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Bayer finds ‘likely’ dicamba-resistant waterhemp in Iowa

Two likely dicamba-resistant waterhemp populations have been discovered in Iowa and an extension agronomist says it should be a wakeup call for growers.

Iowa State University’s Meaghan Anderson tells Brownfield many farmers rely heavily on individual herbicide groups for waterhemp control, but the discovery is not a cause for panic.

“What I’m looking at right now is in corn dicamba has sort of traditionally been our last line of defense against waterhemp,” she said. “This is a big concern because we are just dropping our options in our Iowa corn and soybean fields.”

She says Bayer Crop Science recently reported the state’s first case of plant growth regulator resistant waterhemp. “They have collected seed from specimens in two counties in Iowa that have gone through some initial testing,” Anderson said. “(Bayer) believes they are likely resistant to dicamba herbicide.”

Anderson says farmers should report any incidences of non-performing products to their respective manufacturers.