NDSU student Adam Aberle was a top performer in the North Central Weed Science Society Collegiate Weed Science Contest held July 28 at Johnston, Iowa. Aberle was the second place individual overall at the undergraduate level and won first place in the undergraduate weed identification contest.

Aberle is a crop and weed sciences major from Bismarck, North Dakota. Additional NDSU undergraduate team members were crop and weed sciences majors Jared Carlson from Murdock, Minnesota, and Lahni Stachler from Washington Court House, Ohio. Aberle and Carlson are advised by Kirk Howatt, associate professor of plant sciences, while Stachler is advised by Burton Johnson, professor of plant sciences.

Plant sciences graduate students Nathan Haugrud, from Rothsay, Minnesota, and Darby Schye, from Malta, Montana, competed in individual events. Haugrud is pursuing his doctorate and is advised by Joseph Ikley, assistant professor of plant sciences and Extension weed specialist. Schye is pursuing her master’s degree and is advised by Ikley and Quincy Law, assistant professor of plant sciences.

The NCWSS Collegiate Weed Science Contest provides an educational experience for college students interested in weed science through practical application of weed science knowledge, networking opportunities and recognition for future career pursuits.

The contest consists of four events: weed identification, herbicide application technology, identification of unknown herbicides and problem solving and recommendation.

Award plaques are presented to the individuals and teams earning the highest score in a single event and overall at the undergraduate and the graduate level.

A total of 96 undergraduate and graduate students competed in the annual event, which was hosted by Corteva.

Travel for the NDSU team was partially funded by donations from Bayer Crop Science, BASF Corp. and Syngenta Crop Protection.

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