Texas Farmers Need To Continue To Be ‘vigilant’ With Herbicide-resistant Weeds

Dec 23, 2015

By Blair Fannin

Farmers need to continue to be vigilant in rotating herbicides to defend against the threat of glyphosate-resistant herbicides, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist.

At the recent Texas Plant Protection Association Conference in Bryan, several talks addressed new technology and continuing weed control, plus a number of awards were presented during the annual business meeting.

Dr. Paul Baumann, AgriLife Extension state weed specialist, College Station, told attendees that weed resistance issues in Texas will continue in the future.

“We’ve got to keep the pressure on whether we are talking about common waterhemp or using alternative chemistries,” he said. “You just can’t let it go.”

Baumann said rotating herbicides in crops is a good management practice. Other than herbicides, hand-hoe labor is expensive and hard to come by.

“Unless you go out there and pull that weed up, you’ve still got to get control of it,” he said. “You’ve got to get ahead of the problem before it starts.”

Dr. Peter Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife Research weed scientist, Lubbock, said there are a lot of fields “with lots of different biotypes.”

“If we control with the same approach year after year, you know what’s going to happen,” he said.

Dotray said just one Palmer amaranth plant has the capability of producing 500 to 600 million seed.

“Weed resistance is a real global issue that requires local solutions,” he said. “There’s no silver bullet coming in the next year or the next 10 years.”

Following the speakers, a number of agricultural professionals and students received association awards. The following were award winners:

Poster contest: Texas A&M University students John Gordy, Development of Thresholds for Management of Sugarcane Aphid on Sorghum, first place; Chase Vasbinder, Soil Nutrient Survey for Phosphorus and Potassium in the Texas Blacklands and Coastal Plains Production Regions, second place; Sarah Ajayi, Spectral Vegetation Indices for Eliminating Growth and Performance of Winter Wheat Genotypes, third place.

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Video: Why Port Infrastructure is Key to Growing Canada's Farms and Economy

Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) knows that strong, modern port infrastructure is vital to the success of Canada’s agriculture. When our ports grow, Ontario grain farmers and Canadian farms grow too—and when we grow, Canada grows.

In this video, we highlight the importance of investing in port infrastructure and how these investments are key to growing Ontario agriculture and supporting global trade. The footage showcases the strength of both Ontario’s farming landscapes and vital port operations, including some key visuals from HOPA Ports, which we are grateful to use in this project.

Ontario’s grain farmers rely on efficient, sustainable ports and seaway systems to move grain to markets around the world. Port investments are crucial to increasing market access, driving economic growth, and ensuring food security for all Canadians.

Why Port Infrastructure Matters:

Investing in Ports = Investing in Farms: Modernized ports support the export of Canadian grain, driving growth in agriculture.

Sustainable Growth: Learn how stronger ports reduce environmental impact while boosting economic stability.

Global Trade Opportunities: Improved port and seaway systems help farmers access new global markets for their grain.

Stronger Communities: Investment in ports means more stable jobs and economic growth for rural communities across Ontario and Canada.

We are proud to support the ongoing investment in port infrastructure and to shine a light on its vital role in feeding the world and securing a prosperous future for Canadian agriculture.

Special thanks to HOPA Ports for providing some of the stunning port footage featured in this video.