New resources help growers stay ahead of insecticide resistance

 

Ottawa, ON – Growers can get ahead of insecticide resistance with the help of new resources on ManageResistanceNow.ca. The website, which compiles the most up-to-date knowledge on pesticide resistance in Canadian agriculture, now includes best practices for managing insecticide resistance.

 

“More than one-third of Canadian growers are concerned about the rise of insecticide resistance in the next few years,” says Pierre Petelle, president and CEO of CropLife Canada. “It’s critical to adopt best practices to manage resistance, both to protect crop yield today and to ensure sustainable production for the future.”

 

Insecticide resistance is not as common as herbicide resistance in weeds but with that comes a unique set of challenges. For example, because many Canadian growers have yet to see evidence of insecticide resistance in their fields, they may not appreciate the need to manage for the problem now. The new resources highlight the need for proactivity and encourage growers to use a combination of physical, cultural, biological and chemical control measures to keep ahead of the issue.

 

“Manage Resistance Now is an important tool in the fight against resistance. By sharing the best available information, we can work collectively to help prevent or delay the development of resistance,” says Petelle.

 

ManageResistanceNow.ca was launched in November 2018 by CropLife Canada in an effort to consolidate and communicate current research on weed, disease, and insect resistance issues. The website features comprehensive fact sheets, videos, quizzes, and case studies of growers and agronomists who share their experience dealing with pesticide resistance firsthand. The latest updates to the website build on the already-released herbicide and fungicide resistance resources for growers and agronomists.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.