an amine base to form a salt. Amines are water soluble and don’t absorb into plants as efficiently as esters. While their chemical composition makes amines less volatile than esters, they are still prone to instability, especially when mixed with other products.
2,4-D choline
2,4-D choline is a completely new molecule that combines the negatively charged 2,4-D acid with a positively charged choline salt. Because of these opposite charges, the 2,4-D choline molecule is extremely stable. When combined with Colex-D® technology, 2,4-D choline is the least volatile form of 2,4-D with near-zero volatility and reduced potential for drift and has the weed control properties of 2,4-D, making it very effective against weeds.
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™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies L.L.C. Following burndown, Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides with Colex-D® technology are the only herbicides containing 2,4-D that are authorized for preemergence and postemergence use with Enlist® crops. Consult Enlist® herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are not registered for use or sale in all states and counties; are not registered in AK, CA, CT, HI, ID, MA, ME, MT, NH, NV, OR, RI, UT, VT, WA and WY; and have additional subcounty restrictions in AL, GA, TN and TX, while existing county restrictions still remain in FL. All users must check “Bulletins Live! Two” no earlier than six months before using Enlist One or Enlist Duo. To obtain “Bulletins,” consult epa.gov/espp/, call 1-844-447-3813, or email ESPP@epa.gov. You must use the “Bulletin” valid for the month and state and county in which Enlist One or Enlist Duo are being applied. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency if you have questions about the registration status of Enlist® herbicides in your area. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW TO USE ANY PESTICIDE PRODUCT OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS LABELING. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. USE OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, 2,4-D-CONTAINING PRODUCTS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE WITH ENLIST CROPS, MAY RESULT IN OFF-TARGET DAMAGE TO SENSITIVE CROPS/AREAS AND/OR SUSCEPTIBLE PLANTS, IN ADDITION TO CIVIL AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES. Additional product-specific stewardship requirements for Enlist crops, including the Enlist Product Use Guide, can be found at www.traitstewardship.com. © 2024 Corteva. 023004 LC (12/24
