BASF partners with university weed specialists in Operation Weed Eradication

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BASF partners with university weed specialists in Operation Weed Eradication

Four university weed specialists are working with BASF on the company’s Operation Weed Eradication program. One of the program’s two goals is herbicide stewardship for long-term preservation of effective weed control chemistry, according to Darren Unland, technical marketing manager at BASF. The other goal, said Unland, is to develop a farmer mindset that it is not ok to control only most of the weeds in a field.

“If we can prevent any new seed coming into that field for about three to four years, and completely control the weeds that we have on the farm, we can really get ahead of this problem,” Unland told Brownfield Ag News.

Complete eradication might not be feasible, according to Bryan Young, weed science professor at Purdue University, but cutting weed populations will reduce resistance.

“We’re talking about different practices, different strategies for managing weeds than what we have in past, chemical and non-chemical, and why we’re having that conversation,” said Young, one of the specialists advising BASF on Operation Weed Eradication. “Is it enough is enough in terms of resistance to date? And I would say ‘Yeah, we need to stop the trend.’”

In addition to Young, advisors include Dr. Charlie Cahoon, North Carolina State University; Dr. Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia and Dr. Prashant Jha, Iowa State University.

The advisors will provide recommendations to the Operation Weed Eradication coalition based on weed control research and experience.