War Against Weeds

In this episode of the War Against Weeds podcast, Tommy and Sarah are joined by Stanley Culpepper, Bill Chism, and Elizabeth Burns Thompson to discuss how herbicide regulations, Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements, and ongoing litigation are shaping modern agriculture. The panel examines the challenges that regulatory complexity and uncertainty create for farmers, researchers, and industry, while highlighting the significant progress made through collaboration among growers, universities, EPA, and other stakeholders. They emphasize the importance of science-based decision-making, grower engagement, effective communication, and public education, while expressing optimism about improved cooperation, expanded mitigation options, and continued efforts to protect both agricultural productivity and environmental resources. Transcript (.docx): https://app.box.com/s/g1oykiu75rmvbqsbpfxltc9w5ex8e0gc

In this episode of War Against Weeds, hosts Sarah Ganske and Alyssa Essman are joined by Purdue University weed scientist Dr. Bryan Young and Bayer Crop Science technical product lead Dr. Kati Price to discuss diflufenican (Convintro®), a new (to the US) Group 12 residual herbicide for corn and soybean production. They explore how this herbicide fits into resistance management programs, its strengths and limitations for controlling waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, and what growers can expect regarding crop response, tank-mix partners, and stewardship. The conversation also covers practical recommendations for integrating this new tool into existing weed management programs.

Convintro Website: https://www.cropscience.bayer.us/brands/crop-protection/convintro?utm_campaign=evg+marcomm+convintro+google+search-paid+nonbrand+&utm_medium=search-paid&utm_source=google&utm_content=brandad+nonbrand+text+multistate+cornsoy+herbicides+gt2ct4a28&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23386064829&gbraid=0AAAAAofgd2gOZugKXyYYTZ4xt0TRZaxpp&gclid=CjwKCAjwrbfWBhAeEiwAc2e6PjWQ6O-bQRhTeKIEXdPPy0YuMCRawrkX8K3pUwDqy3-vnWcjvSfRTRoCyX8QAvD_BwE

Transcript (.docx): https://app.box.com/s/f91atndbmc32tbff9tsv296hp6hg2awf

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Joe Ikley and Tommy Butts sit down with weed scientists Marcelo Moretti (Oregon State University) and Ryan Hill (University of California) to explore the challenge of sucker management in perennial crops such as hazelnuts, olives, prunes, and grapes. The discussion covers how suckers impact yield, fruit quality, disease management, and weed control programs, along with current strategies including chemical pruning, mechanical removal, plant growth regulators, and emerging electrical control technologies.

Links from guests:

https://www.sacvalleyorchards.com/

https://wric.ucdavis.edu/blog

https://smallgrains.wsu.edu/weeders-of-the-west/

Transcript (.docx): https://app.box.com/s/00iawo2fg3tmtojffxh87cxn027u006y

Marestail has been one of the most troublesome weeds in agronomic crops for more than two decades, and growers are still searching for effective ways to stay ahead of it. In this episode, Dwight Lingenfelter of Penn State joins us to discuss marestail biology, resistance, cover crops, tillage, and the management strategies that can help reduce its impact across soybean, corn, and small grain systems.

Sarah mentions a previous episode where we cover marestail research, and that episode is S1 E9 and that can be found here!

S1 E9: Marestail/Horseweed Dispersal and Control https://waragainstweeds.libsyn.com/marestailhorseweed-dispersal-and-control

Transcript (.docx):

https://app.box.com/s/nb709yzr4ds41latv9w9hqwedh6tv1w8

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Joe Ikley and Alyssa Essman welcome Rodrigo Werle to share key insights from eight years of multi-state research on cover crops and weed management. The discussion explores why cereal rye has emerged as the top cover crop for suppressing troublesome weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, as well as the biomass needed to maximize weed control benefits. They also cover how cover crops fit into an integrated weed management strategy alongside residual herbicides, and what new research could mean for the future of resistance management and sustainable crop production. Resources from our guest:https://badgercropnetwork.com/ https://x.com/WiscWeeds?s=20 Transcript (.docx): https://app.box.com/s/wdpfsjr6di1436t7h014k81t17sgxrs2

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Tommy Butts is joined by Joe Ikley (North Dakota State University) and Tom Barber (University of Arkansas) to discuss how fall-applied herbicides fit into weed management programs across very different environments. The conversation covers glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass, kochia, wild oat, and waterhemp, with a focus on herbicide timing, residual activity, and product selection. They also discuss research findings, farmer adoption of fall programs, and explore how cover crops, crop rotation, and weather impact herbicide performance. Transcript: https://app.box.com/s/odey5jljte1aewvjyrflj1f30365le6y

On our first episode of season 12, Tommy and Alyssa are joined by Dr. Mark VanGessel (University of Delaware) to discuss the effectiveness of late-season herbicide applications on weeds like waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, and burcucumber. They cover weed seed production, harvest concerns, herbicide limitations, resistance management, and the economic realities of spraying large weeds late in the season.

Links suggested by our guest:

https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/canr/cooperative-extension/sustainable-production/weed-science/

https://growiwm.org/

Transcript:

https://app.box.com/s/1hejf8whz58xlp2ne0ip0r7hvjne8bgy

Welcome back to season 12 of the War Against Weeds Podcast! We are so excited to annouce a NEW host this season! Join us as we welcome Dr. Tommy Butts, a weed scientist at Purdue University. We also cover a bit of our summers, and what we are looking forward to this season!

Transcript (.docx):

https://app.box.com/s/nbcyq5lp8bvzln43dw25hie1v6l6jqa0

In the last episode of season 11, Sarah and Alyssa sit down with Dr. James Leary to explore the innovative world of herbicide ballistic technology. James shares how his work in Hawaii led to the development of herbicide-filled projectiles designed to target invasive plants in hard-to-reach terrain. The conversation dives into the science, logistics, and surprising practicality of "shooting weeds," and how creative thinking can transform invasive species management and conservation efforts.

Here are some resources our guest shared!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=988i6SQKSzY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWYR6C3T3NQ

Transcript:

PDF: https://app.box.com/s/a2cicz0jpo74m02otm8bjhkmcngjjns7

DOC: https://app.box.com/s/ekzn3mq1jwi0hlq449qz5a49ip7ilmes

In this episode of War Against Weeds, the hosts sit down with weed science experts Dr. Peter Dotray (Texas Tech University) and Dr. Stanley Culpepper (University of Georgia) to explore the unique challenges of growing cotton across different regions of the U.S. From starting clean at planting to the critical role of timely herbicide applications and overlapping residuals, they break down what it takes to manage weeds in this slow-growing, high-maintenance crop. Episode Trancript PDF: https://app.box.com/s/up693ucumuokzjoz6su63t43rb72n6io DOC: https://app.box.com/s/2ee7afg6rki1qegpowitnncgs69v1l7e