# Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistance



## BayHighlandBees (Feb 13, 2012)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

is this a post about raising bees? If not can we move this topic to another board?


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## BlueDiamond (Apr 8, 2011)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*



BigDawg said:


> Despite promises of increased yields and lowered rates of pesticide application, farmers in the corn belt are upping their use of pesticides 50% to even 100% in order to keep pace with "superweeds" and other pests that have developed immunity to glyphosate. While this may be good news in the short-term for the companies that sell GMO seed and GMO-friendly pesticides, farmers are beginning to question the "GMO miracle" and may fall back to conventional crops if the situation doesn't improve as soaring pesticide costs coupled with growing consumer doubts about the safety of GMO's are taking their toll on the market. In the meantime, with double the amount of pesticides being used the impact upon bees, other pollinators, humans, and the environment are almost certainly not good.......
> 
> http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/20...d-falters-insecticide-use-surges-in-corn-belt


The article talks about corn rootworms, but said nothing about "superweeds" or "immunity to glyphosate" or "farmers questioning the GMO micracle". This AgPhD video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_abbz2tn8vM says farmers in heavy corn rootworm pressure areas may use a Monsanto/Dow Agrosciences dual Bt trait product call Smartstax if they suspect resistance has developed to the single Bt trait product they used in past years. The video indicates they may also apply a granular or liquid insecticide to the soil at corn planting time. Or do both. Bees are obviously not impacted by applying a granular or liquid insecticide to the soil at corn planting time because the soil is typically bare of flowering weeds.

Eventual resistance to specific pesticides like glyphosate is normal and expected and that's why the biotech companies are developing GMO corn, cotton, etc. that is tolerant to multiple herbicides. I don't believe you'll find any farmer trade association websites or magazines that claim "farmers are questioning the GMO miracle." It's the city folks who believe claims like that after reading articles authored by frankenfood type websites such as "the non-gmo report" and "naturalnews.com": 
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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

Whats interesting is the idiotic use of pesticides for restiant WEEDS!... no wonder there useing more!

Seriously though.. this is a bee site, can we get it moderated that if you don't at least try to post bee stuff once in a while you cannot constantly post this stuff?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

>Whats interesting is the idiotic use of pesticides for restiant WEEDS!... no wonder there useing more!

LOL


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## Rxmaker (Jul 6, 2011)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

Are we talking pesticide or herbicide. Glyphosate is a herbicide targeting the growing portion of plants not humans or bees. Can we get back to bees.


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*



Rxmaker said:


> Are we talking pesticide or herbicide. Glyphosate is a herbicide targeting the growing portion of plants not humans or bees. Can we get back to bees.[/QUOTE
> Correction A herbicide is a pesticide. A insecticide is a pesticide. A insecticide is not a herbicide. Pesticides are substances that prevent, destroy or injuring a pest.


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

Just like any other chemical control, it selects for the resistant individuals. Those that survive then produce more offspring that are resisitant.

No surprise.

Honeybees don't spend much time if filed corn.

Tom


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*



BigDawg said:


> "superweeds"


its hilarious how these weeds only in GM crops acquire super powers when it forms resistance to a chemical control. same old plant, different need to control it in our crops. why doesnt anyone classify my wild oats that are resistant to our class one herbicide as a "super" weed?

what about mites? we should call all the mites resistant to Apistan "supermites" , right? same old mite, different control option needed to control them


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

Agreed, seems this terminology never arose until some weeds began showing resistance to glyphosate. Many probably don't realize that these "super weeds" are still easily controlled by other herbicides including some that have been in use for years. It just shows that herbicides (and crops) need to be rotated which has always been a good practice.


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

got to admit I was amazed when the farmer was planting the corn field where I have bees, I checked out what he was putting on with the seeds, four herbicides, none of which were glyphosate, only two of which I knew of and the other two If i was interested I would have looked up. the corn is up about a foot, not a weed in sight, and they haven't come back and sprayed glyphosate. I didn't see what corn they planted, want to guess if it was from Monsanto?


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

your statement does not make any sense, at all.


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*



Ian said:


> your statement does not make any sense, at all.


tell that to the farmer, there were cases of 4 different herbicides sitting on his equipment, he planted his corn using the planter that had the herbicides sitting on it, why would he transport the herbicides 20 miles to the field if he wasn't going to use them, if he put the herbicides on when the seed went in the ground and didn't have to come back and spray a herbicide again, its my guess that he didn't "have" to use glyphosate ready corn? clearer?

I have been told that coming from Mass. I sometimes write with an accent


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## Haraga (Sep 12, 2011)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

What kind of planter was he using that could put the seed in the ground and apply 4 different chemicals also? I am having a hard time visualizing this piece of equipment. I have never seen or used 4 different products at once, but that's just me. Maybe Ian could give some input.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

*Re: Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt Soars As Superweeds & Other Pests Develop Resistanc*

he was probably reuseing boxes.... I am betting you didn't stop and ask him anything. Pesticides while they could (1 at a time) be applied at seeding, would not be.
The seeds are coated, and no pest are a problem at that time.


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