Field tour to discuss management of herbicide-resistant weeds

The public is invited to an on-farm tour to view field research plots and discuss strategies for managing herbicide-resistant weed populations. The field tour, to be held on July 24 will feature presentations from University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, and University of Tennessee weed scientists. The speakers and discussion topics are:

• Larry Steckel (University of Tennessee) -- How herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth has changed farming practices in the mid-South, and why herbicide-resistant waterhemp potentially could do the same thing in the Midwest.
• Bryan Young (Southern Illinois University) -- A selection of spray additives and application techniques with alternative herbicide chemistries to improve control of herbicide-resistant weeds.
• Patrick Tranel (University of Illinois) -- The evolution of herbicide resistance in Illinois and implications for the future.
• Aaron Hager (University of Illinois) -- Management techniques for waterhemp populations with resistance to multiple herbicides.

The tour will begin in the southwest parking lot at the U of I Assembly Hall where participants will leave their vehicles and board tour buses that will transport them to the field (located at the intersection of county roads 1450N and 850E in Douglas County). Two departure times from the Assembly Hall parking lot, 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., are scheduled.

At the field, participants will rotate among the four presentations, each lasting for approximately 20 minutes. After the field tour, participants will be transported to the Bayer CropScience research station located in rural White Heath for a complimentary lunch and additional presentations on topics related to herbicide-resistant weeds.

After lunch, buses will transport participants back to the Assembly Hall parking lot where they will have the opportunity to attend an “On Target Application Academy.” Retired extension agricultural engineer Bob Wolf and U of I extension specialist Scott Bretthauer will describe the latest techniques and technologies to improve herbicide deposition and reduce the potential for off-target movement. The academy will last approximately 90 minutes.

The day’s educational program is a collaborative effort of the weed science program at the University of Illinois and its industry partners at Bayer CropScience, Valent, and BASF. Online registration is at http://events.SignUp4.com/REspecttheRotation2012. 

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