Author: Jonathan Green
Planning Unit: Plant and Soil Sciences
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
As soybean and corn prices have risen the past few years, the importance of making sound weed management decisions to protect crop yields has become even more critical. Crop yield losses due to weed competition can cause considerably higher economic losses than in past years when commodity prices were lower. For example, with current soybean prices over $16.00 per bushel and yields at 60 bu/A a 10% loss in crop yield due to inadequate weed control can result in a potential economic loss of $96.00 per acre. Furthermore, with corn prices at $7.00 per bushel and yields at 200 bu/A a 10% loss in potential crop yield due to reduced weed control can result in an economic loss of $140.00 per acre. Avoiding crop yield losses due to weeds have become more challenging and complex during the past few years due to the development of herbicide resistant weeds that has limited the use of some cost effective herbicide options, particularly in geographical areas such as Kentucky where no-till crop protection is heavily practiced. Supply chain issues this season have also limited the availability of some key products needed for effective weed management programs. Since last fall when supply chain issues were emerging, educational efforts through crop production meetings, webinars, news articles, and one-on-one consultations have been on going to help producers, crop consultants, pesticide applicators and other agribusiness personnel help navigate through this complex web of weed management decisions to minimize costly yield losses due to inadequate weed control.
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