Dry soil conditions have sparked many questions from growers on how best to establish their winter wheat crop.

Emerged volunteer corn at this time of year is normally considered to be a good situation, since all the volunteer plants will winterkill, but if a killing frost does not occur soon, they could be an impediment to farmers who would like to sow wheat this fall.

A study published this week by Washington State University research professor Charles Benbrook finds that the use of herbicides in the production of three genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops - cotton, soybeans and corn - has actually increased. This counterintuitive finding is based on an exhaustive analysis of publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agriculture Statistics Service. Benbrooks analysis is the first peer-reviewed, published estimate of the impacts of genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-resistant (HT) crops on pesticide use.

Even as crops resistant to 2,4-D herbicide are being developed, populations of weeds are also developing a resistance, says the journal Weed Science.

According to BASF's annual survey, glyphosate-resistant waterhemp is making a troublesome mark in the Midwest, so much so that it has become the new No.1 weed to watch for farmers in the region.

While the extended periods of hot, dry weather Ohio has experienced in recent weeks may mean that weeds aren't growing as fast as they would in more moist conditions, the weather can still have an adverse effect on weed management for growers, an Ohio State University Extension expert said.

We've received a few calls and request for our thoughts on how the dry conditions can affect post emergence herbicide efficacy.

Unlike post soybean herbicides there are a large number of herbicides available beyond the glyphosate products for weed control in corn.