# Presentation: 283358

## USDA-ARS Crop Protection and Quarantine Planning and Coordination Workshop, 4-6 February 2004, Greenbelt, MD.

**Overview of NP 304:**
**Weed Science Component**

**Ernest S. Delfosse****National Program Leader for Weed Science**

## Topics

**Context for reinventing the ARS Weed Science program;**
**Emphasis areas; and**
**The future.**

## Context for reinventing the ARS Weed Science program

## Global and Philosophical Changes

**Global support for less chemical use and for sustainable, biologically based, affordable strategies;**
**White House commitment was to increase biological and cultural control and achieve 75% IPM by 2000;**
***Executive Order***** on Invasive Species (signed 3 February 1999);**
**National Invasive Species Council; and**
***National Invasive Species Management Plan (www.invasivespecies.gov)***

## Policy Changes

**Strategies don’t stop at fencelines.**
**Feasible approaches depend upon economic return realized from land use.**
**For cropland, economic return often allows safe use of herbicides (private sector).**
**Important to work also on weeds of non-crop habitats.**

## Policy Changes

**ARS weed management activities will be confined almost exclusively to reduction of herbicide use and reduction in environmental contamination.**
**Rangeland and natural areas present a more difficult challenge.**

## Resource Allocation

**ARS charged with shifting resources so that 2/3 of expenditures ($21 M in 1997) are devoted to biologically based IPM (biological control, cultural control, restoration).**
**Redirections to accomplish this goal will come primarily from the Weed Science program.**

## Key Elements for Success

**Biological control is a key aspect of this IPM approach and will be increased.**
**ARS will expand foreign exploration and evaluation of potential agents, and will focus research efforts on a smaller number of target species/scientist.**
**Collaborative, matrix management with partners is the key to success.**

## Implementation

**Hiring an NPL for Weed Science with a clear mandate for change.**
**Recognition of the increasing damage to cropland and natural areas by invasive weeds.**
**Redirection of funds.**
**Obtain areawide pest management funds (leafy spurge, melaleuca).**

## Implementation

**Support “Action Agencies” with new exclusion; early detection and rapid response; and long-term management technology.**
**Develop Memoranda of Understanding with other Departments (e.g. NASA and DoD).**

## Implementation

**Identify “weak links” in the biological control process, including identifying, evaluating and clearing biological control agents, quarantine improvement, better coordination with regulatory and action agencies, and more focus on funded targets.**

## ARS Weed Science Program

**Changes in last six years:**

_**Added over 40 new scientists, and redirected others into weed science**_**.  In all aspects of integrated weed management (biological control, cultural control, herbicides, genetics, landscape and natural area weeds, remote sensing, areawide pest management programs, restoration, etc.).**
_**Increased budget significantly**_**.  Now over $70 million (weed science in the broad sense), up from $21 million in 1997.**
_**Completed transition from chemically based to biologically based programs**_**.  Was given five years; completed in 18 months.**
_**Conducted the first-ever ARS weed science workshop**_**.  Held in Virginia in July 2000, to look at priorities.  Attended by ~150 customers and stakeholders.**

## Weed Science Emphasis Areas

## ARS Weed Science Program

**Four new emphasis areas following NP workshop in 2000:**

**Biology and ecology;**
**Chemical control;**
**Biological control; and**
**Integrated weed management systems.**

## Slide 15

## The Future of Weed Science in ARS

## The Future ...

**Involve non-traditional customers**

## Who Are Our Customers?

**Two current examples:**

**National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and**
**Department of Defense (DoD).**

## The NASA-USDA Invasive species initiative started March 2003.  Invasive species is one of the five priority areas for NASA.

**Two workshops discussed the broad issues of USDA needs and NASA capabilities.  The first workshop was conducted in early March 2003 in Denver, Colorado, and had high representation from NASA and USDA HQ.**
**The second workshop was held in late March 2003 in Beltsville, Maryland, and began to focus on how NASA’s space-based remote sensing capabilities can help the ARS invasive weed programs.  We agreed to start with yellow starthistle and saltcedar, two priority weeds determined in the FY05 crosscut budget.**
**Now focusing on what capacities ARS has internally, and what NASA can provide.**
**Formal Memorandum of Understanding signed by USDA Secretary and NASA Administrator in September 2003.**
**This work was presented by NASA and USDA at IPINAMS in Ft. Lauderdale, in November 2003.**

## Department of Defense

**ARS is re-negotiating the Memorandum of Understanding between USDA and DoD.**
**In September 2003, we have negotiated with DoD to expand the scope on invasive species activities to include biological control of weeds on military bases.**
**Historically, ARS and DoD have cooperated on weed projects such as saltcedar and fire ants.**

**Department of Defense**

## The Future ...

**Front- and back-end stressors**

## Floristic Endpoint Visualization

**Start with an idea of what plant diversity you want to achieve, and work backward, using stressors to weaken permanently the competitive advantage of the weed**

## Summary

**Each of you must be able to “see” your research in the Weed Science component of NP 304;**
**Continued customer and stakeholder input is crucial; and**
**National Programs must be sufficiently flexible to respond to new needs, while retaining the ability to complete valuable on-going research.**

## Challenges and Opportunities

**Challenges and Opportunities**

## So, Where Do We Go From Here?

**What balance in research should we seek?**
**How do we implement, given limited resources, customers’ priorities as defined through programmatic workshops?**
**Who are our customers?**
**How do we resolve conflicts between scientists’ interests and customers needs?**
**What workshops are needed before the next programmatic review in 12/04 (e.g., weed genomics, microbial biological control, remote sensing, etc.)?**

## NP are About “The Big Picture”

## Questions ...