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Title: BEYOND THRESHOLDS: APPLYING MULTIPLE TACTICS WITHIN INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Author
item Davis, Adam
item NGOUAJIO, MATHIEU - MICHIGAN STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Weed Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2005
Publication Date: 6/1/2005
Citation: Davis, A.S., Ngouajio, M. 2005. Beyond thresholds: applying multiple tactics within integrated weed management systems. Weed Science. 53:368.

Interpretive Summary: Increasing public awareness of water pollution by agricultural herbicides and management difficulties arising from herbicide resistant weeds have led to increased demand for integrated weed management (IWM) strategies that reduce reliance upon herbicides for agricultural production. Most work by weed scientists into IWM has centered around setting management thresholds for herbicides, with little emphasis on the integration of multiple weed control tactics that has been so successful in the Integrated Pest Management Approach to control of insect pests. To address this shortcoming, the North Central Weed Science Society hosted a symposium, 'Beyond thresholds: applying multiple tactics in integrated weed management systems' at its 2003 annual meeting in Columbus, OH. Five leading weed scientists gave presentations on cutting-edge research in applying multiple weed management tactics. The symposium articles have been gathered together in Weed Science to promote new research into IWM. The impact of this work will be to bring together scientists from different disciplines to initiate research into truly integrated weed management systems for the 21st century.

Technical Abstract: Investigations by weed scientists into the integration of multiple weed management tactics are rare, and most often involve only chemical and physical methods, with only occasional combinations that include biological methods as well. As a means of stimulating interest in multitactic management systems and assessing the current state of knowledge on this topic, the North Central Weed Science Society hosted the symposium 'Beyond thresholds: applying multiple tactics in integrated weed management systems,' at its 2003 annual meeting in Louisville, KY. The title of this symposium was intentionally chosen to be provocative, in hopes of increasing turn-out for the event and stimulating discussion (the symposium was attended by over 70 people, and exchanges were indeed lively). The four symposium articles that follow demonstrate the wide variety of tools being considered for use in multitactic weed management systems. These papers present cutting-edge research, yet also highlight how much work remains in order to make truly integrated systems for weed management a reality. It will be necessary to develop new management and analysis tools, use knowledge of weed biology and ecology to identify how new and old tactics may be combined most cost-effectively, and finally, to evaluate the impact of IWM on the long-term sustainability of farming operations and surrounding ecosystems. We hope these contributions will help generate enthusiasm for additional work in this exciting area.