Dicamba Stewardship-Be a Good Neighbor

The growing problem of herbicide-resistant weeds has made it important for farmers to develop a diversified weed-management plan using various herbicide modes and sites of action. One challenge farmers in the South face is the use of dicamba to fight herbicide-resistant weeds. As a synthetic auxin herbicide, dicamba can cause injury to non-dicamba tolerant soybeans. This requires farmers to be more aware when applying herbicides.

“I would stress that the application requirements we put in our mandatory training have to be followed for there to be any chance of success with these technologies,” says Dan Reynolds, Ph.D., MSPB Hartwig Chair and weed specialist for Mississippi State University (MSU). “We have to be good stewards of dicamba to retain it as an effective tool for years to come.”

Soybeans most affected by dicamba and off-target drift are those in the late vegetative and early reproductive stages, according to an MSPB funded research project by Reynolds.

“From research, we know a documented plant height reduction has translated to a reduction in yield,” says Jason Bond, weed control specialist at MSU.  

Farmers can help reduce off-target movement by using only approved formulations, which are less volatile than older formulations. To reduce the risk of having off target movement, farmers and applicators handling herbicides should ensure the application is made following the approved label. By being good stewards of the new dicamba tolerant soybean, farmers can better fight herbicide-resistant weeds.