Remember to Scout Your Fields!

Scouting your fields is an important step in identifying possible resistant weed populations.  If you find weed escapes while scouting, the first step is to rule out any environmental factors.  One indication that you may have resistant weeds is if you have areas in your fields is the presence of  dead weeds next to live weeds, as can be seen in the picture below.

Keep the following tips in mind when scouting your fields:

• Look for stubborn weeds, unexpected flourishes and species that were not a serious problem before
• If resistance is indeed developing in a field, applying more glyphosate only accelerates the problem
• You can’t tell if a weed is glyphosate-resistant just by looking at it
• Testing results, either way, can help keep control costs (and frustration) in check 

According to Bryan Young, weed scientist at Southern Illinois University, many growers who identify herbicide-resistant weeds don’t identify the weed to be resistant until 30 percent of the population has developed resistance. In recent times, the Midwest has experienced increased problems with glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed and waterhemp, so it is especially important to identify any resistant weeds as soon as possible in order to begin managing the problem weeds.