Resisting Resistance

 

 

 

You’re likely familiar with Take Action, the checkoff-funded program that encourages farmers to adopt weed-management practices to lessen the impacts of herbicide-resistant weeds.  Now, it’s also a resource to help you Take Action against pests and disease.

 

 “Farmers can use some of the lessons from herbicide-resistant weeds and apply those to fungicide-resistant pathogens that cause disease,” says Purdue University pathologist, Kiersten Wise. “They know how difficult it is to manage herbicide-resistant weeds; it will be equally difficult to manage fungicide-resistant pathogens.”

 

Take Action will continue to be a resource to farmers on weed management strategies, but as expanded, it will emphasize the importance of using integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Controlling insects and diseases will prevent unnecessary applications of insecticide and fungicide and reduced the potential for development of pest resistance. This helps to further preserve the technology available.

 

“If we can take measures to prevent or slow resistance from occurring, it will make disease management easier for soybean farmers,” says Wise. “You’ve seen the hurdles herbicide-resistant weeds pose. We have an opportunity to take action against fungicide resistance before it becomes more widespread.”