The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) and its sister regional organizations will use their upcoming annual meetings to spotlight topics vital to the future of weed control – from the genetics of herbicide resistance to the use of plant diseases and insects to manage highly competitive invasive weeds.
The events are expected to draw hundreds of scientists, students, educators and other individuals interested in sustainable weed management practices and the conservation of our natural resources.
From February 8 to 11, 2016, WSSA will host a joint annual meeting with the Southern Weed Science Society (SWSS) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Four special symposia are planned:
- Weed Control 2050: Imagining future strategies and the knowledge needed to achieve them
- The intersection of agricultural lands and wild areas: Management of non-crop vegetation as a habitat for pollinator, beneficial and iconic species
- 21st century challenges in aquatic weed management
- Use of endemic plant diseases and insect pests for biological control of invasive weeds
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a preconference tour of the El Yunque Rainforest, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. More details and registration information are available at www.wssa.net.
Other upcoming annual meetings include:
- Canadian Weed Science Society Meeting (CWSS), November 23-26, 2015
The Society will meet this year in Edmonton, Alberta. Special sessions will focus on:
- Use of RNA interference as a tool in managing herbicide resistant weeds
- Molecular weed science and big data
- A natural route to next-generation herbicides
For more details and registration, visit http://weedscience.ca.
- North Central Weed Science Society (NCWSS), December 7-10, 2015
The Society will convene in Indianapolis, Indiana, for a joint meeting with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. The agenda includes a presentation by the International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation on the impact of climate change on agriculture, a graduate student symposium on molecular techniques, and a special networking breakfast for women in weed science. For more details and registration, visit www.ncwss.org.
- Northeastern Weed Science Society (NEWSS), January 3-7, 2016
The Society will hold its 70th annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In conjunction with the meeting, NEWSS is hosting the first Northeastern Plant, Pest and Soils Conference (www.neppsc.org). Participants include the Eastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America, the Northeastern Division of the American Phytopathological Society, the American Society of Horticultural Science – Northeast Region, and the Northeast Branch of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. For more details and registration, visit www.newss.org.
- Western Society of Weed Science (WSWS), March 7-10, 2016
The Society’s annual meeting will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Further details will be posted at www.wsweedscience.org as they become available.
About the Weed Science Society of America
The Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit scientific society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Society promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds, provides science-based information to the public and policy makers, fosters awareness of weeds and their impact on managed and natural ecosystems, and promotes cooperation among weed science organizations across the nation and around the world. For more information, visit www.wssa.net.