Weed & Herbicide Physiology
Outcomes of the research of the Weed Physiology laboratory will help to predict the possible spread of herbicide-resistant genes in weed populations, the optimum time of herbicide application for effective weed control, and the development of future technologies for effective weed management.
The goals of the weed science program are to provide agricultural producers with the most cost-effective systems available to control weeds and maximize profit potential while providing a safe food supply, and protecting water quality and soil resources for future generations.
Weed Science research in Agronomy involves an in-depth look at the complex interaction of weed density, crop residue and cover crops, water and nutrient relations, soil types and tillage systems, and crop yields. There are also research programs involving the development of herbicide-resistant weed populations, and the mechanisms of herbicide resistance.
Agronomy’s Weed Science faculty conducts one of the most comprehensive programs in the country on the effectiveness of new and existing herbicides. Herbicide evaluation is done at several locations throughout the state, involving many different populations of weeds and grasses, including managing weeds that have developed resistance to some widely used herbicides.
The Weed Physiology research primarily focuses on the following areas:
- Effect of temperature stress on herbicide efficacy
- Identification of sources of herbicide tolerance to develop herbicide-tolerant technology
- Understanding physiological, genetic and molecular mechanisms of weed resistance to herbicides