APVMA scientist warned on herbicide resistance at American summits

APVMA science fellow Professor Stephen Powles is warning farmers to be more aware of how valuable herbicides are for our farms and to use different herbicides in rotation, along with other non-chemical tools.

Professor Powles is keen to get the message out that over-reliance on one herbicide can cause weeds to evolve resistance to that herbicide and that’s the message he’ll be taking to a US national summit on herbicide resistance (external site) to be held in Washington DC on 10 May 2012 and then to a similar event in South America from 16-18 May 2012.

Professor Powles is one of the world's most highly cited plant scientists.

One of his current projects is the development of a mechanical seed destructor, a device mounted behind a harvester that crushes weed seeds and prevents them germinating.

"It shows how a non-chemical tool, used in combination with registered chemicals, can help us to achieve sustainability,” he said.

Professor Powles and his team will also host an international conference titled 'The Global Resistance Challenge 2013’ (external site) in Fremantle, WA, from 18–22 February 2013. The conference will cover all aspects of herbicide resistance and the impact of weeds on global food production.  Sessions will range from the molecular basis of the development of herbicide resistance through agro-ecology and agronomy to on-farm weed resistance management.

The APVMA Science Fellows Program was established in 2006 to enhance the quality of regulatory science and help build public confidence in the scientific assessment work undertaken by the APVMA.