Herbicide Resistance – It Only Gets Worse
JANUARY 18, 2017
Herbicide Resistance is, by now, known to all Australian farmers as a real issue for the future of agriculture. Researchers continue to explore more and different chemical groups to regain high-percentage but it is a losing battle. The Australian Government Grains Research and Development Corporation predicts the worsening of herbicide resistance with “at least 39 weed species in Australia with resistance to one or more herbicide modes-of-action (MOA).”
Australian weeds have gained resistance to at least 13 different MOA’s.
Thousands of populations of common weeds Flea-bane and Rye-grass are now confirmed resistant to glysophate.
Both The GRDC and CropLife Australia strongly suggest the formation of Integrated Weed Management Systems as a way to combat this issue. These systems vary greatly and involve strategies such as crop rotation and cultivation to minimise reliance upon herbicides for weed control. As herbicide-resistance broadens, these other strategies are the only long-term solutions. CropLife Australia suggests to incorporate the following into you farming program:
- Crop Rotation
- Cultivation
- Green Manure
- Brown Manure
