Weed Resistance Can Spread Very Quickly

Today we are talking with Malone Rosemond, Tech Representative for Bayer CropScience for the MidAtlantic Region.

Malone, tell us how quickly can weed resistance become a problem after a few weed escapes appear in a growers field?
 

“Once that weed resistant population is present, it doenst take very long to infest the whole field. Take pigweed for example, if there is just one plant that is resistant and it goes to seed, it can produce about a half million seeds. So it spreads very quickly.”

What kind of economic impact would a grower see if weed resistance became a widespread problem in their operation?
 

“With the seed producing capacity that pigweed has, it could go from just one weed one year to a large patch the next year to overtaking the field within three years.”

What does Bayer do to educate growers in the industry on the importance of preserving the weed management tools we have now?
 

“Bayer has a lot of effort behind promoting and stewarding Liberty, to maintain that technology for as long as possible. We emphasize rotation of crops, modes of action, herbicide traits and using full rates of these products.”
 

What solutions does Bayer offer to help manage weed resistance?
 

“We have several technology products in our portfolio, for example LibertyLink and the LIbertyLink system that is about the only alternative to a glyphosate based program in cotton and soybeans.”
 

Tell us what role LibertyLink and Liberty herbicide can play in this:
 

“Its one of the alternatives to a glyphosate based program where its over the top and it controls palmer pigweed and a lot of these other glyphosate resistant weeds such as mare’s tail and pigweed. We emphasize starting with a clean field, apply full rates and timely applications of Liberty.”