Six Southern scientists receive funding to solve weed, disease problems

Posted on January 7, 2013 by rhallberg

Six teams of IPM scientists will use funding from the USDA Southern Regional IPM grant program to explore ways to control weeds and diseases while reducing the use of pesticides. From non-chemical weed control to plant disease management, these teams will explore new tools that farmers can use to battle diseases and weeds, while lowering their use of fungicides and herbicides. This year, USDA has awarded approximately $768,000 to support Southern Regional IPM projects.

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Filed under: Budget, Crop rotation, Invasive plants, Invasive species, Pesticides, Resistance, Weed Control | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Does Herbicide Use Encourage “Superweeds”?

Posted on February 26, 2010 by rhallberg

When Roundup® entered the market in the early 1970s, it seemed to be an herbicide dream come true. Inexpensive, effective and non-persistent in the environment, glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup®, gave most users few things to complain about. Roundup® was cheaper than many other herbicides, so farmers could use it throughout the growing season with little economic impact. Farmers also enjoyed weed-free fields, and with the introduction of Roundup Ready crops in the 1990s, spraying weeds in developing fields became easier. National Park Service staff even use glyphosate to kill invasive weeds in the forest because it effectively controls vegetation and has low mammalian toxicity.

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Filed under: Crop rotation, Weed Control, Resistance, Pesticides | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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