The latest advances in weed management research were showcased during the 2026 Nebraska Extension Weed Management Field Day on June 24 at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center. More than 105 growers, crop consultants, industry professionals, students and extension educators attended the annual event, which featured research from the Jhala Lab focused on weed management in corn, soybean, sorghum and popcorn production systems.
Amit Jhala, professor of agronomy and horticulture and extension weed management specialist, led the field day in collaboration with Jenny Brhel and David Wangila, extension educators, and graduate students Ankit Yadav, Sai Suvidh Maddela, Adam Brown and Alex Chmielewski. Attendees engaged in hands-on demonstrations and discussions highlighting the latest strategies for integrated weed management.
“This field day offers an excellent opportunity for producers and ag professionals to see weed science in action,” Jhala said. “We’re focused on delivering practical, data-driven solutions for managing herbicide-resistant weeds using an integrated approach in Nebraska corn, soybean, sorghum and popcorn production systems.”
Research highlights
The field demonstrations included both chemical and non-chemical approaches for improving weed control and crop safety:
- Alex Chmielewski, master’s student, demonstrated integrated strategies for managing volunteer corn in Enlist corn.
- Ankit Yadav, doctoral student, shared results from a study comparing the overlapping residual activity of herbicides for control of Palmer amaranth in soybean and effect of raw spacing.
- Sai Suvidh Maddela, doctoral student, demonstrated a project to integrate hairy vetch cover crop for Palmer amaranth suppression and nitrogen management in sorghum and popcorn.
- Jhala discussed a few projects, including:
- Evaluation of herbicide programs with multiple modes of action to combat resistant weed populations in corn and soybean.
- How best to integrate cover crops for Palmer amaranth suppression.
- Target weed management with precision sprayer of Ecorobotix ARA for chemical savings.
Members of the Jhala Lab (from left) Adam Brown, Ankit Yadav, Amit Jhala, Sai Suvidh Maddela, Ishrat Zandu and Alex Chmielewski stand in research plots at the 2026 Weed Management Field Day June 24.
Community engagement and support
The event was made possible through the efforts of the South Central Ag Lab staff, summer students and Jhala Lab members. Special thanks go to David Wangila, Sharon Hatchel, Rachana and Aarya Jhala for assisting with registration, and Fran Benne and Connie Hansen for their work on the field day brochure, on-line registration and outreach efforts.
The Nebraska Extension Weed Management Field Day continues to serve as a critical venue for connecting research to the field, fostering collaboration among scientists, industry partners and producers to support integrated weed management solutions.
