7-21 IAN Weed Resistance

 Genetic modification for corn, alfalfa, sugar beets and who knows what’s next. It has resulted in huge controversies, in fact major battles. Monsanto and Roundup have been in the thick of it and appear to have won inasmuch as Roundup Ready corn, alfalfa, and sugar beets are on the market. But is there a potential backfire? We will find out next.

 The perfect scenario is to plant beautiful rows of crops, fertilize them and watch them come to maturity and produce a big yield. A major stumbling block in agriculture has always been weeds taking over the crop. So herbicide resistant crops have been produced through genetic modification. Here’s the problem. Just as bacteria and viruses can evolve and become resistant to antibiotics, weeds appear to be able to do the same thing. Dr. Don Morishita, a University of Idaho Extension weed scientist warns us that weeds  are becoming herbicide resistant: “you know since most of the corn that is grown and sugar beets that I work with our Roundup Ready, Roundup is definitely a part of that weed control program. But I am also encouraging growers to look at tank mixing something with the Roundup that has a different mode of action so they reduce the potential for selecting for these Roundup resistant weeds because the Midwest is really battling these Roundup resistant weeds right now. That is something we have not had a problem with yet but we certainly could over time if we don’t use some other modes of action to help control the weeds.