Using Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) for Weed Science Education.

Emerging weed professionals would benefit from experience managing living invaders during their undergraduate and graduate education yet such training opportunities are rarely included in Weed Science curricula.  Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), one of the most problematic weeds reported in the U.S., may have value as a model plant for Weed Science education.  Traits that contribute to saltcedar's invasiveness can be used to cultivate living specimens for student use at little cost and with great potential for academic enhancement. A laboratory exercise was developed for a Weed Science course at South Dakota State University in 2011 that combined saltcedar research with student training in management of this pervasive non-native. The successful execution of this exercise and the positive student response suggests that saltcedar and other weeds with similar reproductive capacities can be valuable additions to Weed Science curricula.  Innovative approaches to teaching Weed Science can facilitate greater learning of this complex subject and better reach students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.