Conversations about the Future of Dicamba: The Science Behind Off-Target Movement
Leah S. Riter, Naresh Pai, Bruno C. Vieira, Alison MacInnes, Richard Reiss, Cathleen J. Hapeman, Greg R. Kruger
Abstract
Dicamba is an important herbicide for controlling post-emergent resistant weeds in soybean farming. Recently, the scientific community and general public have further examined off-target transport mechanisms (e.g., spray drift, volatilization, and tank contamination) and the visual responses of soybeans to ultralow dicamba concentrations. This paper synthesizes key chemical concepts and environmental processes associated with dicamba formulations, transport mechanisms, drift measurements, and plant responses. This paper proposes additional areas of research and actions to increase our understanding and communicate the science findings, which should provide farmers with more robust tools and practices for sustainable dicamba use.