Yikes! Herbicide-Resistant Weeds Discovered

Jul 12, 2012

Ontario Farmers Faced with Long List of Resistant Weeds

Farmers in Southwestern Ontario are facing a growing list of herbicide-resistant weeds. The herbicide resistance is weighing down fruit and vegetable farmers in the region. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist representative Kristen Callow spoke at the Vegetable Crop Open House at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus where she highlighted some of the growing concerns among fruit and vegetable growers. She says that the newest threats are large crabgrass in onion and carrot fields.

The threats are serious because the resistance is now found in all ‘Group One’ grass and farmers don’t have any alternatives to control the pests for the growing season. Other weeds that farmers need to be weary of are glyphosate-resistant fleabane and ragweed that can be toxic and are spreading across the province. Both weeds spread rapidly because the seeds travel on the wind. Many fruit orchards in the province are battling the weeds that are being spread through seed carry over from the wind.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.