Mérida hosts the latest scientific advances in weed control

Until Friday, April 29, the Mérida Conference Center hosts the XVIII Congress of the Spanish Society of Malherbology, which brings together 120 researchers, technicians, companies and producers to present, debate and analyze the latest scientific advances and new trends in the study and control of weeds.

This event, organized by the Center for Scientific and Technological Research of Extremadura (Cicytex), dependent on the Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Agenda and the Spanish Society of Malherbology (EMh), is held every two years and is a reference in Spain.

During the official inauguration, the general secretary of Science, Technology, Innovation and University, Jesús Alonso, has indicated that during these days it is a matter of studying an integrated control of these species to avoid “major losses in large crops”, given that the losses real by weed species represent between 8 and 10% of the main agricultural crops.

Alonso has stressed that the use of herbicides is currently threatened by the appearance at an “exponential rate” of resistant weed species and in the last 40 years more than 500 cases of species resistant to herbicides have been reported.

In his opinion, “its incorrect and abusive applications, the repeated use of monocultures, the reduction in the number of registered herbicides and the public concern for obtaining safer food produced in conditions that respect the environment, as well as the Climate change and the introduction of invasive species further complicate the situation and emphasize the need for new knowledge on sustainable crop management.

In this sense, Jesús Alonso has highlighted some of the issues that will be discussed in this Congress and that will provide answers to face this new reality, such as the current challenges in the control of weed species and the need to adapt their management to the requirements of sustainable agriculture, the use of new tools for its detection, prevention and control, the integration of preventive, cultural and direct methods to improve its management, the rational and safe use of herbicides and new approaches for the integrated management of species weeds and invaders, among others.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the general director of Cicytex, Carmen González and the president of the Spanish Society of Malherbology, María Dolores Osuna.

Program

The program of the XVIII Congress of the Spanish Society of Malherbology began yesterday with a session to transfer research results to the business fabric while chemical control and resistance to herbicides, integrated management strategies, bioherbicides or the holding of the Assembly of the Spanish Society of Malherbology are some of the topics that will occupy the day this Wednesday.

On the 28th, a conference will be held and the new tools and technologies in weed control will be addressed, in addition to a technical visit. The congress ends on the 29th with sessions on weeds in the face of climate change; the biology and agroecology of weeds; and a round table where the conclusions of the congress will be discussed, among other scheduled activities.