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PODCAST

War Against Weeds

Sarah Lancaster

Sarah, Joe, and Alyssa are three Extension weed scientists on a mission to help their audience understand what it takes for farmers to fight the war against weeds. This podcast is funded through the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center through support by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program, project award no. 2022-70006-38001, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture"s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed

science

All Episodes

40:50

S12 E5 - Sucker Control Strategies in Perennial Crops...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/10/07

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Joe Ikley and Tommy Butts sit down with weed scientists Marcelo Moretti (Oregon State University) and Ryan Hill (University of California) to explore the challenge of sucker management in perennial crops such as hazelnuts, olives, prunes, and grapes. The discussion covers how suckers impact yield, fruit quality, disease management, and weed control programs, along with current strategies including chemical pruning, mechanical removal, plant growth regulators,

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38:52

S12 E4 - Horseweed/Marestail Management: Cover Crops,...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/09/30

Marestail has been one of the most troublesome weeds in agronomic crops for more than two decades, and growers are still searching for effective ways to stay ahead of it. In this episode, Dwight Lingenfelter of Penn State joins us to discuss marestail biology, resistance, cover crops, tillage, and the management strategies that can help reduce its impact across soybean, corn, and small grain systems. Sarah mentions a previous episode where we cover marestail research, and that episode is S1 E9 and

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50:47

S12 E3 - Building Biomass, Battling Weeds: USB Cover...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/09/23

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Joe Ikley and Alyssa Essman welcome Rodrigo Werle to share key insights from eight years of multi-state research on cover crops and weed management. The discussion explores why cereal rye has emerged as the top cover crop for suppressing troublesome weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, as well as the biomass needed to maximize weed control benefits. They also cover how cover crops fit into an integrated weed management strategy alongside residual

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49:34

S12 E2 - Fall Herbicide Applications

War Against Weeds ·

2026/09/16

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Tommy Butts is joined by Joe Ikley (North Dakota State University) and Tom Barber (University of Arkansas) to discuss how fall-applied herbicides fit into weed management programs across very different environments. The conversation covers glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass, kochia, wild oat, and waterhemp, with a focus on herbicide timing, residual activity, and product selection. They also discuss research findings, farmer adoption of fall programs, and

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43:22

S12 E1 - Revenge Sprays

War Against Weeds ·

2026/09/09

On our first episode of season 12, Tommy and Alyssa are joined by Dr. Mark VanGessel (University of Delaware) to discuss the effectiveness of late-season herbicide applications on weeds like waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, and burcucumber. They cover weed seed production, harvest concerns, herbicide limitations, resistance management, and the economic realities of spraying large weeds late in the season. Links suggested by our guest:

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14:21

S12 - New Host Introduction and a Look Ahead

War Against Weeds ·

2026/09/04

Welcome back to season 12 of the War Against Weeds Podcast! We are so excited to annouce a NEW host this season! Join us as we welcome Dr. Tommy Butts, a weed scientist at Purdue University. We also cover a bit of our summers, and what we are looking forward to this season!

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36:13

S11 E16 - Herbicide Ballistic Technology: Innovation...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/05/20

In the last episode of season 11, Sarah and Alyssa sit down with Dr. James Leary to explore the innovative world of herbicide ballistic technology. James shares how his work in Hawaii led to the development of herbicide-filled projectiles designed to target invasive plants in hard-to-reach terrain. The conversation dives into the science, logistics, and surprising practicality of "shooting weeds," and how creative thinking can transform invasive species management and conservation efforts. Here

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53:16

S11 E15 - Two States, One Challenge: The War on Weeds...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/05/13

In this episode of War Against Weeds, the hosts sit down with weed science experts Dr. Peter Dotray (Texas Tech University) and Dr. Stanley Culpepper (University of Georgia) to explore the unique challenges of growing cotton across different regions of the U.S. From starting clean at planting to the critical role of timely herbicide applications and overlapping residuals, they break down what it takes to manage weeds in this slow-growing, high-maintenance crop.

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29:37

S11 E14 - Hidden Residues: Sprayer Hoses and...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/05/06

This week Joe Ikley and Sarah Ganske are joined by Dr. Tom Mueller (University of Tennessee) to discuss sprayer hose cleanout and herbicide residue risks. The conversation focuses on how hose materials, aging, and system design affect herbicide retention, with research insights comparing dicamba and 2,4-D cleanout challenges. They also share practical recommendations for applicators, including agitation practices, downtime risks, and when hose replacement may be necessary to avoid crop injury.

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40:58

S11 E13: Nozzle Know-How: Balancing Coverage,...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/04/29

In this episode of the War Against Weeds podcast, Alyssa Essman and Sarah Lancaster Ganske are joined by Purdue Extension weed scientist Dr. Tommy Butts for a deep dive into spray nozzles, droplet size, and deposition. The conversation covers how nozzle selection influences coverage, drift, deposition, and weed control, with practical recommendations for ground applications, pulse sprayers, and managing risk in real-world conditions.

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34:53

S11 E12 - Beyond the Silver Bullet: The Social Side...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/04/22

In this episode of the War Against Weeds podcast, Sarah and Joe welcome Dr. Katie Dentzman of Iowa State University to explore the human and social dimensions of herbicide resistance management. The conversation digs into why "silver bullet" solutions are so appealing, the real-world barriers to adopting integrated weed management, and how community dynamics shape decision-making in agriculture.

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26:19

S11 E11 - HRAC 2026 Update: Changes to the Herbicide...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/04/15

In this episode Sarah and Joe welcome Hudson Takano of Corteva Agriscience for an update on the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC) and the newly released 2026 HRAC Mode of Action poster. Hudson explains HRAC's role in resistance management, how herbicides are evaluated and classified, and what goes into updating the poster. The conversation highlights newly added herbicides, and why some older or low-use herbicides were removed. The episode also looks ahead to future HRAC work, upcoming

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47:00

S11 E10 - PPO Resistant Kochia: From Field Failures...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/04/08

In this episode of the War Against Weeds podcast, Sarah Ganske and Joe Ikley explore the emergence of PPO resistant kochia across the northern Great Plains. Joined by BASF scientists Dr. Ingo Meiners and Dr. Aimone Porri, the group walks through how field failures led to greenhouse confirmation and the discovery of novel PPO target‑site mutations. They discuss why these mutations affect some PPO herbicides but not others and how the findings are already shaping resistance diagnostics and management

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37:46

S11 E9 - Glufosinate Resistance in Waterhemp: What...

War Against Weeds ·

2026/04/01

In this episode of War Against Weeds, hosts Alyssa and Sarah sit down with Dr. Karla Gage (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) and Dr. Pat Tranel (University of Illinois) to discuss emerging glufosinate resistance in waterhemp and what it means for growers moving forward.

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54:39

S11 E8 - Drones Update

War Against Weeds ·

2026/03/25

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Joe Ikley and Alyssa Essman talk with spray technology experts Dr. Tom Wolf and Dr. Jason Deveau about how rapidly spray drones have evolved and why they're challenging to use effectively. They discuss issues like swath variability, droplet behavior, and operator exposure, while also highlighting situations where drones offer clear logistical advantages. The result is a candid, practical look at both the promise and limitations of agricultural spray drones

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28:39

S11 E7 - Teasel Control with Dr. Reid Smeda

War Against Weeds ·

2026/03/18

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Sarah and Alyssa sit down with Dr. Reid Smeda of the University of Missouri to dig into the biology, history, and management of invasive teasels. From their origins to their modern spread along roadsides, teasels prove to be more troublesome than their quirky seed heads suggest. Dr. Smeda breaks down why they're so difficult to control and shares long‑term strategies for effective management in rights‑of‑way and beyond. Whether you've seen teasel creeping into

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47:07

S11 E6 - Crabgrass

War Against Weeds ·

2026/03/11

In this episode, Joe and Alyssa talk crabgrass with Purdue's Dr. Aaron Patton and PhD candidate Vera Vuković, covering why smooth crabgrass dominates lawns, how mowing height and fertility can dramatically reduce infestations, and what new research reveals about seed dormancy, germination cues, and emergence timing. They break down practical pre‑ and post‑emergence control strategies—including phenology-based timing and herbicide options—while also touching on emerging issues like quinclorac

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46:11

S11 E5 - Annual Ryegrass

War Against Weeds ·

2026/03/04

Annual ryegrass is rapidly becoming one of the toughest weeds in U.S. row‑crop agriculture. In this episode, Alyssa Essman (Ohio State) and Joe Ikley (NDSU) talk with Tom Barber (University of Arkansas), Charlie Cahoon (NC State), and Larry Steckel (University of Tennessee) about how this weed is spreading, shifting its emergence timing, and developing resistance to multiple herbicide groups. The guests discuss the strengths and weaknesses of current control options, the importance of fall

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52:10

S11 E4 - Cheatgrass

War Against Weeds ·

2026/02/25

In this episode of War Against Weeds, Sarah and Joe sit down with Dr. Jane Mangold of Montana State University to unpack the ecology, spread, and management of cheatgrass and other invasive grasses. Jane explains why species like cheatgrass and ventenata are thriving in the Western U.S., how fire and climate patterns influence their behavior, and what tools land managers can use to stay ahead of infestations. The conversation covers biology, prevention, grazing, herbicide strategies, and new

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30:25

S11 E3 - WEST (Weed Emergence Scouting Tool)

War Against Weeds ·

2026/02/18

In this episode of War Against Weeds, hosts Alyssa Essman and Joe Ikley sit down with Melissa Widhalm, Associate Director and Regional Climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC). Melissa introduces WEST — the Weed Emergence Scouting Tool — an experimental, temperature‑based system designed to predict first and peak emergence of key weeds like giant ragweed and waterhemp across the Midwest.

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