Harrison County was the site of three recent events highlighting local efforts addressing herbicide resistance.
The Harrison County Herbicide Resistance Project hosted two field days this summer, providing demonstrations of head-to-head comparisons of herbicide programs, tutorials on identification of Palmer amaranth, and results of weed screenings for herbicide resistance.
A field day focused on weed management in corn took place on June 18th southwest of Modale, with a corresponding event focused on soybeans taking place July 13th near Logan. At both events, side-by-side comparison could be made of ten comprehensive herbicide programs, involving preemergence and post emergence applications. Examples of Palmer amaranth were available for evaluation, with direction on the most effective methods for identification. Last, results of herbicide resistance screening of weed seeds collected from local populations were shared.
On August 2nd, a group of researchers and representatives from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture convened at two Harrison County farms to hear about the efforts of the Harrison County Herbicide Resistance Project team. This was one stop on a tour EPA and USDA personnel made in Nebraska and Iowa focused on atrazine re-registration and other issues.
A local team of farmers, retail agronomists, industry representatives, and lenders lead the Harrison County Herbicide Resistance Project, one of several resistance management efforts across the state as part of the Iowa Pest Resistance Management Program (IPRMP).
The IPRMP is based on the collaboration of a broad cross-section of the Iowa agriculture industry, including the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa Soybean Research Center, Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee, United States Herbicide Resistance Action Committee, United States Insecticide Resistance Action Committee, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Iowa Independent Crop Consultants Association, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives, Practical Farmers of Iowa, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, United States Fungicide Resistance Action Committee, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.