2023
Reducing Risk in Soybean Production by Building Sustainability in the Best Management Practices for Herbicide-Resistant Weeds (FY23)
Contributor/Checkoff:
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Biotic stressField management
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Bryan Young, Purdue University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
23-210-S-A-5-A
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:
The goal of this project is moving weed management in US soybean production towards greater sustainability by encouraging mechanical and cultural practices that can either reduce reliance on herbicides, or supplement herbicides to reduce the risk of resistance evolution.
Information And Results
Project Summary

Project Objectives

Project Deliverables

Progress Of Work

Final Project Results

The goal of this project is moving weed management in US soybean production towards greater sustainability by encouraging mechanical and cultural practices that can either reduce reliance on herbicides, or supplement herbicides to reduce the risk of resistance evolution. In 2023 this project has developed and coordinated 67 individual experiments or research activities to collect data to address our research objectives. Our project enlisted a network of university scientists throughout numerous soybean production states to build our knowledge and data base. Overall, our research has demonstrated novel, non-chemical practices that can alleviate some of the selection pressure exerted on weeds for evolving resistance to herbicides. However, the final level of weed control achieved with these practices may not be greater than traditional herbicide use, but that assumes we still have herbicides that don't have a major weed resistance problem. Some older herbicides such as metribuzin (Tricor, Sencor) applied in the higher use range can provide soil residual control of waterhemp and Palmer amaranth to a similar or greater level than current commercial standards in soybean. Thus, greater integration of these higher rates of metribuzin in commercial weed management plans are fully justified. If soybean farmers don't continually attempt to improve current weed management strategies, our research shows that resistance to 2,4-D, dicamba, and glufosinate (Liberty) is inevitable in the pigweed species. Our research findings have been disseminated in various formats to a wide audience, with a focus on soybean farmers as the primary target.

Benefit To Soybean Farmers

The goal of this project is moving weed management in US soybean production towards greater sustainability by encouraging mechanical and cultural practices that can either reduce reliance on herbicides, or supplement herbicides to reduce the risk of resistance evolution. Greater sustainability will enhance not only soil health, but also the reputation of US soybean farmers while also differentiating the production practices as more environmentally friendly than complete herbicide dependence. With our research activity and associated outreach efforts, we aim to deliver practical and economical tactics that farmers can implement to either reduce reliance on herbicides and/or utilize herbicides more effectively to reduce the risk of failure.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.