K-State weed science teams successful in regional contest
Graduate team wins first place.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State University Weed Science teams had a successful showing at the regional North Central Weed Science Society Collegiate Weed Contest held July 28. The contest was hosted by Purdue University at the Beck Center in West Lafayette, Indiana.
“Members of the K-State Weed Science teams are training to become agricultural professionals, and as weed scientists they would help protect at least $43 billion in value to the crop production industry in the U.S.,” said Anita Dille, K-State agronomy professor and weed scientist.
The contest included four events: weed identification, farmer problem solving, written and team sprayer calibration, and identification of herbicide symptomology.
K-State competed with three graduate teams and one undergraduate team. One graduate team took first place out of 15 teams that competed in the contest. Members of that team (from Kansas unless otherwise noted) included: Chelsea Ahlquist, Onaga; Marshall Hay, Lynnville, Iowa; Eric VanLoenen, Hill City; and Garrison Gundy, Halstead. Individual awards included: Marshall Hay, 1st Overall Graduate Score, Chelsea Ahlquist, tied 2nd Overall Graduate Score, and Junjun Ou, China, 3rd Overall Graduate Score. Individual event winners were Marshall Hay, problem solving, and Chelsea Ahlquist, weed identification and written sprayer calibration. The team also placed first in the Graduate Team Sprayer Calibration event.
K-State also had the 2nd Place Undergraduate Team (out of a field of nine teams) with members: Jessica Bramhall, Seneca; Jesse Gilmore, Overland Park; Nicole Sudbeck, Seneca; and Sarah Zerger, Cheney. Nicole Sudbeck won 3rd Overall Undergraduate Score, and the team placed first in the Undergraduate Team Sprayer Calibration event.
The other two K-State graduate teams that participated in the contest included members: Wale Osipitan, Nigeria; Junjun Ou, China; Seth Menzer, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin; Samida Khadka, Nepal; Jeffrey Albers, Oakley; Joey Rains, Harrisonville, Missouri; Nathaniel Thompson, Manhattan; and Karthik Putta, India.
Dille, along with agronomy professors Kevin Donnelly and Dallas Peterson coached the teams.
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Note to Editors: A photo of the 2016 K-State Weed Science team members is available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ksrecomm/28442634130/in/dateposted/.
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.
Story by:
Steve Watson, swatson@ksu.edu
Additional Information:
Anita Dille is at 785-532-7240 or dieleman@ksu.edu
Kevin Donnelly is at 785-532-5402 or kjd@ksu.edu
Dallas Peterson is at 785-532-0405 or dpeterso@ksu.edu
