By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
Weeds AR Wild podcast series debuts
Extension specialists discuss issues important to producers, consultants
First episode: Recommendations for burndown applications and ryegrass control
Listen on Apple Podcasts or download at uaex.uada.edu/row-crops-radio
LITTLE ROCK — Weed scientists with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture have a new weekly podcast series — Weeds AR Wild — to share recommendations and updates on weed management issues important to Arkansas row crop growers, crop consultants and others working in agriculture.
The series, which debuted March 3, is hosted by Division of Agriculture experts, including extension weed scientists Tommy Butts and Tom Barber and Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher Jason Norsworthy, distinguished professor in the division’s Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences department.
The first episode is available at www.uaex.uada.edu/row-crops-radio.
“The first podcast in the Weeds AR Wild series focuses on 2021 recommendations for burndown herbicide applications and Italian ryegrass herbicide resistance and management,” Butts said. “Burndown herbicide applications play an important role to remove winter annual broadleaves and control Italian ryegrass ahead of planting our crops to start the growing season off clean.”
New episodes will be posted on Wednesdays through July and can also be accessed through Apple Podcasts.
The new series is part of the division’s Arkansas Row Crops Radio, which debuted in 2019 as a way to provide timely information and resources for Arkansas row crop producers. Eighteen episodes are available online and have been downloaded nearly 3,000 times.
Like the Row Crops Radio, Weeds AR Wild will provide timely updates for growers and producers, with a focus on weed management.
“I think the podcast will serve as another convenient and easily accessible tool that we use to provide relevant weed management recommendations on a timely basis as weed control issues arise during the growing season,” Barber said. “It also provides an opportunity for timely discussions with consultants and weed control experts from other states.”
Later in March, the trio will discuss pre-emergence herbicide programs for rice and corn. In April, episodes will address the best times and products for cover crop termination, soybean and cotton residual herbicides, Loyant injury and weed control in rice. Planned episodes in May will focus on weed control in row rice.
“As the year goes on, if we’re getting a lot of phone calls on a particular topic, we’ll do a segment on that issue,” Butts said. “With a podcast, we have the flexibility to discuss issues that our growers and producers are experiencing in real-time.”
