• Why No-Spray Buffer Zones Help Ease Environmental Concerns in Invasive Tree Management
  

  WESTMINISTER, Colorado. November 10, 2023— Invasive conifers are to New Zealand ecosystems what waterhemp is to U.S. soybean farmers. Trees such as lodgewood pine are weeds that quickly outcompete local flora. This has led New Zealand to launch The National Wilding Conifer Management Programme to manage … more »

• Students Sharpen Skills in National Weed Science Contest
  

  WESTMINISTER, Colorado, October 30, 2023 – Can you identify a weed species in any growth stage? Or, know all aspects of sprayer calibration, such as required spray volume? This summer, students were tested on such weed science skills and more … more »

• Weed Science Societies Provide Comments to Improve EPA’s Herbicide Strategy for Endangered Species Mitigations
  

  The Weed Science Societies suggest nine additional ways to mitigate the impact of herbicides on listed species due to spray drift, which includes decreased buffers for ultra-coarse droplets, additional types of vegetation to intercept spray droplets and grower education. We also suggest six additional ways to mitigate herbicide runoff and erosion, which also includes grower education, more specific terminology for agricultural vs specialty crops as well as assigning more compensatory mitigation points for fields with subsurface drainage or cover crop practices. Most importantly, the Weed Science Societies want to stress that grower education will be the most effective way to implement EPA’s Herbicide Strategy. We recommend a minimum of a 3-5 year phase-in period for the herbicide strategy ESA mitigation practices, which corresponds to the 3-5 year interval that pesticide applicators must be recertified. more »

• Study Shows Spectral Data Can Be Used to Improve Automated Weed Identification
  

  WESTMINSTER, Colorado –  14 April 2023 – Progress is being made in the race to deploy highly targeted, machine-based weed control solutions. But one gating factor is the inability of sensors to reliably distinguish weeds from crops. Researchers in Brazil, … more »

• Study Shows Variable-Density Planting Can Be a Cost-Effective Tool for Weed Control
  

  WESTMINSTER, Colorado – December 20, 2022 – High-density crop planting is a proven approach for suppressing patches of weeds that escape other controls. Unfortunately, though, the cost of seed keeps many growers from considering this dense planting strategy. Researchers writing in … more »

• Research Shows Pairing Herbicides with Prescribed Burning Improves Downy Brome Control
  

  WESTMINSTER, Colorado – July 27, 2022 – Downy brome is an annual winter grass invading millions of acres of western rangelands and wildlands. It emerges early in the spring while native perennials are still dormant and creates dense mats of … more »

• Deteriorating weed control and variable weather portends greater soybean yield losses in the future
• Think Climate Change is bad for corn? Add weeds to the equation
  

  URBANA, Ill. – By the end of the century, scientists expect climate change to reduce corn yield significantly, with some estimating losses up to 28%. But those calculations are missing a key factor that could drag corn yields down even … more »

• Attack of the Superweeds: Herbicides are losing the war — and agriculture might never be the same again.
  

  Click on the link below for the article  https://wssa.net/wp-content/uploads/NYT-Magazine_Attack-of-the-Superweeds_Aug-22-2021.pdf

The WSSA, a non-profit professional society, promotes research, education, and extension outreach activities related to weeds; provides science-based information to the public and policy makers; and fosters awareness of weeds and their impacts on managed and natural ecosystems. Learn more about the WSSA.