Three New Herbicides Offer Hope Against Resistant Weeds

By Scout Nelson

Several new herbicide active ingredients are advancing toward commercialization, giving corn and soybean growers additional options for managing herbicide-resistant weeds.According to Amit Jhala, Extension Weed Management Specialist, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, these developments were highlighted as important additions that could strengthen weed control programs and help address challenging weed species in row-crop production.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed registration decisions in June 2026 for three herbicide active ingredients relevant to corn and soybean farming: diflufenican, epyrifenacil, and trifludimoxazin. Although the products are not yet commercially available, they have the potential to improve control of troublesome weeds such as waterhemp and Palmer amaranth while supporting resistance-management efforts.

Diflufenican, marketed as Convintro, is a Group 12 herbicide intended for preplant and preemergence applications in corn and soybeans. The product provides residual control of pigweed species and introduces a new site of action that could help growers diversify weed management programs and combat resistant weed populations.

Epyrifenacil, which will be sold as Rapidicil, belongs to the Group 14 PPO inhibitor class. Designed for preplant burndown and cover crop termination, it can be used in crops including corn, soybeans, wheat, and canola. Its rapid activity against both broadleaf and grass weeds makes it a valuable option for growers using no-till and cover-crop systems.

Trifludimoxazin, marketed as Tirexor and included in combination products such as Voraxor, is also a Group 14 PPO inhibitor. The herbicide delivers both residual preemergence activity and postemergence burndown control, providing flexibility across corn, soybean, cereal, and other cropping systems.

While these products represent promising additions to weed-control programs, they are not yet available for commercial use. Final EPA approvals, state registrations, and official product labeling must be completed before growers can incorporate them into their operations.

Once released, growers should carefully review all label requirements, including provisions related to runoff management, erosion control, spray drift, and endangered species protections. The introduction of these new herbicide technologies could play a key role in expanding weed-control options and improving long-term resistance management in corn and soybean production.

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