Graduate Research Assistantships are available to qualified students to support studies towards the Masters and Ph.D. Degrees in Weed Science/Weed Management. Course work will be on campus at Blacksburg and field and greenhouse research will be conducted at the ESAREC under the direction of Dr. Henry P. Wilson, Professor. Basic components of the research will be conducted in laboratories of faculty on-campus.
Numerous opportunities exist for selection of dissertation research. Much of Dr. Wilson's research addresses herbicide resistant weeds. Focus has been on acetoloctate synthase (ALS)- inhibitor resistant smooth pigweed, diclofop- resistant Italian ryegrass, and glyphosate- resistant horseweed. In the greenhouse, additional research has been conducted with triazine- and paraquat- resistant horseweed. Field and greenhouse studies also emphasize methods to control these species in production situations. Additional research is conducted to identify herbicides which might be tolerated by vegetable crops of importance to Virginia farmers, often at rates lower than applications made to agronomic crops. Emphasis has been placed on preemergence and postemergence herbicides and currently includes halosulfuron, fomesafen, imazamox, dimethenamid, and mesotrione in crops including potatoes, tomatoes, snap beans, summer squash, cucumbers, pumpkins and sweet corn. Agronomic crops in which we conduct research include corn, soybean, wheat, cotton and occasionally other crops of interest. In these crops, research is conducted in no tillage and conventional tillage systems.
Laboratory experiments by previous Weed Science graduate students have included studies in herbicide absorption, translocation and metabolism and enzyme inhibition by herbicides. Most recently, research in Dr. Jim Westwood's laboratory has led to the first reported instance of an amino substitution at position 376 relative to the protein sequence of Arabidopsis thaliana. This substitution conferred whole plant resistance to four classes of ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Results of field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments by graduate students are expected to be published in refereed journals and are used to support annual revisions in multi-state weed management recommendations. For additional information on Dr. Wilson's recently published papers and his previous graduate students, please visit http://www.vaes.vt.edu/painter
Students in this program are expected to interact and work with other graduate students and research associates in our program and assist with other research being conducted.
Qualifications of applicants:
* B.S. or M.S. degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Biology, Forestry or other related discipline with strong interest in plant science.
* Must be able to work well with others and to occasionally travel between Blacksburg and Painter. (Graduate student housing is provided at the ESAREC)
* Must demonstrate oral and written proficiency of the English language.
Contact Dr. Henry Wilson for further information:
Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center
33446 Research Dr.
Painter, VA 23420
757-414-0724 Ext 13
hwilson@vt.edu
