Herbicide-resistant weeds are a growing concern in the Pacific Northwest, the US, and globally. One of the key tactics in the fight against herbicide-resistant weeds is to alternate or combine herbicides with different modes of action, however, it is often difficult for growers to know what active ingredient(s) are in the jug they just bought and what mechanism(s) or mode(s) of action those active ingredients bring to the weed control effort.

Last year, the Herbicide Mechanisms of Action (MOA)—Wheat tool was developed and made available on the WSU Wheat and Small Grains website. The tool allows growers to see what active ingredients are in the herbicides commonly used in wheat and barley production in Washington. Pulse growers requested a similar tool for pulse crops, which lead to the development of the Herbicide Mechanisms of Action (MOA)—Pulse Crops tool.

Like the tool for wheat, the pulse crops tool allows growers to query a database of herbicide trade names, active ingredients, mechanisms of action, and Washington weed species with confirmed resistance to one or more herbicides.

Growers can search by trade name to find out what active ingredient(s) are in an herbicide product, what mechanism(s) of action the active ingredient(s) represent, what chemical family each active ingredient is in, and whether there are any weed biotypes in Washington with confirmed resistance to that mechanism of action. The tool also allows growers to search the database by active ingredient, mechanism of action group, or resistant weed.

Development of this tool was partially supported by funds from the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council.