MINUTES
S-254 Regional Research Technical Committee Meeting
Knoxville, TN July 22-24, 1996
 
Members and guests present: AR- Ron Talbert, Eric Webster; FL - Barry Brecke; KY - Mike Barrett; MS - David Shaw, Cade Smith, Chris Tingle; NC - Jerry Weber, John Wilcut; NM - Jill Schroeder, Phil Banks; OK - Tom Peeper; SC - Horace Skipper; TN - Tom Mueller; TX - Scott Senseman; DuPont - Tim Obrigawitch
 
Members absent: GA - Bill Vencill; KY - Bill Witt; MS - USDA-ARS - C. Bryson, M. Locke
 
Committees appointed:
 
Nominating
Tom Peeper, Chair
Ron Talbert
David Shaw
 
Minutes:
 
Site Selection
Barry Brecke, Chair
John Wilcut
David Shaw
 
The meeting was called or order at 8:30 PM, July 22, 1996, by Vice Chair Tom Mueller. Horace Skipper presented a proposal concerning the possible formation of a Federation of Agricultural Societies. The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America and Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) would be the first to join. Other disciplines would be invited to join at a later date. Each society would have its own board of directors. The pro's and con's of such a joint partnership were discussed. Other items of discussion included the formation of a Federation of Pesticide Science Societies, establishing an Executive Vice-President to serve WSSA and the four regional weed science societies, combining the WSSA journals into one journal, and the improvement of both journals by expanding the number of reviewers for each. The majority of the members were in favor of a continued discussion of the possible information of a Federation of Agricultural Sciences, but little else. They couldn't agree on the definition of weed science, but "the study of weeds and their management" was offered along with "the study of plants out of place."
 
Meeting adjourned.
 
Minutes: (8 AM, Tuesday, 7-23-96)
 
The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Tom Mueller. A sign-up sheet was passed around and introductions were made. Tim Obrigawitch made a presentation of the latest of the latest research initiative at DuPont to address the sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides. The following items were discussed: 1) Establish no-effect levels for non-target plant species, 2) Measure effects on reproduction, quality and yield of crops, 3) Bioassay for active levels of SU residues, 4) Correlate injury symptoms with crop loss and 5) Correlate different methods of bioassay. He stated that there will be a meeting on the Sunday preceding the 1997 WSSA annual meeting to discuss the findings of a project to identity crop damage from SU herbicides. At present, DuPont assesses plant damage using air pollution effects on vegetation standards. Damage equals the dose that creates a response that lowers crop value. A new acronym NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) has been defined for low dosage herbicides. A biological approach and an analytical approach are both to be undertaken. Screening, contamination, quantitation and validation methods are being developed. Immunoassay kits are being developed and are available from DuPont for their products.
 
Dr. Ike Sewell, Dean of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee, was introduced by Tom Mueller to provide the members with a Welcome and with guidance concerning the development of a new project proposal He discussed the need to show interdependence among the universities to carry out cooperative research and suggested that we begin immediately.
 
Tom Mueller bravely agreed to serve as Chairman of the Writing Committee for the new project. His first assignment was to develop a common study with specific objectives.
 
Chairman Mike Barrett requested that the Site Selection Committee and Nomination Committee meet and prepare to give their reports.
 
Jill Schroeder provided copies of the S-215 Final Report and asked for any last minute changes or corrections.
 
Tom Mueller led a discussion of topics that could form the basis for the new project. Among the topics addressed were the environmental fate of xenobiotics, the processes of degradation and dissipation of herbicides in the environment, bioassay development, the SU herbicides and other ALS inhibitors, precision farming, resistant weeds, correlation of soil sample data (immunoassay screen, bioassay, water extractable assay, contamination with LC/MS) with crop yield, and an incubator study to determine the longevity of selected herbicides in soils from the eleven Southern states. The majority of the members agreed to address a problem that many farmers were facing, that of determining herbicide carryover effects on the yields of sensitive rotational crops. A common field study was proposed that would be established at many locations wherein soil samples would be taken and assayed for herbicide concentration by biological methods (at single locations) and confirmed by chemical methods (at a single location) and the results correlated with the yields of rotational crops grown on the soils the year after application. Eric Webster agreed to serve as Editor for Objective 1, which included: 1) Developing a process for predicting crop injury and/or damage (yield reduction) of persistent herbicides (year 1), 2) correlating analytically determined (extractable) concentrations with crop response, 3) correlating crop injury to damage, 4) correlating soil properties and weather data with bio available and chemically extractable concentrations of herbicides and 5) developing a decision-aid model for estimating bioavailable concentrations of herbicides. Scott Senseman agreed to serve as Editor for Objective 2, which included: 1) Developing sampling, storage, handling, and transportation methodology and 2) Arranging for zero-day spiked samples from each location to be shipped to one site for immunoassay and another site for chemical assay.
 
Minutes: (8 AM, Wednesday, 7-23-96)
 
Chairman Mike Barrett opened the meeting with the request to continue a discussion of the new project. Tom Mueller stated that some project leaders had asked about possible finding for additional studies such as a microbial degradation study at one location to examine the effects of soil type, moisture, pH, and temperature on ALS herbicide longevity. The group suggested that copies of the proposal be circulated to all project leaders asking for input concerning any additional studies and funding possibilities. The following agreed to serve as Chairman for the respective Project Outline: Tom Mueller - Introduction, Strategic Plan, Justification and Proposed Participants; Mike Barrett - Critical Review; Eric Webster and Tom Peeper (Co-Chairman) - Objective 1, and Scott Senseman - Objective 2. The respective Chairmen agreed to prepare a basic field design, including 4 reps. and a repeat in years 3 and 4. Parameters to be measured included: 1) Soil sampling on zero day in years 1,2,3, and 4, 2) stand counts height measurements, visual ratings, and photographs at 3 and 6 weeks after treatment (WAT), 3) Crop yields, 4) % open bolls of cotton at defoliation and 5) % tasseling of corn. Two composite soil sample from the 0-15 cm depth of each experiment (400g each) will be shipped to N.C. for characterization, along with the soil series name and weather data for each year.
 
Chairman Mike Barrett requested a report from the Site Committee and the Nominations Committee. Dr. John Wilcut was nominated and selected by acclamation, along with many cheers and applause, as the new Secretary of our Regional Research Technical Committee. The Site Selection Committee announced that, after much debate and wheeling and dealing, the Technical Committee will meet in Pensacola, FL in 1997, North Carolina in 1998, and Mississippi in 1999. Again much applause and cheering.
 
Jill Schroeder announced that comments on the S-215 publication should be sent to her as soon as possible, and that subscription forms for purchasing reprints will be sent to each Experiment Station Director to be forwarded to each project leader.
 
Herbicide resistant weed as an objective of the new project was discussed briefly and the majority felt that it would not fit in the overall project.
 
A deadline for a draft of the new project proposal was set for October 1, 1996. A final draft of the proposal will undoubtedly be available for examination at the 1997 SWSS meeting in Houston.
 
Mike Barrett adjourned the meeting. Much cheering and applause followed.
 
Cheerfully submitted,
 
 
 
Jerome B. Weber, Secretary
 
Return to Regional Research Project S-286 page.