>, a research and funding organization established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The planned whole-genome approach to advance knowledge of specific weed species is a long time coming, according to project director Todd Gaines, associate professor of molecular weed science in CSU s Department of Agricultural Biology.
Large-scale weed control is usually accomplished by spraying herbicides, but weeds can adapt and evolve resistance to such treatments. Herbicides becoming less effective costs farmers billions of dollars, forcing increased use of unsustainable practices like soil tillage or even larger quantities of herbicides. In addition, there is a clear need to make herbicides more environmentally friendly and develop plants with fortified genetics that suffer less from emerging weed species.
by Anne Manning
published April 14, 2021
Every multi-acre farmer and backyard gardener knows weeds are a constant, formidable foe of successful plant production. Across the globe, weed management demands billions of dollars in annual herbicidal treatments, or soil-damaging tillage of fields so crops can grow.
An international group of scientists and industry professionals, led by weed scientists at Colorado State University, have launched an ambitious new project aimed at improved management of the most intractable species of weeds in the world.
The International Weed Genomics Consortium, comprising 17 academic partners across seven countries, assembles a global community of experts who will develop genomic tools that fundamentally advance humanity’s approach to weeds and crops. The $3 million consortium is supported by $1.5 million in industry sponsorships and matching funds from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), a research and funding organization establi