Kochia not confirmed ‘triple resistant’ — yet

Kochia not confirmed ‘triple resistant’ — yet

Producers should take action against kochia based on threat severity

Triple-resistant” kochia — kochia resistant to herbicides in Groups 2, 4 and 9 — hasn’t yet been confirmed in Alberta despite recent media reports, says Hugh Beckie, a weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Surveys have turned up two-way resistant kochia, specifically Group 2 plus Group 4, and Group 2 plus Group 9 resistant weeds, but […] Read more

Palmer amaranth. (United Soybean Board photo)

Minnesota probes Palmer amaranth’s sudden appearance

Chicago | Reuters — Minnesota has launched an investigation to find the source of seed mixes contaminated with weed seeds after the aggressive, herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth weed was found on 30 areas planted in a federal conservation program. The weed grows very fast, reaching up to eight feet in height and can hold back commercial […] Read more


Start planning spring crop rotations

Start planning spring crop rotations

Strong crop rotations can bring along a wealth of long-term agronomic benefits

Crop rotations can be used to take advantage of differences in how each crop in a rotation contributes to increased soil organic matter, aids in pest management, manages soil nutrients and controls soil erosion. Rotating different crops in the same field can effectively promote sustainable crop production. If you haven’t already started planning your crops […] Read more

Weed researchers are studying several options to control herbicide-resistant weeds. Researchers need to test each product or practice alone, and in combination.

Use diversity to fight resistant weeds

The latest in using integrated weed management tools for hard-to-manage weeds

A three-year study in Arkansas has found that a combination of fall management practices and herbicide use are the most effective ways to control herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth, when combined with a herbicide program. But Arkansas isn’t Alberta. So what can western Canadian farmers learn from this study? More and more often the message in weed […] Read more


Photo: File

EPA approves Monsanto’s dicamba weed killer

U.S. seeds and agrochemicals maker Monsanto Co. has secured approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a new dicamba-based weed killer designed for its next generation biotech soy and cotton varieties, the company said on Wednesday. While approval had been expected, it is seen as a major step forward for the company’s newest herbicide […] Read more

Palmer amaranth.

Stem Shock: new herbicide in development

A new mode of action based on RNA could soon be killing a weed near you

It’s been over 20 years since chemical companies released a new mode of action in herbicides. But a B.C.-based company is cooking up a whole new type of herbicide. “We use a different mode of action for the actual killing of the plants than a lot of traditional herbicides. Most herbicides, by reducing the specific […] Read more


Herbicide resistance is a global problem that requires a local solution, says
Kate Sanford Mitchell. Farmers, researchers and industry from North America 
to Australia are trying to find effective ways to control resistant weeds.

Resist herbicide resistance

Farmers don’t create herbicide resistance, but management practices can encourage it

While many farmers think about herbicide resistance in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., the reality is that it’s a Canadian problem, too, says Kate Sanford Mitchell. We need to listen to extension specialists who are sounding the alarm about herbicide resistance, she adds. “Weed resistance is a global problem that requires a local solution,” […] Read more

Four steps to managing herbicides

Four steps to managing herbicides

Cutting herbicide resistance risks comes down to managing herbicides, in part. Here are four tips for doing that better, courtesy of Kate Sanford Mitchell, who manages Bayer CropScience’s herbicide and insecticide portfolios for oilseeds.


Top 10 weed management practices

Top 10 weed management practices

Herbicide resistant weeds are no longer a novelty, they’re the norm

Hugh Beckie, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, said it’s a challenge to get farmers to implement herbicide-resistance best management practices (BMP) because growers are diverse, and one size doesn’t fit all. But Beckie has found that growers who use BMPs tend to have less herbicide resistance. So, in the spirit of David […] Read more

Wild oat is the most abundant weed in Saskatchewan. Researcher Hugh Beckie says it’s safe to assume that wild oat in your field is resistant to Group 1 herbicides. 


Fighting herbicide-resistance

Herbicide resistant weeds aren’t a novelty anymore — now they’re just the norm

While herbicide resistance isn’t a new problem, it is a growing one. Today 80 countries report herbicide-resistant weeds, says a researcher. And Canada is near the top of that list. Dr. Ian Heap heads the international survey on herbicide-resistant weeds, and reported those findings at the Herbicide Resistance Summit in Saskatoon this March. “North America […] Read more