PRINCESS ANNE, Md.- The Maryland Soybean Board is hoping local workshops help farmers stop a growing problem: the spread of herbicide resistant weeds.
On Tuesday, a workshop was held at UMES. Attendees learned how to improve weed control on their farms and how to develop a weed management plan.
"We're just exploring different options that growers have available to them for controlling weeds," says Extension Weed Specialist Mark VanGessel. "Because of the potential for developing resistance, how can they incorporate non chemical strategies?"
Weeds like Palmer Amaranth are especially aggressive and very resistant, experts say, but early intervention is key.
""If weeds are identified in their earliest stages, we can make a plan to control them before they overtake a field,"" states Brian Johnson, chair of the MSB Research Committee. ""We are investing in research to assist farmers in combating the issue and improving yields on the farm, and then relaying that information to the farmer.""
More information for soybean farmers can be found at www.iwilltakeaction.com, including a herbicide lookup app.
Two more workshops are being held this week, one in Frederick County and another in Kent County, Maryland. All workshops are free of charge. More information can be found here.
