Success StoryWeed Management Decisions for Soybean are Complex



Weed Management Decisions for Soybean are Complex

Author: Jonathan Green

Planning Unit: Plant and Soil Sciences

Major Program: Integrated Plant Pest Management

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Weed management decisions for grain crops, particularly soybean production, has become much more complex as herbicide resistant weeds have become more prominent during the past 10 years. Furthermore, the cost per acre for implementation of good weed control strategies exceeds the combined cost for insect and disease control and can be equivalent to the basic cost for crop seed.  Weed control can be one of the highest variable input costs associated with soybean production and can range from $20 to $50 per acre.  Soybean weed management has also become more complex with the introduction of various herbicide tolerant crop traits with soybean varieties designated as either Roundup Ready, STS Tolerant, Liberty Link, Roundup2 Xtend, Enlist3, or LLGT27 that are now available to producers. To address the confusion and complexity associated with weed control options associated with these various crop traits I have been actively engaged in delivery of educational programs through field training schools, field days, and state and local meetings  These efforts have also included research and demonstration trials to evaluate and illustrate how these different herbicide tolerant crop traits can be incorporated into an effective weed management strategy to tackle herbicide resistant weeds such as marestail, waterhemp, and Palmer amaranth. An objective of these educational programs is to provide participants the knowledge and resources needed for developing cost effective and appropriate weed management strategies to tackle herbicide resistant weeds utilizing these new herbicide tolerant crop traits.  At a recent field training school event participants included Agriculture and Natural Resource agents, crop producers, crop consultants, pesticide applicators, other agricultural business personnel, and government regulators.






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