Risks and Benefits of Weed Management Technologies

Abstract

Weeds are the most important pest complex that threaten world food and fiber production while herbicides represent the most prevalent pesticide used (Bridges, 1994). Currently herbicides are used on a majority of the crop acres and generally provide economically acceptable control of weedy pests. However, due to the success of herbicide use over the last three decades, weed science and management has evolved into herbicide science. Research on weed biology, weed ecology and cropping systems has not been a high priority nor has funding been readily available to those researchers who chose to emphasize this area. The high emphasis on herbicides for management of weeds has resulted in the limited use of alternative strategies and the general lack of biological information. Problems associated with this system include herbicides being perceived as major environmental contaminants, weed populations developing resistance to herbicides and the sustainability of agriculture being questioned. Importantly, it is estimated that less than 2% of the population in the United States is directly involved with production agriculture and thus do not understand nor appreciate the impact that food and fiber production has on daily existence. This paper will address a number of issues that reflect these areas of concern in weed management technology using crop production in the midwestern United States as an example.