War Against Weeds

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 are some resources our guest shared!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=988i6SQKSzY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWYR6C3T3NQ
 
Transcript:
PDF: https://app.box.com/s/a2cicz0jpo74m02otm8bjhkmcngjjns7
DOC: https://app.box.com/s/ekzn3mq1jwi0hlq449qz5a49ip7ilmes

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.
 
Episode Trancript
PDF: https://app.box.com/s/up693ucumuokzjoz6su63t43rb72n6io
DOC: https://app.box.com/s/2ee7afg6rki1qegpowitnncgs69v1l7e

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.
 
Link:
https://utcrops.com/
 
Transcripts: 
PDF: https://app.box.com/s/4esrl1zv0dd0za3uojxah0jpwvqdy90i
DOC: https://app.box.com/s/frnfuvcvn5t7h6kg11v4cch4jmeigsny

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. 
 
Epsisode Transcript
PDF: https://app.box.com/s/rci0uzr4ww772196tdfeia0vvrdidzas
DOC: https://app.box.com/s/398aewwxuygy3rrf3d968e5iyae6vqc4

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.
Episode Transcript
PDF: https://app.box.com/s/jttzmn1oq5mxq4n629j7ieo16l1muf7p
DOC: https://app.box.com/s/ek68ebp2ztqu8lsh7msn82427fvavio8