Controlling weeds is all about balance: We must balance the needs of the plants we want to grow and those we don’t. It doesn’t matter if we are growing tomatoes and peppers in our garden or corn, soybeans and wheat in our fields. We need fertile soil, water, and sunlight for the plants to grow and prosper while keeping unwanted pests, like weeds, insects and disease to a minimum.
Cultural practices like crop rotation, reduced tillage and crop covers all work to discourage weed growth. Still, weeds have a cunning ability to adapt and survive these management techniques. That’s where technology helps.
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This technology includes access to GM crops, leading to a welcome paradox: We’re simultaneously reducing our reliance on crop-protection products and getting better at killing weeds.
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That’s good for me as a farmer because it will keep my crops safe. It’s good for consumers, too, because when crops grow without interference from weeds, food is abundant and prices at grocery stores and restaurants remain reasonable. And finally, it’s good for the environment because we lessen our dependence on herbicides.
