Demonstration of Innovative Conservation Practices to Control Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth in Cotton
Georgia consistently ranks among the top three states in the nation for cotton production. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Georgia Field Office, in 2008 there were 1.6 million bales produced in the state on 940,000 acres, bringing in $562 million in cash receipts. Despite the historic success of Georgia’s cotton industry, its sustainability is threatened by the spread of GR Palmer amaranth. This invasive weed, which reduces cotton yield and interferes with harvest, can cause producers to spend $52 more per acre to manage infestations. More growers are returning to soil disturbance as a weed management tool. In the most severely affected counties, conservation tillage practices have been reduced by 35% and many conservation tillage acres are in danger of reverting to higher-intensity tillage systems.
The need for enhanced and refined integrated weed management strategies in cotton is a priority that is supported by growers, commodity/industry representatives and university personnel. In 2009 the National Association of Conservation Districts established the Herbicide Resistance Resource Policy Group to study the potential impact of herbicide resistance on conservation, specifically conservation tillage practices. In response to growing concerns about this pest, university programs across the South are actively studying the biology, ecology and management of Palmer amaranth.