Pursuit herbicide from American Cyanimid Company was granted registration on September 8, 1995, for use on alfalfa. This herbicide will have a good fit in controlling many winter broadleaf weeds and some grasses in seedling alfalfa. Test results have shown control on 30 different species of broad leaf weeds which include some of the more difficult ones to control: cheeseweed, mustard, radish, burning nettle and knotweed.
Applied to newly emerged alfalfa between the 2-3 trifoliate leaf stage and small weeds, Pursuit translocates into the plant stopping weed growth very quickly. Within 4-8 days after spraying the growing point (meristamic tissue) begins to turn yellow and dies. In colder temperature or foggy conditions it has taken 2-3 weeks for complete kill.
Crop injury on alfalfa has been minimal showing a temporary delay in growth without plant loss or yield reduction at first cutting. Pursuit has been effectively tank mixed with Buctril, Poast and Prism to add control of sowthistle, prickly lettuce and grasses; i.e. barley sp., ryegrass, wild oats and canarygrass.
November 5, 1999