Well, pollen can travel from a resistant field to yours easily. I saw some numbers on distance and time, if memory is correct, depending on wind currents, it can travel something like 200 miles a year. EDIT: Dr. Culpepper said, "In a 10 mph wind, up to 238 miles."

So, if you are practicing a good resistance management program and the neighbor across the road - or even down the road - already has problems, his problems can become yours. I imagine the "random here and there" you describe is a "blown in pollen" situation.

Last year, I had fields with one here and there, no big deal. Now this year, more than I have ever noticed, there are spots in a field the size of pickup with a thick patch of Palmer, with control elsewhere very satisfactory. Those random weeds here and there have become randome patches of palmer here and there.

You know, Palmer amaranth has separate male and female plants. While I am not much of a geneticist or even a weed scientist, this tells me that it will be much easier for resistance to spread.

Don't forget how much harvest equipment spreads EVERYTHING, especially weeds. It is common to see cotton stalk mowers with a solid two foot tall pile of cotton stalks - and weeds - on them leaving one farm to travel to the next. Most clean them off, but not everybody. If you are moving from a problem field with anything, take the time to clean it up. Problems will get there soon enough without it, but don't speed it up.

The next ten years in agriculture in this part of the world is going to be very exciting, and these problem weeds are part of it. Good luck, Kirk!