Four University of Nebraska–Lincoln agronomy students took top honors at the 2016 North Central Weed Science Society Meeting held Dec. 12-15 in Des Moines, Iowa. The four include graduate students Matthew Nelson and Thomas Butts and visiting undergraduate students Felipe Faleco and Isidor Ceperkovic.
Nelson, a master’s degree student advised by Greg Kruger, received first place in the Herbicide Physiology graduate poster competition and first place in the Application Methods and Equipment graduate presentation competition. Nelson’s poster title was “Droplet size and deposition of glyphosate and 2,4-D drift in a wind tunnel.” His presentation title was “Evaluation of drift from a field application of Enlist Duo™.”
Nelson’s research examines potential off-target movement in the form of spray particle drift from applications of Enlist Duo™ herbicide. Wind tunnel and field drift studies were conducted to determine factors such as droplet size of drifting spray particles and the resulting impact of herbicide drift on non-target sensitive crops.
Faleco received first place in the undergraduate poster competition. His poster title was “Response of Common Waterhemp Populations from Nebraska to Soil Applied PSII and PPO Herbicides.” Faleco is from Brazil and is working with Rodrigo Werle as a visiting undergraduate student until April, 2017. His research is looking at the response of several common waterhemp populations from Nebraska to soil applied herbicides.
Ceperkovic received second place in the undergraduate poster competition. His poster title was “Effects of clethodim and dicamba tank-mixtures on control of volunteer corn (Zea mays) and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor).” Ceperkovic was a visiting undergraduate student from the University of Belgrade, Serbia, working with Greg Kruger from June to December, 2016.
Thomas Butts received first place in the student video competition with his video “How to better utilize pulse-width modulation sprayers.”
Butts' research focus is in weed science and pesticide application technologies. Under the instruction of Greg Kruger at the Pesticide Application Technology Laboratory in North Platte, Nebraska, Butts is currently researching the influence of pulse-width modulation spray application systems on droplet spectrum, spray application parameters, and herbicide efficacy. The precise applications of new herbicide technologies will allow farmers to more effectively utilize drift reduction technologies, increase crop yield potential, and control herbicide-resistant weeds.