FARGO, N.D. -- Jeff Stachler, North Dakota State University/University of Minnesota sugar beet weed specialist, based in Fargo, N.D., says he is seeing an alarming increase in incidence and frequency of herbicide-resistant weeds in the region this year.
Stachler says he's receiving calls and e-mails about the issue. "After two herbicide applications in corn and soybean, it is quite evident that weeds are surviving various herbicides," he says. If unchecked, the weed resistance issue could significantly affect a farmer's ability to control weeds or a landowner's ability to rent out or sell land at a full price, Stachler says.
•Kochia - Glyphate-resistant and flurfoxypyr-resistance is present at some frequency in "30 to 50 percent of all fields in the James River, Sheyenne River, and Devils Lake watersheds in North Dakota," Stachler says. Last year, only three fields in this area were confirmed with glyphate- and fluroxypyr-resistant kochia. "It is possible that fluroxypyr-resistant kochia is present in 5 to 10 percent of wheat fields in the Red River Valley," he says. He says there may be field of glyphosate-resistant kochia in Richland County, North Dakota.
•Common ragweed - There has been an increase in the presence of ALS-inhibiting herbicide resistance in North Dakota. These include FirstRate, Pursuit, Raptor. There has been a report of "suspected resistance" to PPO (Flexstar and Cobra) in Mahnomen County, Minnesota.
•Waterhemp - Glyphosate resistance continues to increase in Minnesota and North Dakota and is likely as far west as Highway 1 in southern North Dakota - Valley City to Oakes.
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"This frequency of herbicide-resistant weeds is quite alarming," Stachler says. "With the likelihood of no new herbicide mechanisms (site/mode of action) to be released within the next ten years, we must preserve the herbicide tools we currently have available." He says the weeds must be removed by hand or with row cultivation and is critical to the future of a farming operation or the opportunity to rent or sell the land in the future for a good price. He adds that it could damage the land's value to a landowner's children and grandchildren.
