MINUTES
S-254 and S-183 Joint Regional Research Technical Committee Meeting
Pensacola, FL--August 19-21, 1997
 
 
Members and guests present (5-254): AR-Ronald Talbert, Charles Scifres (Admin. Advisor), Eric Webster; DC-James Parochetti (CSREES Rep.); FL-Barry Brecke; GA-Bill Vencil; KY-Mike Barrett, Bill Witt; LA-Donnie Miller; MS-David Shaw, Cade Smith; NC-Jerry Weber; TN-Tom Mueller; TX-Scott Senseman. (S-183): GA-David Bridges; FL-Joan Dusky, David Teem, Everett Emine; OK-Don Murray; AR-Dick Oliver; SC-Ted Whitwell.
 
Members absent (S-254): NC-John Wilcut; NM-Jill Schroeder; OK-Tom Peeper; SC-Horace Skipper.
 
S-254 Committees appointed:
Nominating
 
Tom Mueller, Chm. Jerry Weber
 
S-254 Minutes (8-19-97):
Site selection
 
NC in 1998 MS in 1999
 
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 AM, August 19, 1997, by Chairman Tom Mueller. Introductions were made and a sign-up sheet was passed around. Barry Brecke requested information concerning flight schedules and lunch and dinner counts. Jim Parochetti, CSREES-USDA representative, reported on CSREES activities including budgets and positions to be filled. The IR-4 budget will be increased and an entomologist and plant pathologist position will be filled. Charles Scifres, administrative advisor, reported on the activities of the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors and AESOP, publication of future Southern Regional Cooperative Bulletins (to be put on the Web, with hard copies to be sent to the National Agricultural Library and one each to project members), and the status of the current S-254 project and the new regional project. The Meeting Agenda was discussed and approved. Tom Mueller appointed a Nominating Committee (Mueller, Chm., and Weber, member) for next year's secretary, read the minutes of the 1996 meeting (which were approved), and initiated a discussion of the new project. Items discussed included: a) Rotating chairman versus permanent chairman; b) new herbicide chemistry versus the imidazolinones; c) chemical assay versus bioassay versus immunoassay; d) interdependency of the project; e) edaphic, spatial, and temporal factors affecting herbicide bioactivity; f) application rates needed to assure "carryover" detection by chemical and biological (laboratory and field) assays; g) a standardized field treatment list and plan; and h) comments from reviewers of the new project proposal. Mueller requested that all suggestions and comments be sent to him by e-mail or fax by August 25, 1997 and agreed to: a) add a section on interdependency of the members to the project, b) include a statement as to how the results of each member would be tied together at the end of the project, c) add a statement regarding the "spatial variability" aspect of the project plan, d) expand the sub-regional project section, and e) insert a statement on the need by farmers to use alternative crops in their farming operations as outlined in the Freedom to Farm Act.
 
State reports were presented and discussed by all members present, including problems in developing adequate assays for soil samples containing the imidazolinone herbicides, erratic herbicide performance on what appeared to be uniform fields, and carryover of certain imidazolinone herbicides and sulfentrazone. Charlie Scifres discussed some of the revisions of the CRIS system. The advantages and disadvantages of a permanent versus a rotating chairman for the new Regional Project was discussed in greater detail and it was decided that the new project would continue using a rotating chairman. Tom Mueller asked for volunteers to prepare a final report for the S-254 project. The silence in the room was deafening. Under severe pressure by the members, Tom Mueller and Jerrv Weber agreed to serve as co-chairmen--the former for Objective 1 and the latter for Objective 2. Subcommittee chairmen for each objective agreed to prepare and send their reports to the respective co-chairmen. Mueller agreed to send out a reminder to the members to send their reports to the respective sub-committee chairmen, who in turn would send their reports to the respective co-chairmen. The deadline was set for October 1, 1997.
 
S-254/S-183 Minutes (8-20-97):
 
The meeting was called to order to order at 8:30 AM, August 20, 1997 by Barry Brecke. Assistant Dean for Research Everett Emine welcomed the members to Florida and provided an interesting overview of the Florida agriculture, including information on the forty crop categories, fifteen research and extension centers, and the four research areas of emphasis. A brief overview of the S-254 Regional Research Project was presented by Jerry Weber and Mike Barrett. Weber discussed the mass balance distribution and processes responsible for the transfer and transformation of herbicides in the environment. Barrett discussed the soil and climatic factors influencing herbicide bioavailability and the relationship between herbicide bioactivity and the quantities of herbicide detected in soils using various assays. David Shaw presented a summary of the new regional research project and led a discussion concerned with imazaquin rates needed to assure the detection of carryover, rotational crops, and other herbicides to be included. Three rate/crop combinations were selected: 1) a. i. X rate on all fields, 2) a 2X rate where cotton is the rotational crop, and 3) a 4X rate where corn is the rotational crop. Carryover injury would be quantified by comparison with a standard curve of rates established on spiked plots.
 
Don Murray presented an overview of the S-i 83 Regional Research Project which involved quantifying weed growth and development, documenting changing weed populations as influenced by cultural and environmental factors, and quantifying weed/crop relationships. Murray also briefly discussed the Joint S-159/S-183 meeting in Amarillo, TX in 1985, including the reciprocal weed gardens that resulted from the meeting.
 
Barry Brecke presented a summary of current S-183 studies, including details of the cotton weed management study, set-aside program simulation, sicklepod biology and management study, and yellow nutsedge biology and management study.
 
David Bridges presented an overview of the S-183 Methods Monograph that is
being prepared, which will include sections on weed interference and crop competition, ecophysiology of interference, resource capture, competitive effects quantification, weed phenology, and allelomorphic and allelopathic effects of weeds.
 
Barry Brecke appointed a Site Committee for S-183, consisting of Dick Oliver (chairman) and Don Murray. Jerry Weber reported that the S-254 Nominating Committee had selected Scott Senseman to serve as the 1998-1999 secretary. Scott's acceptance was barely heard over the applause and cheering.
 
David Teem brought up for discussion the subject of Precision Agriculture and where it would fit in weed science activities. Some of the items discussed included the inaccuracy of weed seed counts in soil samples, difficulties in bioassaying and chemically assaying for herbicide carryover in soil samples, and problems in relating crop yields to specific soil characteristics or herbicide carryover.
 
Barry Brecke briefed everyone on the afternoon tour and evening activities and adjourned the meeting.
 
 
Cheerfully submitted,
 
Jerome B. Weber, Acting Secretary
 
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