Kochia Resistance found in Western Canada

Unfortunately, this is the kind of news that we had better get used to hearing. The big surprise, as you will read in the article below is that the resistance did not develop in a Roundup Ready cropping system. Rather, it developed in areas of chemical fallow. This is a prime example of how resistance to glyphosate could have been avoided by using multiple modes of action. What really bothers me about this case is that in fallow, there are no in-crop restrictions - any registered chemical could have been used. This is a straight forward case of taking the easy way out with the cheapest chemical available.

Glyphosate-resistant kochia found in the West
by D. Larraine Andrews
Weed scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have confirmed the first case of a glyphosate-resistant weed in Western Canada.
The conclusions are based on samples of kochia from three fields from three different producers in Southern Alberta.
Dr. Robert Blackshaw, a researcher with AAFC in Lethbridge, says the samples were collected from chemical fallow fields displaying reduced kochia control despite multiple applications. Generic glyphosates are commonly used as many as three times a season for weed control.
Blackshaw notes that resistance in Roundup Ready corn and soybeans has been known in the United States for several years, but these cases do not appear to have developed in a Roundup Ready cropping system.
He says, in the past, the message was often that Roundup Ready crops were contributing to the problem of resistance, but this example shows it is also happening in other situations where no Roundup Ready crops are involved.
AAFC says it will continue research in the area in 2012, in addition to ongoing collaboration with the University of Alberta and Monsanto to find specific solutions to address the problem of glyphosate-resistant kochia.
In conjunction with AAFC and the university, Monsanto has also developed an online weed resistance risk assessment tool for Western Canadian farmers. The tool can be found at www.weedtool.com. Through a series of questions, the tool helps producers assess their risk of developing glyphosate-resistant weeds and provides strategies to manage those risks.
Blackshaw says it is not a total surprise that the resistance has been found in Western Canada. He admits it is a concern, but believes the problem should be manageable with good management practices, although they may come at an increased cost.
Glyphosate resistance has been found in southwestern Ontario in two weed species – giant ragweed in 2009 and Canada fleabane in 2011. Glyphosate-resistant kochia has also been confirmed in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska, while investigations continue in North and South Dakota and Montana.