The next generation of Prairie herbicide-resistant weed surveys and surveillance

AWC contribution: $45,309

Start Date: December 11, 2019

End Date: February 14, 2024

Dr. Charles Geddes, AAFC-Lethbridge

Summary:

Canada is home to the third-largest number of unique herbicide-resistant (HR) weed biotypes (~76) (weed species by herbicide site of action), surpassed only by Australia (~92) and the United States (~164). Currently, the additional cost to manage HR weeds in the Prairie Region of Canada totals an estimated $528 million annually. HR weeds infest over half of the fields under crop production in the Canadian Prairies, and the number of HR weed biotypes and area which they infest is increasing. For example, the most recent round of HR Weed Surveys across the Canadian Prairies (2014-2017) showed that HR weeds were present in 59%, 57%, and 68% of annually-cropped fields in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, respectively. In addition, the number of unique HR weed biotypes in these Prairie Provinces has grown to 26, 21, and 23, respectively. These numbers have increased rapidly from previous surveys, indicating the need for continued surveillance and immediate action to mitigate or delay the selection for new HR weeds.