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Mizzou Researchers Testing Treated Fences To Mitigate Dicamba Drift

July 14, 2023 7:18AM CDT
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Mizzou Researchers Testing Treated Fences To Mitigate Dicamba Drift
Reid Smeda, teaching and research scientist with the University of Missouri’s Weed Science Program, explains the project his team is developing on the Bradford Research Center east of Columbia. Smeda says fencing coated with activated charcoal will surround fruit and vegetable crops, to determine if the charcoal will attract enough auxin particles to prevent plant damage from Dicamba drift. (Photo by Kyle Hill, Alpha Ag Network)

Researchers with the University of Missouri’s Weed Science Program will spend the summer observing a row of tomato plants and the fences separating it from Dicamba-resistant soybeans.  Researcher Reid Smeda tells Regional Radio the experiment is in response to reports of drifting Dicamba causing damage to nearby fruit and vegetable plots as well as home gardens.

Smeda says the fences range from plastic construction fencing to silk mesh.  He explains the theory that his research team is testing.

Smeda adds that if the experiment proves successful, its application could go beyond fencing between fields.

University of Missouri weed scientist Reid Smeda says he anticipates having initial findings to discuss at next January’s Great Plains Growers Conference in St Joseph.

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