MITIGATING RESISTANCE: HOW AND WHY, YOU NEED TO DIVERSIFY

Herbicide Resistance poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity, profitability, and sustainability. Here are four ways how growers can help mitigate the risk of herbicide resistance:

1. Diversify Weed Control Tactics: Relying solely on herbicides for weed control increases the selection pressure for resistant weeds to develop. By diversifying weed control tactics, such as incorporating cultural, mechanical, and biological methods alongside herbicides, growers can reduce the reliance on herbicides and decrease the likelihood of resistance. This includes practices like crop rotation, tillage, cover cropping, and targeted grazing.

2. Use Herbicides with Different Modes of Action: Herbicides work through specific modes of action to control weeds. It is crucial for growers to use herbicides with different modes of action, both within a growing season and over multiple seasons. This approach prevents the dominance of resistant weed populations that can survive the application of a single herbicide mode of action.

3. Practice Proper Herbicide Application: Correct herbicide application techniques ensure optimal efficacy and minimize the potential for resistance. Following label instructions regarding dosage, timing, and application methods is crucial. Additionally, calibration and maintenance of spraying equipment, along with proper spray coverage and timing, help maximize herbicide effectiveness and minimize the risk of resistance.

4. Monitor and Manage Weed Populations: Regular monitoring of fields for weed populations is essential to detect the early signs of resistance. By identifying and managing resistant weeds promptly, growers can prevent their spread and minimize the impact on crop yields. This includes implementing targeted control measures, such as hand weeding or spot spraying, to limit the reproduction and seed bank of resistant weeds.

Mitigating the risk of herbicide resistance is critical for growers because it:

1. Preserves Herbicide Effectiveness: By taking proactive measures to manage herbicide resistance, growers can preserve the effectiveness of herbicides and ensure their long-term viability as a weed control tool.

2. Protects Crop Yields and Profitability: Herbicide-resistant weeds can significantly reduce crop yields and increase production costs. By mitigating the risk of resistance, growers can protect their crop yields, maintain profitability, and minimize the need for expensive alternative weed control methods.

3. Ensures Sustainable Weed Management: Implementing resistance mitigation strategies is key to sustainable weed management. By adopting diverse and integrated weed control practices, growers can establish resilient systems that are less reliant on herbicides and more sustainable in the long run.

In summary, growers should be concerned about herbicide resistance due to its detrimental effects on productivity and sustainability. By diversifying weed control tactics, using herbicides with different modes of action, practicing proper herbicide application, and monitoring and managing weed populations, growers can help mitigate the risk of herbicide resistance and safeguard their crops, profitability, and the environment.