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April 21 seminar addresses weed control strategies in specialty crops

A faculty member at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center, Dr. Nevin Lawrence, will speak about weed control in specialty crops in a seminar on April 21 at the Panhandle Center.

Lawrence is the Integrated Weed Management Specialist at the Panhandle Center. His seminar will begin at 3 p.m. in the Bluestem Room at the Panhandle Center, 4502 Avenue I. It is free and open to the public.

“Is the critical period of weed control an effective strategy for specialty crops?” is the title of his presentation, and it will address an issue that effects several crops important to farmers in the Panhandle.

Lawrence explained the issue: The critical period of weed control (CPWC) is the period of the crop growth cycle when weed control is necessary to prevent yield loss. Knowing the CPWC can allow herbicide applications or cultivation operations to be targeted to maximize yield while limiting unnecessary costs.

With a movement away from cultivation for weed control and towards conservation agricultural practice, a greater emphasis has been placed on herbicides for weed control. In major crops such as corn, soybean, and wheat, effective weed control is possible throughout the CPWC with herbicides alone. But minor and specialty crops (such as sugarbeets, dry edible beans and sunflowers) often lack herbicide options which can provide sufficient control during the CPWC. Is the CPWC an effective strategy for minor and specialty crops? What other models of weed control are feasible for managing weeds as growers transition away from tillage?

Lawrence, originally from Casper, Wyo., received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming. His master’s thesis was titled “Glyphosate susceptibility, weed community response, and competitive load following 12 years of selection pressure in a glyphosate-resistant cropping system.” His research during his time in Wyoming focused crops familiar to the Panhandle of Nebraska, including dry beans, sugarbeet, sunflower, and proso millet.

In 2011, Lawrence began a Ph.D program at Washington State University. His dissertation title was “Adaptation to climate change and small grain production systems by Bromus tectorum”(cheat grass). His time at WSU was spent conducting weed science research in wheat, garbanzo bean, pea, and lentil crops all grown under no-till production practices.

He completed his Ph.D in October 2015, and began his current position as the Integrated Weed Management Specialist for Panhandle of Nebraska in January of 2016.

 

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