Resistance Management Overview

Black-grass resistance to herbicides is one of the main reasons controlling the weed is so challenging. Resistance strengths can vary, with some strains becoming increasingly aggressive and difficult to control.

Over reliance of herbicides in the past has been one of the key drivers towards the level of resistance we now see today. The industry, including ag chem manufacturers, now accept that there is now no silver bullet, nor will there ever be again as responsible herbicide use should now go hand in hand with sustainable cultural controls.

That being said, herbicide resistance is something that can be monitored, and the results can inform you on how best to maximise the effectiveness of your herbicide programme in the future.

Getting a seed sample tested for herbicide resistance is an important first step in managing the issue. This is why we’ve team up with ADAS to give away 100 resistance tests as part of our incentivised survey about attitudes towards black-grass control [ enter here]. Winners will be asked to send in seed samples, and in return will receive the results of their black-grass resistance status, as well as advice from ADAS on how to manage it.

The detection of resistance does not mean that herbicides have completely failed, in a lot of cases it is more likely to be an early warning sign of much bigger problems to come. So again, knowledge is power.

Supporting blogs

7 top tips on decreasing herbicide resistance

• An easy guide to understanding
• So you’ve got black-grass resistance? What to do next
• Farmer videos – their resistance status