The NEWSS
Collegiate Weed Contest was held July 31, 2001 at the University
of Connecticut Plant Science Research and Teaching Facility in
Storrs, CT. Frank
Himmelstein and Todd Mervosh served as contest coordinators, and
more than 30 volunteers assisted from throughout the Northeast
region.
Fifty-nine
students participated, representing nine colleges and
universities: Cornell
University, Michigan State University, North Carolina State
University, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Penn State
University, State Univ. of New York-Cobleskill, University of
Delaware, University of Guelph, and Virginia Tech.
The
weather cooperated with bright sun and low humidity.
Everyone was treated to lunch at the farm, and dinners on
the UConn campus the night before and at the awards banquet
following the contest.
We thank
the following companies for providing financial support for the
meals and other expenses associated with the contest:
BASF Corporation FMC Corporation
Bayer Corporation Monsanto
Company
Dow AgroSciences Syngenta
Crop Protection
DuPont Agricultural Products
Valent USA Corporation
Also,
thanks to the following companies for donating plant material:
- Winding
Brook Turf Farm (Wethersfield, CT)
- Woodland
Gardens (Manchester, CT)
- Prides
Corner Farms (Lebanon, CT)
Special
thanks to the following people for their valuable contributions to
the success of the contest:
- Steve Olsen, Manager, UConn Plant Science Farm, and the
rest of the farm crew for all their assistance in preparing for
the contest.
- Rob Durgy, UConn, for spraying the herbicide plots.
- Julie Simmons, Conn. Agricultural Experiment Station, for
all her hard work in the weeks of preparation for the contest.
- Dave Mayonado, Monsanto, for serving as the scoring
coordinator.
- Dave Yarborough, U. Maine, for taking photographs and
assisting with the scoring.
Also,
thanks to the Vrabel girls for delivering cold drinks around the
farm.
I. Weed
Identification
Donna
Ellis, John Gould (both UConn)
II.
Application Technology (Sprayer Calibration)
Garry
Schnappinger (Syngenta), Jennifer Hudson (Maryland), Carrie Judge
(NC State), Eric Palmer (Syngenta), Don Robbins (Maryland Dept.
Agr.), Rick Schmenk (Syngenta), Barb Scott (U. Delaware), Sandra
Shinn (Syngenta), Terry VanHorn (Delaware Dept. Agr.), Derek Wells
(U. Delaware)
III.
Identification of Unknown Herbicides
Rob Durgy
(UConn), Mark VanGessel (U. Delaware)
IV.
Grower Problem Solving (G=Grower; J=Judge)
#1)
Turf
G)
Tom Vrabel (Slater Center for Environ. Biotech, RI)
J)
Prasanta Bhowmik (UMass)
#2)
Potatoes
G)
Betty Marose (U. Maryland)
J)
Alison Pasniewski (UConn)
#3)
Tobacco
G)
John Ahrens (Conn. Agric. Experiment Station)
J)
Nancy Cain (Cain Vegetation Mgmt., Ontario)
#4)
Peppers A
G)
Tracey Harpster (Penn State)
J)
Tim Abbey (Conn. Agric. Experiment Station)
#5)
Corn
G)
Paul Stachowski (Cornell)
J)
Carroll Moseley (Syngenta)
#6)
Peppers B
G)
Julie Simmons (Conn. Agric. Experiment Station)
J)
Jeff Derr (Virginia Tech)
#7)
Container Ornamentals
G)
Jaime Fallano (Prides Corner Farms, CT)
J)
Ed Corbett (UConn)
#8)
Tomatoes
G)
Rich Bonanno (UMass Extension)
J)
Bob Peters (UConn)
CONGRATULATIONS
to the top-scoring teams and individuals:
Undergraduate Division - Teams:
1st:
Penn State University
Randy Bowersox, Andy Heggenstaller,
Shawn Heinbaugh, Sarah Rider
2nd:
University of Guelph, Team A
Kara Lammers, Sharon Robertson, Garth Wilson
3rd:
University of Guelph, Team B
Scott Gillespie, Robin Little
Undergraduate Division - Individuals:
1st:
Shawn Heinbaugh, Penn State
2nd:
Sarah Rider, Penn State
3rd:
Andy Heggenstaller, Penn State
Graduate Division - Teams:
1st:
North Carolina State University, Team B
Keith Burnell, Andrew McRae, Shawn Troxler
2nd:
Penn State University
Brian Clark, Matt Myers, Brad Park
3rd:
Virginia Tech
Andy Bailey, Steve King, Brian Trader, Corey Whaley
Graduate Division - Individuals:
1st:
Matt Myers, Penn State
2nd:
Shawn Troxler, North Carolina State
3rd:
Steve King, Virginia Tech
