UPL Limited - Weed Resistance in Agriculture – A Detailed Guide

1. WeedResistanceinAgriculture–ADetailedGuide Weed resistance to herbicides is a very real and serious problem that farmers worldwide are facing. Some highly invasive weed species have acquired resistance against multiple subgroups of herbicides designed to control them. The consequences of weed resistance can be devastating to farmers if not prevented, detected and treated in time witheffectiveweedresistancemanagementtechniques. Weed ResistanceManagement–What IsIt and HowCanItBeResolved? Weed or Herbicide resistance occurs due to a weed population's decreased susceptibility to a herbicide application thatwaspreviouslyeffectiveatcontrollingits averagepopulation.Modern agricultureis heavilyreliant on herbicides for weed control. It has led to the emergence of several populations of weed that have become resistant to the herbicides used to control them. Weed resistance management refers to the various methods employed to combat the menace of weed resistance. Once weed resistance is noticed in the crop, proper crop protectionmanagementtechniquesneedtobeimplementedtocontrol theweed'sproliferation. Many methods can help farmers successfully manage weed resistance. For example, rotating crops is a common technique adopted to fight weed resistance as crops differ in their inherent competitiveness against weeds and different herbicide groups can be used to target resistant weeds in different crops. Farmers also have the option of shifting to herbicide tank mixtures with multiple herbicide groups working together to reduced the instance of that targetweeddevelopingresistance toonesingle herbicide.Producerscanalsochooseherbicidewithactive ingredients with short soil residualtimes instead of herbicides with longsoil residual times that favourweed resistance. WhyisWeedResistanceManagementImportant? If not managed effectively, herbicide resistance can lead to serious economic consequences for farmers and other stakeholders inthe agricultureindustry.Weedresistance managementisnecessary duetothe followingreasons: ToMaximizeHerbicideActivity Herbicides are expectedtokill onlythosetargetedweeds thataresensitiveorsusceptible tothechemical composition of the weedkillers used on them. In the absence of proper weed resistance management, populations ofweedsbecomeresistantandarenolongercontrollablebyapplyingherbicides. OptimizeCropYield Weedresistance managementhelps incontrollingthepopulationofweeds thathavebecome resistantto frequentlyused herbicides. Left uncontrolled,weedscan drasticallyaffect the quantity and qualityofthe crop yield. ControltheRisks ofHerbicide-ResistantWeeds Once weeds develop resistance to multiple common herbicides, they become a significant threat to agriculture. Herbicide-resistantweeds couldhavesevereeconomic andenvironmentalconsequences.Effectiveweed resistancemanagementpractices canhelpincurbingthis threat. PreserveSoilNutrientsfor Crops Weeds tend to compete with the crops in a field for solar energy, water, and mineral nutrients. Controlling the growth of weeds through proper weed resistance management is essential for preserving the nutrients in thesoil forthecropplants. ImproveSoilQualityandFertility

2. As populations of weeds develop resistance to herbicides, farmers tend to increase the quantity and frequency of herbicide applications. In the long run, this practice could reduce the quality of the soil. Resistance management techniqueslikecroprotationhelpinconservingandpromotingsoil fertility. UPL-Limitedhas beena globalproviderof sustainable agricultureservices and products like herbicides, insecticides, and crop protection management solutions foroverhalf acentury.As oneofthe largest, global genericagrochemical entities, the company offers a multitude of products and proactivesolutions foreffectiveweed resistancemanagement. It has a rangeofpre-emergenceand early post- emergence weedkillers used in a tank mixture to combat weed resistance. Some of UPL Limited's products are speciallyformulated tocombatherbicideresistance in weedsrightfrom itsinitialfewapplications.