Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) populations in turfgrass have evolved resistance to several herbicides in the United States (US), but there has been no confirmed resistance from an agricultural field. Recently, glyphosate failed to control a P. annua population found in a field in a soybean [(Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation in Poinsett County, Arkansas. The present study focused on determining the sensitivity of a putatively-resistant accession (R1) to glyphosate compared with two susceptible accessions (S1 and S2). The experiments included a dose-response study, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene copy number and expression analysis, and assessment of mutations in EPSPS. Based on the dose-response analysis, R1 required 1,038 g ae ha-1 of glyphosate to cause 50% biomass reduction, whereas S1 and S2 only required 148.2 g and 145.5 g ae ha-1, respectively. The resistant index (RI) was approximately 7-fold relative to the susceptible accessions. Real-time polymerase chain reaction data revealed at least a 15-fold increase in the EPSPS copy number in R1, along with a higher gene expression. No mutations in EPSPS were found. Gene duplication was identified as the main mechanism conferring resistance in R1. The research presented here reports the first incidence of glyphosate resistance in P. annua from an agronomic field crop situation in the US.

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) was first reported in Iowa in 2013 and has continued to spread across the state over the last decade. Amaranthus palmeri is widely recognized as one of the more economically important weeds in production agriculture. The presence of A. palmeri in Iowa is concerning as the species has evolved resistance to ten herbicide sites of action, however, no formal characterization has been conducted on Iowa populations. Therefore, herbicide assays were conducted on an A. palmeri population collected in Harrison County, IA, in 2023 (Southwest Palmer Amaranth [SWPA]) and a known herbicide-susceptible population collected from Nebraska in 2001 (Palmer Amaranth Susceptible [PAS]). The two populations were treated with preemergence and postemergence herbicides commonly used in Iowa. The treatments included preemergence applications of atrazine, metribuzin, and mesotrione and postemergence applications of atrazine, imazethapyr, glyphosate, lactofen, mesotrione, glufosinate, 2,4-D, and dicamba at 1× and 4× the labeled rates. Survival frequency of SWPA was >90% when treated postemergence with 1× rates of imazethapyr, atrazine, glyphosate, and mesotrione compared with ≤6% for PAS. Both SWPA and PAS had 0% survival when treated with lactofen, glufosinate, 2,4-D, and dicamba at the 1× or 4× rates. Plant population density reduction for SWPA was 53% and 40% in response to 1× rates of preemergence-applied mesotrione and atrazine, respectively. Metribuzin applied preemergence reduced SWPA plant population density by >90% at both rates. Dose–response experiments revealed the 50% effective doses (ED50) of mesotrione, glyphosate, imazethapyr, and atrazine for SWPA were 9.5-,8.5-, 71-, and 40-fold greater than for PAS, respectively. The results confirm that SWPA is four-way multiple-herbicide resistant. Amaranthus palmeri infestations are likely to continue to spread within Iowa; therefore, diversified weed management programs that include early detection, rapid response, and effective multi-tactic management strategies will be required for control.

A Palmer amaranth biotype (CT-Res) with resistance to glyphosate was recently confirmed in a pumpkin field in Connecticut. However, the underlying mechanisms conferring glyphosate resistance in this biotype is not known. The main objectives of this research were 1) to determine the effect of plant height (10, 20, and 30 cm) on glyphosate resistance levels in CT-Res Palmer amaranth biotype, and 2) to investigate whether the target site–based mechanisms confer glyphosate resistance. To achieve these objectives, progeny seeds of the CT-Res biotype after two generations of recurrent selection with glyphosate (6,720 g ae ha−1) were used. Similarly, known glyphosate-susceptible Palmer amaranth biotypes from Kansas (KS-Sus) and Alabama (AL-Sus) were included. Results from greenhouse dose-response studies revealed that CT-Res Palmer amaranth biotype had 69-, 64-, and 54-fold resistance to glyphosate as compared with the KS-Sus biotype when treated at heights of 10, 20, and 30 cm, respectively. Sequence analysis of the EPSPS gene revealed no point mutations at the Pro106 and Thr102 residues in the CT-Res Palmer amaranth biotype. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the CT-Res biotype had 33 to 111 relative copies of the EPSPS gene compared with the AL-Sus biotype. All these results suggest that the EPSPS gene amplification endows a high level of glyphosate resistance in the GR Palmer amaranth biotype from Connecticut. Because of the lack of control with glyphosate, growers should adopt the use of effective alternative preemergence and postemergence herbicides in conjunction with other cultural and mechanical tactics to mitigate the further spread of GR Palmer amaranth in Connecticut.

Glyphosate resistance is spreading in Spain and Portugal due to excessive herbicide use, in both annual and perennial crops. Compact brome (Bromus madritensis L.) is increasing in frequency in these different cropping systems when under conservation agriculture, particularly when glyphosate fails to control it. Fourteen populations from different areas in the Iberian Peninsula were confirmed as being B. madritensis using simple sequence repeat markers and clearly separated from the closely related species red brome (Bromus rubens L.) and ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus Roth). Six B. madritensis populations were classified as resistant, according to both their shikimic acid accumulation levels and their resistance factors based on LD50 or GR50 (values between 4 and 8). Populations with higher resistance factors also showed lower shikimic acid concentrations. Moreover, these resistant populations were able to survive the minimum registered dose for glyphosate in Spain in perennial crops (1,080 g ae ha−1, five populations) or in arable crops before seeding for annual weeds (540 g ae ha−1, one population), under both greenhouse and field conditions. The trials carried out in a glyphosate-resistant field during 2 consecutive years showed that acceptable control (≥90%) was only consistently achieved 90 d after application for preemergence treatment with flazasulfuron in a tank mix with glyphosate, while control with postemergence treatments, such as propaquizafop plus glyphosate, was below 80%. This research describes the first herbicide-resistance report for the weed species B. madritensis, confirming the presence of glyphosate-resistant populations mainly in perennial cropping systems but also in winter cereals from Spain. Due to the limited chemical tools to manage these populations, there is an urgent need for farmers to implement integrated weed management strategies.

Horseweed [Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist] grows in one of two distinct growth phenotypes, “rosette” and “upright” growth types, and they have recently been observed co-occurring in Michigan fields. Previous research found that upright plants from two glyphosate-resistant populations were 3- and 4-fold less sensitive to glyphosate than their rosette siblings. Further experiments were conducted to investigate whether differential glyphosate sensitivity of the growth types was due to glyphosate retention, absorption, or translocation. The total amount of glyphosate retained on the C. canadensis leaf surface was similar for both growth types; however, on a per-weight and per-area bases, the upright growth type retained 21% and 18% less glyphosate, respectively. Glyphosate absorption was up to 85% at 168 h after treatment (HAT), and was not different between the rosette and upright growth types or between the susceptible (S) and resistant (R) biotypes. Additionally, there was no difference in translocation between the two growth types within each biotype at any time point. Interestingly, at 168 HAT, [14C]glyphosate translocation was higher in the S rosette compared with the two growth types from the R biotype; however, the S upright type was similar to both R growth types. Thus, glyphosate resistance in the R biotype may be due to an alternative mechanism rather than impaired translocation, which has been cited as the primary mechanism of glyphosate resistance in C. canadensis. These results suggest that reduced glyphosate retention on a per-weight and per-area bases of the upright growth type may contribute to increased glyphosate tolerance due to a diluted concentration of glyphosate in the plant. However, another factor is likely related to the mechanism of resistance within the R biotype, which is contributing to a 3-fold difference in glyphosate sensitivity between the two growth types, such as alterations in EPSPS gene expression or changes in undescribed metabolism genes.

A comprehensive, Wisconsin state-wide assessment of waterhemp response to a diverse group of herbicide sites of action has not been conducted. Our objective was to characterize the response of a state-wide collection of waterhemp accessions to postemergence (POST) and preemergence (PRE) herbicides commonly used in corn and soybean in Wisconsin. Greenhouse experiments were conducted with more than 80 accessions from 27 counties. POST treatments included 2,4-D, atrazine, dicamba, fomesafen, glufosinate, glyphosate, imazethapyr, and mesotrione at 1× and 3× label rates. PRE treatments included atrazine, fomesafen, mesotrione, metribuzin, and S-metolachlor at 0.5×, 1×, and 3× label rates. Ninety-eight percent and 88% of the accessions exhibited ≥50% plant survival after exposure to imazethapyr and glyphosate POST 3× rate, respectively. Seventeen percent, 16%, and 3% of the accessions exhibited ≥50% plant survival after exposure to 2,4-D, atrazine, and dicamba, respectively, applied POST at the 1× rate. Survival of all accessions was ≤25% after exposure to 2,4-D or dicamba applied POST at the 3× rate, or glufosinate, fomesafen, and mesotrione applied POST at either rate evaluated. No plant of any accession survived exposure to glufosinate at either rate. Forty-five percent and 3% of the accessions exhibited <90% plant density reduction after exposure to atrazine applied PRE at the 3× rate and fomesafen PRE at the 1× rate, respectively. Plant density reduction of all accessions was ≥96% after exposure to fomesafen applied PRE at the 3× rate, or metribuzin, S-metolachlor, and mesotrione applied PRE at the 1× rate. Our results suggest that waterhemp resistance to imazethapyr and glyphosate applied POST is widespread in Wisconsin, whereas resistance to 2,4-D, atrazine, and dicamba applied POST is present to a lower extent. One accession (A75, Fond du Lac County) exhibited multiple resistance to imazethapyr, atrazine, glyphosate, and 2,4-D when applied POST. Overall, atrazine applied PRE was ineffective for waterhemp control in Wisconsin. Proactive resistance management and the use of effective PRE and POST herbicides are fundamental for waterhemp management in Wisconsin.

Glyphosate resistance in weed species has presented immense challenges for farmers in Ontario. The co-application of burndown plus residual herbicides provides control of glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed in soybean. Pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D is a premixed herbicide formulation sold under the tradename Blackhawk®. Five field experiments were conducted over a 2-yr period (2019, 2020) in fields in southwestern Ontario to ascertain the biologically effective dose of pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D, applied alone, or mixed with metribuzin, for GR horseweed control when applied preplant to soybean. Soybean visible injury for all treatments was <15%. At 8 wk after application (WAA), the calculated doses of pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D for 50%, 80%, and 95% control of GR horseweed were 390, 1,148, and >2,108 g ha−1, respectively. The addition of metribuzin to pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D reduced the doses of pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D for 50%, 80%, and 95% control of GR horseweed to 19, 46, and 201 g ha−1, respectively. Pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D + metribuzin controlled GR horseweed by 97%, which is comparable to the current industry standards. Based on these results, pyraflufen-ethyl/2,4-D + metribuzin (527 + 400 g ha−1) applied preplant can be used for GR horseweed control in soybean.

Four field experiments were completed in commercial corn fields during 2019 and 2020 to determine glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed control in corn with tiafenacil alone or in combination with bromoxynil, dicamba, or tolpyralate applied preplant (PP). Corn planted 1 to 10 d after herbicide application was not injured with any of the herbicides tested. GR horseweed interference reduced corn grain yield 32% when left uncontrolled. Herbicides reduced GR horseweed interference and resulted in corn grain yield that was similar to the weed-free control. Glyphosate (900 g ae ha−1) + tiafenacil at 12.5, 25, and 37.5 g ha−1 controlled GR horseweed 63%, 68%, and 72% at 4 wk after treatment (WAT) and decreased GR horseweed density 64%, 43%, and 83% and dry biomass 69%, 55%, and 83%, respectively. Glyphosate + tiafenacil at 12.5, 25, and 37.5 g ha−1 plus bromoxynil (280 g ai ha−1) controlled GR horseweed 81%, 88%, and 87% at 4 WAT and reduced GR horseweed density 82%, 94%, and 93% and dry biomass 93%, 93%, and 98%, respectively. Glyphosate + tiafenacil at 12.5, 25, and 37.5 g ha−1 plus dicamba (300 g ai ha−1) controlled GR horseweed 86%, 88%, and 88% at 4 WAT and decreased GR horseweed density 76%, 89%, and 86% and dry biomass 94%, 98%, and 98%, respectively. Glyphosate + tiafenacil at 12.5, 25, and 37.5 g ha−1 plus tolpyralate (30 g ai ha−1) controlled GR horseweed 90%, 90%, and 91% at 4 WAT and decreased GR horseweed density 93%, 91%, and 95% and dry biomass 98%, 97%, and 97%, respectively. The industry standards in Ontario, glyphosate + dicamba/atrazine and glyphosate + saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p controlled GR horseweed 95% and 100% at 4, 8, and 12 WAT and caused 99% and 100% density or biomass reduction, respectively.

Palmer amaranth is the latest pigweed species documented in Connecticut; it was identified there in 2019. In a single-dose experiment, the Connecticut Palmer amaranth biotype survived the field-use rates of glyphosate (840 g ae ha−1) and imazaquin (137 g ai ha−1) herbicides applied separately. Additional experiments were conducted to (1) determine the level of resistance to glyphosate and acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors in the Connecticut-resistant (CT-Res) biotype using whole-plant dose-response bioassays, and (2) evaluate the response of the CT-Res biotype to POST herbicides commonly used in Connecticut cropping systems. Based on the effective dose required for 90% control (ED90), the CT-Res biotype was 10-fold resistant to glyphosate when compared with the Kansas-susceptible (KS-Sus) biotype. Furthermore, the CT-Res biotype was highly resistant to ALS-inhibitor herbicides; only 18% control was achieved with 2,196 g ai ha−1 imazaquin. The CT-Res biotype was also cross-resistant to other ALS-inhibitor herbicides, including chlorimuron-ethyl (13.1 g ai ha−1), halosulfuron-methyl (70 g ai ha−1), and sulfometuron-methyl (392 g ai ha−1). The CT-Res Palmer amaranth was controlled 75% to 100% at 21 d after treatment (DAT) with POST applications of 2,4-D (386 g ae ha−1), carfentrazone-ethyl (34 g ai ha−1), clopyralid (280 g ae ha−1), dicamba (280 g ae ha−1), glufosinate (595 g ai ha−1), lactofen (220 g ai ha−1), oxyfluorfen (1,121g ai ha−1), and mesotrione (105 g ai ha−1) herbicides. Atrazine (2,240 g ai ha−1) controlled the CT-Res biotype only 52%, suggesting the biotype is resistant to this herbicide as well. Here we report the first case of Palmer amaranth from Connecticut with multiple resistance to glyphosate and ALS inhibitors. Growers should proactively use all available weed control tactics, including the use of effective PRE and alternative POST herbicides (tested in this study), for effective control of the CT-Res biotype.

The benefits of no-till fallow, which include reduced soil erosion, improved soil health, and increased stored soil water, are in jeopardy because of the widespread development of glyphosate resistance in Russian thistle. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of soil-active, residual herbicides for Russian thistle control in no-till fallow. The combinations of sulfentrazone + carfentrazone and flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone, and metribuzin alone were each applied in late fall, late winter, and split-applied in late fall and late winter at three sites: Adams, OR, in 2017–2018; Lind, WA, in 2018–2019; and Ralston, WA, in 2019–2020. All treatments provided good to excellent control of the initial flush of Russian thistle when assessed in mid-May, except the late-fall application of metribuzin at all three sites, and the late-fall application of sulfentrazone + carfentrazone at Adams. Cumulative Russian thistle densities, evaluated monthly throughout the fallow season, were lowest for the sulfentrazone + carfentrazone treatments, except for the late-fall application at Adams. However, flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone and metribuzin provided greater control of tumble mustard and prickly lettuce than did sulfentrazone + carfentazone. Sulfentrazone + carfentrazone, flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone, and metribuzin can all be used for Russian thistle control in fallow. To reduce the risk for crop injury to subsequently planted winter wheat, a late-fall application of sulfentrazone + carfentrazone may be the preferred treatment in low-rainfall regions where winter wheat–fallow is commonly practiced. A late-winter application may be preferred in higher rainfall regions where a 3-year rotation (e.g., winter wheat–spring wheat–fallow) is common. Flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone should be considered if other broadleaf weeds, such as tumble mustard or prickly lettuce, are of concern. The use of these soil-applied herbicides will reduce the need for the frequent application of glyphosate for Russian thistle control in no-till fallow.

Field experiments were conducted in 2018 and 2019 at Kansas State University Ashland Bottoms (KSU-AB) research farm near Manhattan, KS, and Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center (KSU-ARC) near Hays, KS, to determine the effectiveness of various PRE-applied herbicide premixes and tank mixtures alone or followed by (fb) an early POST (EPOST) treatment of glyphosate + dicamba for controlling glyphosate-resistant (GR) Palmer amaranth in glyphosate/dicamba-resistant (GDR) soybean. In experiment 1, PRE-applied sulfentrazone + S-metolachlor, saflufenacil + imazethapyr + pyroxasulfone, chlorimuron + flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone, and metribuzin + flumioxazin + imazethapyr provided 85% to 94% end-of-season control of GR Palmer amaranth across both sites. In comparison, Palmer amaranth control ranged from 63% to 87% at final evaluation with PRE-applied pyroxasulfone + sulfentrazone, pyroxasulfone + sulfentrazone plus metribuzin, pyroxasulfone + sulfentrazone plus carfentrazone + sulfentrazone, and sulfentrazone + metribuzin at the KSU-ARC site in experiment 2. All PRE fb EPOST (i.e., two-pass) programs provided near-complete (98% to 100%) control of GR Palmer amaranth at both sites. PRE-alone programs reduced Palmer amaranth shoot biomass by 35% to 76% in experiment 1 at both sites, whereas all two-pass programs prevented Palmer amaranth biomass production. No differences in soybean yields were observed among tested programs in experiment 1 at KSU-ARC site; however, PRE-alone sulfentrazone + S-metolachlor, saflufenacil + imazethapyr + pyroxasulfone, and chlorimuron + flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone had lower grain yield (average, 4,342 kg ha−1) compared with the top yielding (4,832 kg ha−1) treatment at the KSU-AB site. PRE-applied sulfentrazone + metribuzin had a lower soybean yield (1,776 kg ha−1) compared with all other programs in experiment 2 at the KSU-ARC site. These results suggest growers should proactively adopt effective PRE-applied premixes fb EPOST programs evaluated in this study to reduce selection pressure from multiple POST dicamba applications for GR Palmer amaranth control in GDR soybean.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) canola is a widely grown crop across western Canada and has quickly become a prolific volunteer weed. Glyphosate-resistant soybean is rapidly gaining acreage in western Canada. Thus, there is a need to evaluate herbicide options to manage volunteer GR canola in GR soybean crops. We conducted an experiment to evaluate the efficacy of various PRE and POST herbicides applied sequentially to volunteer GR canola and to evaluate soybean injury caused by these herbicides. Trials were conducted across Saskatchewan and Manitoba in 2014 and 2015. All treatments provided a range of suppression (>70%) to control (>80%) of volunteer canola. All treatments with the exception of the glyphosate-treated control reduced aboveground canola biomass by an average of 96%. As well, canola seed contamination was reduced from 36% to less than 5% when a PRE and POST herbicide were both used. Moreover, all combinations of herbicides used had excellent crop safety (<10%). All PRE and POST herbicide combinations provided better control of volunteer canola compared with the glyphosate-only control, but tribenuron followed by bentazon and tribenuron followed by imazamox plus bentazon provided solutions that were low cost, currently available (registered in western Canada), and had the potential to minimize development of herbicide resistance in other weeds.

Evolution of kochia resistance to glyphosate and dicamba is a concern for growers in the US Great Plains. An increasing use of glyphosate and dicamba with the widespread adoption of glyphosate/dicamba-resistant (GDR) soybean in recent years may warrant greater attention. Long-term stewardship of this new stacked-trait technology will require the implementation of diverse weed control strategies, such as the use of soil-residual herbicides (PRE) aimed at effective control of GDR kochia. Field experiments were conducted in Huntley, MT, in 2017 and 2018, and Hays, KS, in 2018 to determine the effectiveness of various PRE herbicides applied alone or followed by (fb) a POST treatment of glyphosate plus dicamba for controlling GDR kochia in GDR soybean. Among PRE herbicides tested, sulfentrazone provided complete (100%), season-long control of GDR kochia at both sites. In addition, PRE fb POST programs tested in this study brought 71% to 100% control of GDR kochia throughout the season at both sites. Pyroxasulfone applied PRE resulted in 57% to 70% control across sites at 9 to 10 wk after PRE (WAPRE). However, mixing dicamba with pyroxasulfone improved control up to 25% at both sites. Kochia plants surviving pyroxasulfone applied PRE alone produced 2,530 seeds m−2 compared with pyroxasulfone + dicamba (230 seeds m−2) at the Montana site. No differences in soybean grain yields were observed with PRE alone or PRE fb POST treatments at the Montana site; however, dicamba, pyroxasulfone, and pendimethalin + dimethenamid-P applied PRE brought lower grain yield (1,150 kg ha−1) compared to all other tested programs at the Kansas site. In conclusion, effective PRE or PRE fb POST (two-pass) programs tested in this research should be proactively utilized by the growers to manage GDR kochia in GDR soybean.

In recent years, soybean acreage has increased significantly in western Canada. One of the challenges associated with growing soybean in western Canada is the control of volunteer glyphosate-resistant (GR) canola, because most soybean cultivars are also glyphosate resistant. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of soybean seeding rate and planting date on competition with volunteer canola. We also attempted to determine how high seeding rate could be raised while still being economically feasible for producers. Soybean was seeded at five different seeding rates (targeted 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 plants m−2) and three planting dates (targeted mid-May, late May, and early June) at four sites across western Canada in 2014 and 2015. Soybean yield consistently increased with higher seeding rates, whereas volunteer canola biomass decreased. Planting date generally produced variable results across site-years. An economic analysis determined that the optimal rate was 40 to 60 plants m−2, depending on market price, and the optimal planting date range was from May 20 to June 1.

Kochia [Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott] is a problematic weed species across the Great Plains, as it is spreading fast and has developed herbicide-resistant biotypes. It is imperative to understand key life-history stages that promote population expansion of B. scoparia and control strategies that would provide effective control of these key stages, thereby reducing population growth. Diversifying weed control strategies has been widely recommended for the management of herbicide-resistant weeds. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to develop a simulation model to assess the population dynamics of B. scoparia and to evaluate the effectiveness of diverse weed control strategies on long-term growth rates of B. scoparia populations. The model assumed the existence of a glyphosate-resistant (GR) biotype in the B. scoparia population, but at a very low proportion in a crop rotation that included glyphosate-tolerant corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. The parameter estimates used in the model were obtained from various ecological and management studies on B. scoparia. Model simulations indicated that seedling recruitment and survival to seed production were more important than seedbank persistence for B. scoparia population growth rate. Results showed that a diversified management program, including glyphosate, could provide excellent control of B. scoparia populations and potentially eliminate already evolved GR B. scoparia biotypes within a given location. The most successful scenario was a diverse control strategy that included one or two preplant tillage operations followed by preplant or PRE application of herbicides with residual activities and POST application of glyphosate; this strategy reduced seedling recruitment, survival, and seed production during the growing season, with tremendous negative impacts on long-term population growth and resistance risk in B. scoparia.

Dicamba may be an efficacious option for the control of glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed in glyphosate/dicamba-resistant soybean; research is needed to optimize the application rate based on horseweed height at the time of application. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of glyphosate/dicamba rate and application timing for the control of GR horseweed. Glyphosate/dicamba was applied at three rates (900, 1,350, and 1,800 g ae ha−1) at three horseweed application timings (5, 15, and 25 cm) in a factorial design. There was no interaction between glyphosate/dicamba rate and timing for GR horseweed control or soybean yield; however, there was an interaction for GR horseweed density and biomass. At 2 and 4 wk after application (WAA), there was a decrease in GR horseweed control as the height at the time application increased. At 4 WAA, the application of glyphosate/dicamba to GR horseweed that was 5-, 15-, and 25-cm tall provided 87%, 76%, and 62% control, respectively. There was no impact of glyphosate/dicamba application timing on soybean yield. At 2, 4, and 8 WAA, there was an increase in GR horseweed control as the rate of glyphosate/dicamba was increased. At 8 WAA, glyphosate/dicamba applied at 900, 1,350, and 1,800 g ae ha−1 controlled GR horseweed 76%, 87%, and 92%, respectively. Earlier application timings and higher rates of glyphosate/dicamba caused the greatest reduction in GR horseweed density and biomass. Reduced GR horseweed competition resulted in a 100% to 144% increase in soybean yield, but there was no difference in soybean yield among glyphosate/dicamba rates tested.

We conducted a greenhouse study to evaluate the differential response of Palmer amaranth to glyphosate and mesotrione and to quantify the level of tolerance to mesotrione in recalcitrant (difficult-to-control) accessions and their offspring. Seeds were collected from 174 crop fields (corn, cotton, and soybean) across Arkansas between 2008 and 2016. Palmer amaranth seedlings (7 to 10 cm tall) were treated with glyphosate at 840 g ae ha–1 or mesotrione at 105 g ha–1. Overall, 47% of the accessions (172) were resistant to glyphosate with 68% survivors. Almost 35% of accessions were highly resistant, with 90% survivors. The majority of survivors from glyphosate application incurred between 31% and 60% injury. Mesotrione killed 66% of the accessions (174); the remaining accessions had survivors with injury ranging from 61% to 90%. Accessions with the least response to mesotrione were selected to determine tolerance level. Dose–response assays were conducted with four recalcitrant populations and their F1 progeny. The average effective doses (ED50) for the parent accessions and F1 progeny of survivors were 21.5 g ha–1 and 27.5 g ha–1, respectively. The recalcitrant parent populations were three- to five-fold more tolerant to mesotrione than the known susceptible population, as were the F1 progeny.

Stakeholders were surveyed across Nebraska to identify the problem weeds and assess common weed management practices. A total of 425 responses were returned across four Nebraska extension districts (Northeast, Panhandle, Southeast, and West Central). Collectively, 61.2% of total farmed or scouted areas in Nebraska were under no-till production, and corn and soybean were the major crops (82.3% of total farmed or scouted area). Common waterhemp, horseweed, and kochia were the most problematic weeds statewide. Widespread occurrence of glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds such as common waterhemp, horseweed, kochia, and Palmer amaranth were a serious problem in GR crop production. Additionally, 60% of growers in Nebraska reported the presence of at least one GR weed species on their farms. The most commonly used preplant burndown herbicides were 2,4-D and glyphosate, followed by saflufenacil and dicamba. In Nebraska, 74% and 59% of corn and soybean growers, respectively, were using PRE herbicides; however, more than 80% of growers were using POST herbicides for in-crop weed management. Atrazine alone or in premix or tank mix with mesotrione, S-metolachlor, or acetochlor were the most widely applied PRE herbicides in corn and grain sorghum, whereas the most commonly used PRE herbicides in soybean were the inhibitors of acetolactate synthase (ALS) and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO). Glyphosate was the most frequent choice of the survey respondents as a POST herbicide in GR corn and soybean; 2,4-D was the most commonly used POST herbicide in grain sorghum and wheat. In Nebraska, only 5.2% of total crop area was planted with glufosinate-resistant crops. Most of the respondents (89%) were aware of the new multiple herbicide–resistant crops, and 80% of them listed physical drift and volatility of the auxinic herbicides as their primary concern. Forty-eight percent of survey respondents identified herbicide-resistant weed management as their primary research and extension priority.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) common waterhemp (CW) is a localized weed in Ontario and one of the most problematic weeds in the US Corn Belt. First confirmed in Ontario in 2014, GR CW has now been confirmed in forty fields in three counties in Ontario as of 2015. Historically, the primary POST herbicides used for the control of CW in soybean were glyphosate, acifluorfen and fomesafen, but resistance to all three has been confirmed in many US states. Research was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to determine the control of GR CW with some of the new herbicide-resistant soybean technologies including glufosinate (LibertyLink), 2,4-D and glyphosate (Enlist), and isoxaflutole, mesotrione, and glufosinate (HPPD-resistant). Glyphosate-resistant CW was controlled (≥90%) all season with a two-pass weed control system across all herbicide-resistant soybean technologies evaluated. The two-pass weed control system in this research is defined as a PRE herbicide followed by a POST herbicide. At 12 WAA, the two-pass programs in LibertyLink, Enlist, and HPPD-resistant systems controlled GR CW up to 98, 98, and 92%, respectively, and reduced GR CW densities to 0 to 2% of the weedy control at 4 WAA. The two-pass programs provided greater GR CW control than PRE or POST herbicides alone. This study found that the use of two-pass weed control programs in glufosinate-resistant, glyphosate DMA/2,4-D choline-resistant and HPPD-resistant soybean can provide excellent control of GR CW, and can be valuable tools to reduce the selection intensity for herbicide-resistant weeds. Through the rotational use of different technologies, growers may be able to better manage their weed populations in reducing the risk of resistance when compared to the use of one herbicide repeatedly.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) kochia is an increasing management concern in major cropping systems of the northwestern US. In 2014, we investigated four putative GR kochia accessions (designated as ALA, VAL, WIL, DB) collected from sugar beet fields in eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho to characterize the level of evolved glyphosate resistance and determine the relationship between the 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phospate synthase (EPSPS) gene copy number and level of glyphosate resistance. The EPSPS gene copy number was used as a molecular marker to detect GR kochia in subsequent surveys in 2015 and 2016. Based on LD50 values from a whole-plant dose-response study, the four putative GR kochia populations were 2.0- to 9.6-fold more resistant to glyphosate than the glyphosate-susceptible (GS) accession. In an in vivo leaf-disk shikimate assay, leaf disks of GS kochia plants treated with 100-μM glyphosate accumulated 2.4- to 4.0-fold higher amounts of shikimate than the GR plants. The four GR accessions had 2.7 to 9.1 relative EPSPS gene copies compared with the GS accession (<1 EPSPS gene copies), and there was a linear relationship between EPSPS gene copy number and glyphosate resistance level (LD50 values). The 2015 and 2016 GR kochia survey results indicated that about half of the collected populations from sugar beet fields in eastern Oregon had developed resistance to glyphosate whereas only one population from the Idaho collection was confirmed glyphosate resistant. This is the first confirmation of GR kochia in sugar beet fields in eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho. Diversified weed control programs will be required to prevent further development and spread of GR kochia in sugar beet-based rotations in this region.