NDSU Extension weed specialist named Weed Society Fellow

Date:03-01-2017

Rich Zollinger, the North Dakota State University Extension Service’s weed specialist, has received the Weed Science Society of America’s highest honor.

Zollinger, also a professor in NDSU’s Plant Sciences Department, was recognized with the society’s Fellow Award. He received it during the society’s annual meeting in Tucson, Ariz.

“This award is a team effort award, and credit should be given to the many colleagues, graduate students, and technical and clerical staff who I have had the privilege of working with,” he says.

Nominees for the award must have been active members of the society for at least 10 years. They also must have made substantial contributions in more than one of the following areas: professional publications; educational contributions other than publications; the development of improvements in weed science programs, practices and products; other professional contributions; service to society or regional conferences; and service to the profession outside of the society.

At NDSU, Zollinger spends 90 percent of his time on Extension work and 10 percent on weed control research. As a result of his efforts, he has authored or co-authored more than 200 journal articles and Extension publications, including the annually updated “North Dakota Weed Control Guide,” and makes more than 100 presentations a year.

In addition, he developed an internationally recognized adjuvant (substance that improves a pesticide’s performance), weed control chemical formulation and water quality research and testing program.

Zollinger also has written more than 140 Section 18 herbicide registrations for minor-acreage crops. Section 18 registrations are exemptions from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act that allow the unregistered use of a pesticide to address an emergency pest situation. He serves as the IR-4 (Interregional Research Project No. 4) liaison for North Dakota and has competed successfully with California and other states for more 100 IR-4 pesticide research projects.

In his role as professor, he also mentors students.

Zollinger grew up working with his brothers in a family farming operation with livestock and crop production farms in Utah, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, Canada. He earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Utah State University and his doctorate in Weed Science from Michigan State University. He joined NDSU in 1990.