Lambsquarters and Glyphosate Resistance
Common lambsquarters has increasingly caused headaches for many growers across the United States. As more and more escapes appear in fields, frustrations grow and yields drop. Not only is lambsquarters a highly competitive weed, it is persistent, emerges early and has shown resilience to glyphosate herbicides in recent years. This weed has already exhibited resistance to other herbicide modes of action, such as ALS and PSII inhibitors.
The threat of multiple-resistance also looms. As demonstrated in the graphic below, areas of the northern Corn Belt, where lambsquarters remains the biggest weed menace, have already experienced waterhemp populations resistant to multiple modes of action1. Should the same obstacle happen in lambsquarters, growers would be left with very few solutions. As no new herbicide modes of action are currently in development, it is critical that practices are adopted to preserve glyphosate technology. Utilizing proper cultural and chemical management practices that reduce selection pressure placed on resistant biotypes can help delay resistance.
For detailed recommendations from Syngenta, click here. For a customized herbicide program based on your individual needs, visit the Resistance Management Solutions Module here.
Weeds to Watch: Common Lambsquarters
1University of Illinois, Multiple Herbicide Resistance in Waterhemp: Can It Get Any Worse? Tranel, et. al. 2003