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This document presents insights from Harold D. Coble, an experienced IPM Coordinator at USDA/OPMP, on crop biotechnology and weed science. Coble shares his farming background and expertise in integrated pest management (IPM), advocating for sustainable practices that contribute to crop yield and quality. The text outlines pest management strategies, including prevention, monitoring, and suppression, and discusses the benefits and challenges of herbicide-tolerant crops and plant-incorporated protectants (PIPs). Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of maintaining ecological balance while improving agricultural efficiency.
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Crop Biotechnology:a Weed Science Perspective Harold D. Coble IPM Coordinator, USDA/OPMP hcoble@ars.usda.gov
My Perspective • Reared on small diversified farm in 1940s-50s • Very familiar with the drudgery of hand hoeing • College degrees in agronomy & weed science • Weed science extension & research for 30 yrs • Always been a farmer at heart • A proponent of IPM – USDA IPM Coordinator
And, for many reasons, I believe in conserving our natural resources Photo credit USDA/NRCS
Pest management is all about crop yield and quality preservation and ease of harvest. Photo credit USDA/NRCS
Pest Management StrategiesThe PAMS Approach • Prevention • Cultural practices to keep pests out • Avoidance • Cultural practices to avoid or resist pest impact • Monitoring • What is present and how many • Suppression • Kill ‘em if you need to
Pest Suppression Options • Physical • Hand Weeding • Mechanical Cultivation • Other (mulches, , traps, etc.) • Biological • Insects, Bacteria, Fungi, Biochemicals • Chemical • Chemical Pesticides • Pheromones
Chemical Weed Control • Historical non-selective chemicals (NaCl) • Key to chemical use is selectivity • Development of 2,4-D in 1940s • Research programs for selective herbicides • Rapid expansion of chemical use in 1960s &70s • ~100% major crop acreage treated today
Attaining Selectivity • Massive chemical screening programs • Selection in crop breeding programs • Tracy soybean • Non-transgenic methods • Sethoxydim-tolerant corn (tissue culture) • STS soybean • Transgenic technologies (Biotech)
Biotech Crop Uses % of Acres
Western Corn Rootworm Adult Photo credit USDA/ARS
Why the Rapid Adoption?Herbicide Tolerant Crops • Lower cost of weed control, even with technology fees • Greatly simplified control procedures • Higher degree of weed control • Fewer chemical applications = less trips • Promotes more sustainable cultural practices • Less tillage, less compaction, narrower rows • Societal aspects (pride, landowner acceptance)
Higher degree of control at lower cost Photo credit USDA/NRCS
And prevent disasters such as this Photo credit USDA/NRCS
Why the Rapid Expansion?Insect Protection (PIPs) • High degree of control of target species • Safety to beneficial species • Human and environmental safety • Food/Feed safety • Applicator safety • Wildlife safety • Simplicity of control measures
PIPs aimed at the major insect pest complexes Photo credit USDA/ARS
Plant-incorporated protectants designed to avoid harm to beneficials Photo credit USDA/ARS
What’s the Downside?Herbicide Tolerant Crops • Weed species shifts if integrated approach not used • Prevention and avoidance strategies • Continued field monitoring • Alternative chemical mode of action • Reduced availability of alternative MOAs • Temptation to just plant and spray
Weed resistance is a fact of life Photo Craig Chism, Univ. of TN
What’s the Downside?PIPs • Risk of resistance development/selection • Major concern of organic community • Increased cost if populations below EIL • Protection present whether needed or not • Have led to secondary pest resurgence • Stinkbugs in cotton
Tarnished Plant Bug Photo credit USDA/ARS
Where do we go from here? Tacos, Chicken feed, or Plastic?? Photo credit USDA/NRCS
Meat, Milk, or Pharmaceuticals??? Photo credit USDA/NRCS
We’ve only just begun… Photo credit USDA/NRCS