Avoiding glyphosate resistance comes down to diversifying how you control weeds instead of relying on the same product and timing year after year. Start by rotating herbicide modes of action. Glyphosate is very effective, but repeated use alone selects for resistant weeds. Mixing or alternating with other herbicides, especially residual products with different modes of action, helps prevent any one weed from surviving and reproducing.

These herbicides add different MOAs to control resistant weeds:

  • 2,4-D – broadleaf control
  • Dicamba (XtendiMax, Engenia) – strong on pigweed and other broadleaves
  • Glufosinate (Liberty) – contact herbicide, excellent rotation partner
  • Fomesafen (Reflex) – pigweed and broadleaf control
  • Lactofen (Cobra) – tough on pigweed, used in soybeans
  • Clethodim (Select) – grass control (for rotating away from glyphosate on grasses)
  • Quizalofop (Assure II) – another grass herbicide option  
  • Halex GT (corn) – premix with multiple MOAs (glyphosate + others)
  • Sharpen (saflufenacil) – burndown with residual activity

Use multiple control methods, not just herbicides. Mechanical practices like mowing, disking, or hand removal, along with cultural strategies like crop rotation or planting competitive cover crops, reduce pressure on glyphosate and make it harder for resistant weeds to dominate. Time applications correctly and use proper rates. Spraying weeds when they are small and actively growing improves control and reduces the chance of survivors. Avoid cutting rates to save money. Sublethal doses are one of the fastest ways to select for resistance.

Incorporate residual herbicides when possible and reduce the number of times glyphosate is needed during the season.

These prevent new weeds from emerging and reduce reliance on glyphosate:

  • Pendimethalin (Prowl) – grasses and some small-seeded broadleaves
  • S-metolachlor (Dual Magnum) – strong on grasses and pigweed suppression
  • Acetochlor (Warrant) – similar to Dual; good for pigweed programs
  • Pyroxasulfone (Zidua) – excellent residual on pigweed and grasses
  • Flumioxazin (Valor) – strong broadleaf control, including pigweed
  • Sulfentrazone (Authority) – pigweed, morningglory, and sedges
  • Metribuzin (Sencor) – broadleaf residual, often used in soybeans
  • Atrazine (corn/sorghum systems) – broad-spectrum residual
  • Diuron (Direx) – used in some non-crop or specialty settings

Scout fields regularly and address problem weeds early. If a patch survives treatment, don’t let it go to seed and remove it manually or spot-treat with a different herbicide before it spreads.

Finally, clean equipment between fields and manage field edges. Resistant weeds often start in small patches and spread via equipment or unmanaged borders. The bottom line is simple: glyphosate still works well in the Southeast, but only if it’s part of a broader, diversified weed management program and not the only tool being used.