WESTMINSTER, Colo. (PRWEB) January 09, 2023
Today the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) announced details of its upcoming joint annual meeting with the Northeastern Weed Science Society (NEWSS), to be held January 30 through February 2 in Arlington, Virginia.
In addition to the nearly 500 paper and poster presentations on new research and weed control strategies, five special symposia are planned:
1. Endangered Species Act (ESA): How to Provide Useful Science-Based Information to Regulators
This workshop will focus on constructive ways to participate in the ESA consultation process – finding ways to protect endangered species and critical habitats while minimizing impacts to growers and other pesticide uses. Many stakeholder groups will be represented, including Jake Li, deputy assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. Li will also present a keynote address during the general session.
2. Novel Technology for Weed Management: An Update on WSSA Member Activities from Around the U.S.
Members will share information on novel ways to manage weeds while reducing or eliminating herbicide use. A range of technologies will be covered, including thermal weeding (steam, electric), interrow mowing, vision-guided sprayers, and harvest weed seed control. Industry and EPA representatives will be on hand to discuss the intersection of these technologies with regulatory and safety policies.
3. Crop-Weed Management in a Rising CO2 and Warming World
This symposium will explore the impact of climate change on weed adaptation, crop/weed fitness, efficacy of management tactics, and economic costs of weed management in crops.
4. WSSA Research Priorities – 13 Federal Agency Perspectives and Funding Opportunities
Participants will learn about federal funding sources for weed science research and management. They also will explore ways to bring together diverse and geographically separated individuals and groups who have a common focus on weeds and invasive plants in crop, terrestrial, and/or aquatic systems.
5. The Current State of Cover Crops and Weed Management.
Cover crops are a proven best management practice for suppressing weeds and keeping them from emerging. Yet many growers have yet to add cover crops to their weed management arsenal. This symposium will investigate varying perspectives on cover crops and ways to promote their adoption – especially for the management of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes.
Conference attendees will have the opportunity to participate in greenhouse tours at the Smithsonian Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Garden Production Facility, where tens of thousands of plants are grown year-round, including rare and endangered species.
Two student-focused panel discussions will be offered. One will focus on how to overcome hurdles in graduate school. A second panel for graduate students only will focus on weed science career opportunities with federal agencies – offering an opportunity to network with participants from the EPA, USDA and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
For the third year, a “Women in Weed Science” networking event will be offered and is open to both weed science professionals and students attending the conference.
For more information or to register to attend, visit us online.
Upcoming Annual Meetings of WSSA Affiliates
The Southern Weed Science Society (SWSS) will meet January 23-26 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The event will open with a special session on the impact of the Endangered Species Act, especially on regulatory decisions involving the use of agricultural chemistries. Speakers will include representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency and American Farm Bureau, as well as Stanley Culpepper, Ph.D., from the University of Georgia, Todd Baughman, Ph.D., from Oklahoma State University, Jeff Smith, industry affairs manager with Valent USA, and Mike Strain, Ph.D., a commissioner with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture.
The Western Society of Weed Science (WSWS) will meet jointly with the Western Aquatic Plant Management Society on February 27-March 3 in Boise, Idaho. A special symposium is planned on “Water in the West: Implications for Weed Management.” In addition, there will be sessions on agronomic, aquatic, biology/ecology, horticulture, and natural area weed science research. A silent auction will be held to benefit the Elena Sanchez Memorial WSWS Outstanding Student Scholarship Program, which underwrites student participation in the Society’s annual meetings.
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 http://www.wssa.net.