I saw the weed-chopping crews at work in some cotton and soybean fields during a recent drive across middle Georgia. They were going primarily after herbicide-resistant pigweed, a sight I’ve seen regularly this season, and a good response to a bad problem. But pigweed can and does become hoe resistant, too.

The best made and implemented weed management strategies fall short of perfect. Weeds, particularly Palmer amaranth, will take advantage of any glitch.

In the last few years, Georgia cotton growers have really turned the tide against pigweed and resistant-weed management and should be commended for their efforts. But weather conditions were less than cooperative this spring and early summer (it rarely is cooperative) for optimal weed control.

I recall Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia weed specialist, saying once that growers have to accept that pigweed is going to kick their tails, and they shouldn’t take the kicking lightly. After the posterior insult, growers can make the right management decision to go after the weed the Old Fashioned way.

The growers getting the crews out there are doing the right thing by removing the weeds but at a great cost. Weeds left to seed will result in more problems the following year and can lead to real crop failure if left unchecked.

But even the tried-and-true technological combination of the hoe and a good swing can fall short of weed-free perfection. Pigweed can resist the hoe, too.

Chopping-resistant weed guide

According to Culpepper, here are some chopping points to remember now and later to keep pigweed from becoming hoe resistant: