-Alex Lindsey and Laura Bast
Last week, we had the opportunity to participate in the Northeastern Weed Science Society Collegiate Weed Contest. Our graduate-level team consisted of Daniel Tratt (an undergraduate in Crop and Soil Sciences), Alexander Lindsey (a MS student in Weed Science), and Laura Bast (a PhD student in Weed Science and Soil Fertility), coached by Dr. Wesley Everman. After weeks of diligent preparation, we arrived at the Cornell University Horticulture Farm in Ithaca, New York, ready to test our knowledge of sprayer calibration, herbicide and weed identification, and farmer problems. The competition highlighted weeds and crops of the northeastern region of the US; however, a record number of approximately 100 students from 12 participating universities spanned west to Illinois and south to Florida. After the competition ended and the scores were tallied, the teams convened at Cass Park on the south shore of Cayuga Lake for dinner and the awards ceremony. The team from Michigan State received First Place in the Graduate Team contest. Dan Tratt received the Second Place Individual Award for Undergraduate Students, and Alex Lindsey received Second Place Individual Award for Graduate Students.
In addition to participating in the weed contest, we were able to visit Penn State University on the way to New York. Dr. William Curran and Dwight Lingenfelter, the Weed Team coach at Penn State, graciously allowed us to tour their weed garden and herbicide screen plots. Afterwards, we were treated to an excellent tour of their campus, including a stop the Penn State Creamery. After completion of the contest, we toured Cornell University, visited the wineries along Cayuga Lake, and viewed Niagara Falls on our way to Canada to visit a University of Guelph satellite campus in Ridgetown, Ontario. At the Ridgetown campus, Dr. Peter Sikkema and his collegue, Dr. Darren Robinson, gave us a tour of their research farm.
Overall the trip was educational, fun, and informative. Many new crops were observed and novel production techniques were discussed. The people we met were all very nice, open, and helpful. Next year the WSSA Weed Olympiad is scheduled to occur in Tennessee, and the Weeds Team looks forward to competing.
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- Penn State University
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- Cornell
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- Falls at Cornell
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- Niagra Falls
