Dicamba is once again injuring non-dicamba-tolerant soybeans in 2018. As of June 15, university weed scientists estimate that approximately 383,000 acres of soybeans have been injured by dicamba so far, according to Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weeds specialist.

 

That’s out of an estimated 89 million acres of soybeans planted, according to USDA. Last year, dicamba damaged an estimated 3.6 million acres out of 89.5 million acres. That concerns Bradley, particularly if Xtend technology adoption increases in 2018 and beyond. Monsanto estimated 2018 Xtend acres to double from 2017 to 50 million acres in 2018.

 

Of the 15 state departments of agriculture that responded to this request for information, only 43 cases of alleged injury are currently under investigation in soybeans, says Bradley. However, the incidents and cases of off-target movement of dicamba to specialty crops, vegetables, ornamental species, and trees seems to be more prevalent this year compared with last season. They constitute some 111 of the remaining cases under investigation.

 

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