Herbicide resistance awareness and application of management strategies among German farmers

Abstract

In an online survey conducted among German farmers in 2015, the following aspects were assessed: Are German farmers aware of the problem of herbicide resistance? What sources do farmers use for information on herbicide resistance? Which resistance management strategies are applied and how do farmers perceive their effectiveness?
In total, 423 participated in the survey. The majority of farmers (88%) answered to be aware of the presence of herbicide resistance cases in Germany and 64% and 50% of the farmers reported that resistant weeds were detected in their county or on their farm, respectively. Resistance management strategies were reported to be applied by 87% of the farmers and the strategy of rotating herbicide mode of action within the crop rotation was ranked the most effective strategy to minimize the evolution of resistant weed populations. Higher cost was the obstacle most cited by farmers for the application of resistance management strategies.
Outcomes from this survey may help researchers and crop consultants to increase understanding of farmers’ perception of herbicide resistance issues, to improve knowledge dissemination concerning herbicide resistance and to develop resistance management programs with high agronomic practicability and acceptance by farmers.