Soybean Growers Worry About Asian Rust, Aphids, Weeds

AUSTIN - Mar 3/05 - SNS -- Asian rust, aphids and weed control are the top three concerns of soybean growers who participated in a survey sponsored by UPI, a manufacturer and marketer of post-patent crop protection solutions.

Not surprisingly, Asian Soybean Rust was the top concern with nearly 45% of producers ranking it as their number one concern. Soybean aphids, forecast to be a problem in 2005, were listed as the top concern among 26% of respondents. Somewhat surprising was the response from 27% of producers who listed weed shifts and/or weed resistance as their number one concern, ahead of both aphids and rust.

The soybean producers also were asked about how they might deal with these challenges in 2005 in light of the fact treatment for rust and/or aphids could increase production costs by an additional $13 to $48 per acre. Changing their planting intentions was one of the first considerations with 25% of growers planning to decrease their 2005 acreage, just 10% planning to increase planting and 65% maintaining soybean acres.

Around 45% of survey respondents indicated they expected to spray for soybean rust in 2005, but only 11% of the growers intended to cut back on other crop protection products if they had to spray for rust.

Weed shifts, gaps and weed resistance are a growing concern for growers, particularly in glyphosate-resistant crop systems. More than 75% of respondents indicated they were either very or somewhat concerned about weed shifts and/or resistance in 2005. One in five of those producers felt they already had resistant weeds in their own operations. Among the weeds they commonly cited: pigweed, common ragweed, morningglory, common and giant ragweed and marestail.

In terms of dealing with weed shifts and/or resistance, 49% of growers mentioned rotation to non-Roundup Ready® crops and more than 40% would add a secondary herbicide as a tank-mix partner to glyphosate.

"Growers surveyed were clear about the ways they choose to deal with weed shifts or resistance in Roundup Ready® systems," says Jeff Pritchard, vice president and general manager of UPI. "Now most weed scientists would not recommend rotating away from Roundup Ready crops, but they would recommend using a tank-mix partner as a strategy for dealing with gaps, shifts and resistance."