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Herbicide resistance summit webcast now online

Oct. 20, 2014 - On the heels of its September scientific summit on herbicide resistant weeds, the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) has slides and a webcast of the event available for free online.

Participants from approximately 100 cities across the U.S., Australia, Canada and Germany attended the event in person or via webinar, including growers, scientists, public policy makers and others interested in the impact of herbicide-resistant weeds on agricultural productivity. They heard speakers say herbicide resistance meets the classic definition of a "wicked" problem due to its complexity and the lack of a single, optimal solution. Effective responses to control these weed populations must be complex, varied, community based and holistic.

A number of recommendations were offered by speakers during the day-long event. Examples include:

• Establishing area-wide resistance management programs for specific threats, such as the herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth invading Iowa corn crops.
• Communicating the positive impact of resistance management on farm profitability.
• Developing resistance management certification programs.
• Implementing scouting programs for early identification of weeds that escape herbicide controls.
• Using financial incentives to promote adoption of herbicide resistance management plans and to encourage innovation in nonchemical weed management practices.
• Declaring certain weeds as noxious or invasive to certain geographical regions to increase the awareness and better prepare.

Slides and a webcast recording of the day-long summit are available online at http://wssa.net/weed/resistance-summit-ii.

October 20, 2014  By Top Crop Manager