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Reducing resistance: A guide to improved weed control
Resistance isn’t a new word to farmers, especially when it comes to weed control. The overuse of the same active ingredient can make herbicides ineffective on tough weeds, leading to economic and yield losses for your customers’ operations. As different weed species evolve to become resistant to herbicides, it’s critical for you to help farmers know how to properly identify resistance and understand their options for controlling resistant weeds.
Here are tips to help your customers determine if they have resistant weeds on their acres and how to overcome the issue:
- Ensure best management practices are being followed. When applying any herbicide, it’s important your customers spray at the correct boom height, use the appropriate nozzle type, apply during optimal conditions, and follow all other product recommendations. Encourage them to always read and follow product label directions.
- Support vigilant scouting. Frequent scouting of fields, before and after herbicide applications, helps farmers identify potential application failures. It also allows them to track weed populations, size and species, which are all key details for refining weed control management programs.
- Ask questions. If your customers followed label directions and still have weed escapes, they may have weeds resistance. Asking them the following questions can help pinpoint the issue:
- If only one weed species shows signs of resistance, are the other weeds on the product label being controlled?
- Did this field area show signs of resistance last year, especially if the same herbicides or active ingredients were used?
- Has this field received the same herbicides or modes of action repeatedly?
To confirm resistant weeds, you can help customers submit suspected populations for testing. If tests conclude your customers have herbicide-resistant weed populations on their acres, Scott Pringnitz, market development specialist with Corteva Agriscience, recommends working with them to implement a program approach to effectively manage those species. Hear more below.
If you have additional questions about weed resistance or a program approach, visit Corteva.com/us or contact your local Corteva Agriscience representative.