Lab Services

The Auburn University Herbicide Resistance Diagnostic Lab is a for fee non-profit laboratory service to aid anyone using herbicides to diagnose herbicide resistance issues.  While many circumstances can lead to lack of weed control, herbicide resistance is becoming the primary cause herbicide failure.  While the cost of diagnostics may seem high, the cost of re-treatment and continued use of ineffective herbicides is far greater.  Definitively diagnosing herbicide resistance will lead to savings in money and time for future herbicide applications.

Diagnostic assays can be conducted on all major weed species, however grasses and sedges are the species most commonly tested.  Special sampling and diagnostics will be conducted for all broadleaf samples.

The major weeds tested in the resistance lab are:  Annual bluegrass, goosegrass, and annual sedges/kyllingas. These weeds can easily be tested using rapid diagnostic assays. Other tillering grasses or sedges can also be tested using similar techniques.  Other species, especially broadleaf weeds must be tested using traditional assay methods with adaptations for each species.  

Please contact Dr. McElroy to make arrangements for testing of any species.