2,4-D to make a comeback?

First it was Pepsi Throwback. Now it’s herbicide throwback.

From a University of Illinois media release:

2,4-D is coming back. What many might consider a “dinosaur” may be the best solution for growers fighting weed resistance today, said Dean Riechers, University of Illinois associate professor of weed physiology.

“Farmers can’t imagine going back to 2,4-D or other auxin herbicides,” Riechers said. “But herbicide resistance is bad enough that companies are willing to bring it back. That illustrates how severe this problem is.”

In a recently published article in Weed Science, Riechers and his team of research colleagues suggest that tank-mixing auxinic herbicides with glyphosate may be the best short-term option available to farmers interested in broad-spectrum, postemergence weed control.

“Resistance has become a big problem,” Riechers said. “In 1997, researchers predicted that glyphosate resistance would not be a big issue in Round-Up Ready crops. For the most part, they were right. But they underestimated a few weed species and resistance mechanisms.”

Since the 1950s, 29 auxin-resistant weed species have been discovered worldwide. In comparison, 21 glyphosate-resistant weed species have been discovered since 1996 when Round-Up Ready soybeans were commercialized. And interestingly enough, two of the most problematic weeds in Round-Up Ready soybean and cotton – common waterhemp and Palmer amaranth – are not yet on the list of auxin-resistant weeds, Riechers said.

Ideally, chemical companies would come up with a new herbicide to fight these resistant weeds. But new herbicide development is expensive and time-consuming. Riechers said he does not know of any new compounds on the horizon…

No doubt the enviros will freak out as 2,4-D was a component of the wrongly maligned Agent Orange.

3 thoughts on “2,4-D to make a comeback?”

  1. 2,4-D continues to be a workhorse in the agricultural world. Its use near susceptible crops can result in unintended damage to those crops under certain climatic conditions. This is due to user error or misjudgment in nerly every case. When used appropriately that issue seldom manifests.

  2. Some of us at NORAHG have used herbicides in both Agriculture and Total Vegetation Management.

    Traditionally, Roundup ( glyphosate ) has always been WEAK on broad-leaved weeds, and STRONG on grass-type weeds.

    Tank-mixing Roundup with 2,4-D is a strategy designed to effectively control BOTH broad-leaved and grass-type weeds.

    This tank-mix recommendation has been present on Roundup labels for a VERY LONG TIME.

    University and college extension services are ADAMANTLY OPPOSED to recommending this tank-mix since these institutions are INCREASINGLY INFESTED with Anti-Pesticide Lunatics.

    On the subject of Agent Organge ( aka Herbicide Orange ) …

    This product contained a 50 : 50 mixture of n-butyl esters of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T.

    To our knowledge, butyl esters of 2,4-D are no longer readily available because of their high risk of volatilization and drift.

    The formulations of 2,4-D that are used in Agriculture and Total Vegetation Management would NOT be the same formulations used with Herbicide Orange.

    Moreover, Herbicide Orange was NEVER a registered product in either the United States or Canada.

    Anti-Pesticide Activists have often CONCOCTED an association with dioxins and cancer because of Herbicide Orange.

    This is WRONG !

    Nonetheless, there has NEVER BEEN ANY CREDIBLE EVIDENCE indicating that the Herbicide Orange herbicide mixture ( 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T with by-product dioxins ) was harmful.

    Since this time, 2,4-D Herbicide has been often FALSELY and MALICIOUSLY associated with dioxins and cancer because of Herbicide Orange.

    Nonetheless, since 1983, 2,4-D Herbicide CAN BE CONSIDERED FREE OF ALL DIOXINS.

    Anti-Pesticide Activists have argued that the Herbicide-Orange-2,4-D affair has proven that the Professional Lawn Care Industry uses dangerous products like 2,4-D.

    Conventional pest control products like 2,4–D DO NOT cause cancer.

    Despite the opposite claims of activists, NO regulatory body in the world classifies 2,4-D as a human carcinogen.

    How do we know for sure ?

    2,4-D has been used for the control of broad-leaved weeds in the Urban Landscape SINCE 1946.

    2,4-D has a 65-YEAR UNBLEMISHED SAFETY RECORD regarding long-term risk to health.

    Let the Anti-Pesticide Basterds FREAK OUT !

    WILLIAM H. GATHERCOLE AND NORAH G

    National Organization Responding Against HUJE that seek to harm the Green Space Industry ( NORAHG ).

    NORAHG is a NATIONAL NON-PROFIT NON-PARTISAN organization dedicated to representing the work of RESPECTED and HIGHLY-RATED EXPERTS who promote PESTICIDE-REALISM and PESTICIDE-TRUTHS ― scientific research PROVES that pest control products CAUSE NO HARM and can be USED SAFELY.

    HUJE are enviro-lunatics, anti-pesticide activists, and lawn-haters, who particularly DESPISE the golf industry. They are Hateful Underhanded Jokes as Environmentalists who have been WRONG FOR OVER 50 YEARS.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO THE PESTICIDE TRUTHS WEB-SITE …

    Pesticide Truths is a web-site managed by Uncle Adolph that contains History, Links, News, Audios, Videos, ALL Force Of Nature reports, and information right-off-the-press, in Black & White Documents.

    http://pesticidetruths.com/

    &

    http://uncleadolph.blogspot.com/

    QUICK DOWNLOAD of ALL Force Of Nature reports in Full Colour Documents

    http://pesticidetruths.com/toc/

  3. I’m on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada and we never stopped using 2,4D. It is a key component of regular weed control on the prairies. I would argue that farmers couldn’t imagine NOT using 2,4D here.

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