Central Texas Producers Visit Delta

A year ago it seemed like an ambitious idea for controlling resistant pigweeds. Today, a year of testing has proven that this new strategy is indeed effective against such a destructive weed.

What better way to prove this point than by having 80 Texas producers visit the Mississippi Delta to see how much success producers Bowen Flowers and Kenneth Hood had in using a special herbicide program and hooded sprayer for several months.

Sharing Of Information

Monsanto coordinated the event, and it gave the Texas visitors a chance to see how they might approach this problem in the near future. All parties benefited from the experience.

“I was trying to share some information with these Texas growers, and I hope our demonstration helped,” says Flowers. “I never thought I’d have a weed resistance problem, but I learned how destructive pigweed can be. We’ve come a long way in one year.”

Flowers’ program consists of a pre-plant application of Reflex followed by Cotoran and Gramoxone Inteon at planting. An over-the-top application of Warrant herbicide and Roundup PowerMax is then applied. A post-direct application of Caparol and MSMA, utilizing hooded sprayers, is implemented. The final step is a layby application of diuron and MSMA.

Flowers says he knows it will be difficult to have 100 percent control of resistant pigweed, but it is a goal that he will continue to pursue because of how quickly the weed can spread in any field.

Hood, who farms near Gunnison, Miss., echoed Flowers’ comments. He called the pigweed problem one of the worst he has ever faced in his career.

“When I look at our fields now, I feel encouraged at the progress we’ve made in controlling this weed,” he says. “We’ve got to remain vigilant though. You can never become complacent with resistant pigweed.”

Similar Strategies

The Texas visitors were enthusiastic about gaining valuable information from Flowers and Hood. Although Texas producers are dealing with resistant water hemp, control strategies are similar to pigweed.

“The main thing is being proactive and not waiting too late,” says Michael Graf of Crop Production Services in Palmer, Texas.

“I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen here. Having this kind of information gives us one more tool in our fight against these weeds.”

For more information on resistant pigweed control, interested parties may visit www.roundupreadyplus.com.