This proposal will improve our ability to manage and prevent further evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds in soybean production systems. In addition, we will initiate educational programs on the use and stewardship of new technology such as 2,4-D (Enlist), dicamba (Roundup Ready Plus Xtend), and HPPD (Balance GT and MGI soybean) in preparation for the commercial release of these new herbicide resistant traits in U.S. soybean production. We are aware that USB projects are funded one year at a time. However, this group has a good track record of producing the outputs proposed in the previous USB proposals and it is highly likely that herbicide-resistant weeds and the release of new soybean herbicide-resistance traits will require educational efforts over the next several years.

We anticipate at least 10 new, multi-state or regional extension publications or videos will be developed during the multi-year course of this project. We have developed an identification poster of the 11 worst herbicide- resistant weeds in U.S. soybean production (Eleven That Threaten), and produced 15 single page factsheets on the biology and management of each of these weeds. In addition, we have developed a Palmer amaranth identification poster, and an herbicide mode of action poster which outlines the new numbering system for herbicide mode of action. We will update the herbicide mode of action chart annually.

We anticipate that each state will conduct research and demonstration trials on herbicide-resistant weeds, new soybean herbicide resistance traits, and hold field days at those sites. Each state will have at least one of these research and demonstration sites in each year that the proposal is funded.

We anticipate that each state will conduct five grower and crop advisor focused meetings or workshops to discuss herbicide resistant weed management. These events will take place between November and July of each year.

We predict that all who attend the meetings and read the publications will become more knowledgeable of the impact of herbicide resistant weeds on crop production and how to better manage specific weeds that have become more problematic in specific areas.

Updated February 21, 2020:
Key activities included development of weed control factsheets, planning and conducting winter meetings, workshops, and summer field days, and sharing information and co publicizing our efforts across state lines. Ten new factsheets were developed. Eight of the 10 have been distributed to soybean producing states. We are currently working on finalizing the factsheets on barnyardgrass/junglerice and giant foxtail.

During the winter meeting seasons in 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018 Extension Weed Scientists were speakers at over 800 meetings and field days in which various topics related to herbicide resistant weeds were either the primary focus of the meeting or discussed in depth as part of the larger meeting. These meetings reached over 40,000 people with most of the audience comprised of farmers and secondarily, crop advisors and crop input suppliers. Over two dozen new publications and over 100 new video clips have been developed since the start of the project. Conservatively, we estimate that over 400,000 copies of the printed publications were distributed over this year period of time. In addition, we have written close to 100 newsletter articles per year on these topics. These newsletter articles are viewed by 300-1000 per week in each state.

Eight new publications were developed over the last year. Five of the eight have been distributed. Still waiting on 3 of them from Osborn and Barr.

Each state conducted at least 5 winter meetings and 1 summer field day with content relayed to growers on the Take Action program and herbicide resistant weed management. Some states conducted as many as a dozen winter workshops and 5 field days on herbicide-resistant weed management and stewardship of new herbicide-resistance traits.

We are making good progress on all deliverables associated with this project. We have produced the written material, conducted winter and summer workshops, and raised awareness of the fact USB is funding herbicide-resistant weed and crop extension efforts. Our main obstacle early in the project (years 1-4) was the fact that the new herbicide-resistance traits were not approved. So, we were not able to initiate educational programs on their use. Xtend (dicamba resistant) soybeans were approved for full commercial launch in 2017 and thus we initiated efforts late in 2016 to bring growers and the ag industry up to speed on best management practices to minimize off-site movement and use of dicamba to kill weeds. The technology is useful as far as helping to control some of our worst herbicide-resistant weeds. However, widespread incidences of off-target movement and dominated time in 2017 and 2018 and we are currently waiting for an EPA decision on the future of this technology. The next round of educational efforts on Xtend will be determined once we know the results of the EPA decision.

A new round of educational efforts will be put on the ground when the Enlist (2,4-D) technology receives full export approval in China. We anticipate this happening sometime in 2019.