Palmer amaranth. (United Soybean Board photo)

Palmer amaranth threatening U.S. corn fields

Winterset, Iowa | Reuters — A U.S. government program designed to convert farmland to wildlife habitat has triggered the spread of a fast-growing weed that threatens to strangle crops in America’s rural heartland. The weed is hard to kill and, if left unchecked, destroys as much as 91 per cent of corn on infested land, […] 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


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

palmer amaranth weeds in a field

Herbicide-resistant weeds changing farm practices

Resistant weeds are driving U.S. farmers to actions like manual weeding

Arkansas has been ground zero for herbicide-resistant weeds. For instance, the state is second only to Australia in the amount of herbicide-resistant ryegrass in wheat. “We’re actually running out of herbicides, making it difficult for us to even grow wheat in Arkansas, because of the levels of resistance that we have,” said Dr. Bob Scott. […] Read more


Female Palmer amaranth plants can grow to over 10 feet tall.

Palmer amaranth is a looming concern

This aggressive, herbicide resistance weed has been travelling north, and may be in our fields soon

Prairie farmers may soon have a new problem Palmer amaranth, an aggressive, invasive weed species native to the desert regions of the southern United States and Mexico, is spreading into the Northern Plains. A few patches of the weed were spotted last year in Aberdeen, South Dakota; North Dakotans are on high alert. According to […] Read more