Posts in Weed Management
Glyphosate- or Auxinic-Resistant Kochia and Russian Thistle Prairie Surveys

The objective of this project is to determine the evolution or spread of glyphosate-resistant (GR) or auxinic-resistant kochia in Manitoba in 2018, Saskatchewan in 2019, and Alberta in 2021 since the 2012/2013 baseline surveys. In the 2012/2013 surveys, GR kochia was found in 5% of randomly-surveyed sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan (annually-cropped fields and non-crop areas such as oil well sites, railway rights-of-way, and roadside ditches), but only two sites in Manitoba.

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Economic Value of Diversified Cropping Systems

Short crop rotations provide an environment conducive for an increase in plant disease, weed pressure from herbicide resistance, and insect damage (these productivity decreasing factors will be referred to as “pests” in this document). While some short rotations are currently profitable, the lack of diversification in a cropping system can be detrimental to maintaining crop yield and profitability. Factors that contribute to the profitability of cropping systems will identify why the seeded area of some crops is declining while increasing for others.

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Manipulating weed seed production through phenology-based weed control

The objective of implementing a threshold for weed seed production is to reduce the spread of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes. Understanding the timing of weed life cycle events (phenology) can improve the efficiency of weed control passes by informing growers of the optimal timing for weed control efforts. This research project aims to improve our understanding of weed phenology in western Canada, and in particular the phenology of weed seed production; an area of research which has been largely ignored.

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Developing decision support tools for effective herbicide use in the face of herbicide resistance

This project aims to develop a decision support tool to aid producers in determining what products would constitute MEMOA for target weeds in their field. In addition a second tool would be developed to help identify the potential risk of herbicide resistance evolving based on a four year crop rotation and the resulting herbicide choices. A tool of this type has been created for Wyoming and Nebraska.

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Varietal mixtures to discourage wheat pests, manage pest populations, and stabilize yield across environments

Ecological principles can be applied to agricultural practices to replace agrochemicals and increase productivity by implementing either species diversity e.g. mixed cropping or genetic diversity within species e.g. varietal mixture (VM). VM of several cultivars which belongs to the same market class and exhibit a similar quality profile but variable levels of pest resistance, drought tolerance and yield potential can be successfully implemented in large scale mechanized farming systems.

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Understanding auxinic herbicide resistance in kochia and staying ahead of what's next

Kochia is one of the biggest agricultural weed problems in the southern Canadian prairies due to increased abundance of herbicide-resistant (HR) biotypes. The overall goals of this research project are to improve the understanding of synthetic auxin resistance in kochia; to determine how quickly this type of resistance will spread; to develop effective tools for management of these biotypes and, to stay ahead of potential new types of herbicide resistance through intensive population screening efforts.

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Understanding auxinic herbicide resistance in kochia and staying ahead of what's next

Kochia is one of the biggest agricultural weed problems in the southern Canadian prairies due to increased abundance of herbicide-resistant (HR) biotypes. The overall goals of this research project are to improve the understanding of synthetic auxin resistance in kochia; to determine how quickly this type of resistance will spread; to develop effective tools for management of these biotypes and, to stay ahead of potential new types of herbicide resistance through intensive population screening efforts.

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Physical IPM Strategies for Remediating Kochia Patches for Canola, Wheat, and Pulse Production

This project aims to evaluate physical control measures for kochia and to better understand the underlying abiotic and biotic ecology within kochia patches to accelerate remediation. Physical control measures for kochia are critically important due to the rapid development and spread of multiple herbicide resistance to Groups 2, 4, and 9 within kochia in Western Canada.

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Developing decision support tools for effective herbicide use in the face of herbicide resistance

Herbicide resistant weeds continue to make weed management more challenging in Western Canada. This project aims to develop a decision support tool to aid producers in determining what products would constitute multiple effective modes of action (MEMOA) for target weeds in their field. In addition, a second tool would be developed to help identify the potential risk of herbicide resistance evolving based on a four year crop rotation and the resulting herbicide choices.

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Resistant Wild Oat Action Committee (RWOAC)

The project involves a multi-faceted approach to addressing the herbicide resistance of wild oats. Outcomes include the increased awareness of resistance issue, producer-led, community based solutions to manage herbicide resistance in wild oats, and readily available extension materials. The long-term objective is to have a viable, ongoing Resistant Wild Oat Action Committee.

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