Pacific Northwest(PNW) herbicide resistance initiative reducing threat of weeds in the pacific northwest

Authors: FINKELNBURG, DOUGLAS - University Of Idaho; BERRY, PETE - Oregon State University; BURKE, IAN - Washington State University; ADJESIWOR, ALBERT - University Of Idaho; BARROSO, JUDIT - Oregon State University; BERGMANN, NICOLAS - Washington State University; CAMPBELL, JOAN - University Of Idaho; Huggins, David; Landau, Olivia; LYON, DREW - Washington State University; Adams, Curtis; Carlson, Bryan; ESSER, AARON - Washington State University; Garland Campbell, Kimberly; NEELY, HALY - Washington State University; Paulitz, Timothy; Reardon, Catherine; RIBEIRO, VICTOR - Oregon State University; Weller, David

Submitted to: Internet Web Page
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/3/2024
Publication Date: 1/3/2024
Citation: Finkelnburg, D., Berry, P., Burke, I.C., Adjesiwor, A.T., Barroso, J., Bergmann, N., Campbell, J.M., Huggins, D.R., Landau, O.A., Lyon, D.J., Adams, C.B., Carlson, B.R., Esser, A.D., Garland Campbell, K.A., Neely, H.L., Paulitz, T.C., Reardon, C.L., Ribeiro, V., Weller, D.M. 2024. Pacific Northwest(PNW) herbicide resistance initiative reducing threat of weeds in the pacific northwest. Internet Web Page. https://pnwhri.org/.

Interpretive Summary: The inland Pacific Northwest(PNW) is a major agricultural region with some of the most consistent wheat and small grain cropping systems in the nation; however, the increasing frequency of herbicide resistant weeds is threatening crop production, sustainability, and profitability. Weed management is particularly challenging in dryland cropping systems due to limited rainfall, variable soil conditions, and the high cost of herbicide applications relative to crop value. Although weeds have been a constant challenge in regional cropping systems, the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds has fundamentally altered conventional farming practices, forcing producers to consider less profitable and often less reliable crop rotations, and potentially necessitate the use of tillage practices known to adversely impact soil health and increase erosion. To address this emerging threat to dryland wheat and other commodities, the Pacific Northwest Herbicide Resistance Initiative (PNWHRI), a collaboration between the University of Idaho, Oregon State University, Washington State University, and USDA-ARS, developed a web-based portal to promote effective management of herbicide resistance by empowering producers with digital education, data accessibility, and online mapping tools to promote effective management of herbicide resistance in weeds.

Technical Abstract: The inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) is a major agricultural region with some of the most productive wheat and small grain cropping systems in the nation; however, the increasing frequency of herbicide resistant weeds is threatening crop production, sustainability, and profitability. For example, the yield potential of wheat is reduced by weeds due to competition for water, nutrients, and sunlight; whereas, the grain quality of wheat is negatively impacted by weed seeds harvested with the crop. Weed management is particularly challenging in dryland cropping systems due to limited rainfall, variable soil conditions, and the high cost of herbicide applications relative to market value. Although weeds have been a constant challenge in regional cropping systems, the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds has fundamentally altered conventional farming practices, forcing producers to consider less profitable and often less reliable crop rotations, and potentially necessitate the use of tillage practices known to adversely impact soil health and increase erosion. To address this escalating threat to dryland wheat and other commodities, the Pacific Northwest Herbicide Resistance Initiative (PNWHRI) was established as a collaboration among the University of Idaho, Oregon State University, Washington State University, and USDA-ARS to study herbicide resistance in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) with following goals: develop system adaptive capacity by refining best management practices, determine socio-economic and policy-related opportunities, and develop an active and engaged extension and outreach program focused on herbicide resistance management. A web-based portal was developed to facilitate knowledge transfer among producers, agronomists, and other stakeholders, and to support informed decision-making for managing herbicide-resistant weeds. A key tool of the webpage is the regional interactive herbicide resistance map that is based on weed surveys and herbicide screenings to provide data on the prevalence and distribution of resistant weed populations. This map, hosted on Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) interface, published through the PNWHRI website enables users to visualize localized resistance populations, facilitating proactive and site-specific management strategies. A crop acreage map shows the percent of acreage planted to cereals (spring wheat, barley, triticale, and winter wheat) or in fallow by county across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. In addition, the webpage includes short educational videos that deliver practical, science-based guidance on managing resistant weeds within regional cropping systems in addition to access to scientific research on herbicide resistance with links to peer-reviewed studies, case examples, and best practices. By integrating these tools, the platform pools regional information to foster a collaborative knowledge-sharing environment that bridges the gap between research and field application. This innovative approach places farmers first by empowering them with digital resources, data accessibility, and online tools to promote sustainable weed management, optimize current chemical control strategies, and support long-term agricultural productivity. Overall, the webpage promotes effective herbicide resistance management to safeguard the long-term viability of cropping systems and supports a resilient future for global food security.