THE INNOVATORS
The Preemergence Perspective How Andrew Skibo Is Changing the Mindset on Weed Control
Dr. Skibo and Kate Mohatt, an ecologist with the Chugach National Forest, conducting the first application of fluridone for an elodea eradication project in the Copper River Delta, Cordova, Alaska.
Parker Kenyon: Would you please tell us about your professional background? Andrew Skibo: I have been working in agriculture for the past 16 years. I have a background in herbicide mode of action, the environmental fate of pesticides, and
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invasive species control. I have been working in aquatics, predominantly the irrigation market segment, for almost a decade. My focus has been primarily on the western United States. I was previously based in Colorado, where I led the western research and development focus for another company. I joined Alligare earlier this year. Parker Kenyon: Please give us some information about your educational background. Andrew Skibo: I have a dual degree, a bachelor of science in plant and animal science, from the University of Delaware, with a focus on production agriculture. I continued my education and obtained a PhD in plant and soil science, also from the University of Delaware. My focus was on weed science, weed biology, weed population genetics, environmental chemistry fate, and so on. On paper, I am a classically trained weed biologist. By trade, I am an aquatic plant biologist specializing in invasive species control and eradication. Parker Kenyon: Would you please tell us about the services that Alligare provides? Andrew Skibo: Many folks in the irrigation world know Alligare as the Magnacide H Herbicide company, but in IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDREW SKIBO AND ALLIGARE.
One of an irrigation district manager's main challenges is costeffectively ridding his or her systems of aquatic weeds in order to ensure a smooth flow of water. Traditionally, irrigation districts have injected chemicals directly into the irrigation water to control weeds. Alligare, a renowned vegetation management solutions company, has been working successfully with preemergent weed control programs for the last several years. Preemergent weed control, while not a new strategy in the world of terrestrial weed management, is relatively new in the world of aquatics. Its goal is to prevent aquatic weeds from growing in irrigation ditches in the first place, thus eliminating or greatly reducing the need for in-season treatments. Forward-thinking irrigation districts across the United States have been using Alligare’s preemergence solutions for several years with great success. Irrigation Leader writer Parker Kenyon spoke with Andrew Z. Skibo, PhD, a technical support specialist in Alligare's aquatics division, about the preemergent weed control program, current challenges in aquatic weed management, and Alligare’s vision for the future of the technology.
