During the GFB Commodity Conference on Aug. 4, University of Georgia Extension Agronomist Dr. Stanley Culpepper gave an update on the regulatory approval for new varieties row crops that will be resistant to auxin system herbicides. Auxin herbicides include Enlist (2,4-D, glyphosate, glufosinate) for corn, cotton and soybeans and Xtend (dicamba, glyphosate, glufosinate) for cotton and (dicamba, glyphosate) for soybeans.
The USDA has approved the use of the herbicide resistant traits in the plants but approval to use the herbicides on the crops is still pending with the EPA for most states, including Georgia.
"Palmer Amaranth (pigweed) has cost our cotton industry over one billion dollars," Culpepper said. "We need new tools and strategies to help manage it."
While auxin herbicides may help fight glyphosate resistant pigweed, there is concern about the use of auxin herbicides near crops that don't have the auxin resistant gene.
"Auxins must be managed carefully due to the sensitivity of nearby crops and plants," Culpepper said. "More broadleaf plants are sensitive to dicamba and 2,4-D than other herbicides."
Culpepper discussed factors farmers should consider before applying an auxin herbicide such as proximity to neighboring crops that may be sensitive to auxins, wind, humidity, land terrain and natural plant buffers that may increase or lessen spray drift of the auxins when applied to the intended crop.
"We know that there are areas where we can't spray 2,4-D or dicamba, so we have to develop alternatives," Culpepper said.
Culpepper said growers will be required to attend a training session provided by UGA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture before they can secure approval to use dicamba or 2,4-D. He said 1,882 people have already attended group training sessions and next winter UGA Extension agents will offer one-on-one training with growers who want to use the herbicides on their crops.
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