Albert J. Fischer
 |
Associate Professor Weed Ecophysiology 279a Robbins Hall 530-752-7386 |
EDUCATION
PhD Oregon State University, 1988.
MS Oregon State University, 1983.
BS University of the Republic of Uruguay, 1976.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
| 2003-present | Associate Professor - Weed Ecophysiologist (rice). University of California-Davis, Vegetable Crops Department |
| 1997-2003 | Assistant Professor- Weed Ecophysiologist (rice). University of California-Davis, Vegetable Crops Department |
| 1996-97 | Research Associate-Weed Science at North Dakota State University, Plant Sci. Dept. |
| 1989-96 | Rice Research Agronomist/Physiologist at International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia; conducting overseas activities in Latin America and the Caribbean |
| 1979-81 | Professor of Weed Science at the University Chapingo, Mex., Mexico. |
| 1976-79 | Weed Researcher at the National Ag. Research Center of Uruguay |
CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS.
- Ecophysiology of rice weeds, adaptation to stresses, competition, shade tolerance, photosynthesis, moisture stress in aquatic weds.
- Rice-weed competition, identification of traits for enhanced rice competitiveness against weeds.
- Herbicide resistance, dose-response, mechanisms of resistance, management of resistance, gene flow from herbicide-resistant rice.
- Weed management in rice, responsible for the Weed Control Project at the Cooperative rice Research Experiment Station at Biggs, CA.
California rice is mostly a continuous crop due to soil constraints,
infrastructure investment and economic margins. Weeds adapted to the water-seeded
and continuously flooded system of rice culture in California became a most
serious production problem. Flooding provides considerable weed suppression,
but some problematic weeds such as the watergrasses (Echinochloa oryzoides
(Ard.) Fritsch and Echinochloa phyllopogon (Stapf) Koss.), sedges (particularly
Schoenoplectus mucronatus (L.) Palla syn. Scirpus mucronatus L. and Cyperus
difformis L.), and broadleaf weeds (Ammannia auriculata Wild. and A. coccinnea
Rottb.) have aquatic habit and are difficult to control by flooding. Therefore,
weed control is strongly herbicide-dependent. Herbicide resistance, resulting
from the continuous use of the few available herbicides, is threatening the
viability of chemical control, and restrictions to herbicide registration
limit the availability of new compounds. There is a need to develop innovative
concepts for integrated weed management in California rice that would have
to rely heavily upon effective crop competition to maximize control in order
to reduce herbicide use, lower production costs, reduce potential health,
non-target and environmental risks, and delay the development of resistance
to the few herbicide tools available.
The main direction of my strategic research is to develop basic knowledge
on rice-weed interactions and herbicide resistance leading to the development
of integrated weed management strategies for rice with emphasis on crop interference.
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Holder of the Melvin D. Andrews Professorship for Weed Science in Rice
- Former chair of the International Affairs Committee of the Weed Science Society of America
- Member of Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture.
- Co-author best research paper at the 17 Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Thailand, 1999.
- Liaison of the Weed Science Society of America to the Mexican Weed Science Society
MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
- Weed Science Society of America
- California Weed Science Society
- International Weed Science Society
- Agronomy Society of America
- Rice Technical Working Group
Selected References
Gibson, K.D., A.J. Fischer, T.C. Foin, J.E. Hill (2003). Crop traits related to weed suppression in water-seeded rice. Weed Science 51:87-93.
Osuna, M.D., F. Vidotto, A.J. Fischer, D.E. Bayer, R. De Prado, and A. Ferrero (2002). Cross-resistance to bispyribac-sodium and bensulfuron-methyl in Echinochloa phyllopogon and Cyperus difformis. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 73:9-17.
Gibson, K.D., A.J. Fischer, T.C. Foin, and J.E. Hill (2002). Implications of delayed Echinochloa germination and duration of competition for integrated weed management in water-seeded rice. Weed Research 42:351-358.
Fischer, A.J., H.V. Ramírez, K.D. Gibson, and B. Da Silveira Pinheiro (2001). Competitiveness of semidwarf upland rice cultivars against palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha) and signalgrass (B. decumbens). Agron. J. 93:967-973.
Gibson, K.D., J. E. Hill, T.C. Foin, B.P. Caton, and A.J. Fischer (2001). Water-seeded rice cultivars differ in abiltiy to interfere with watergrass. Agron. J. 93:326-332.
Gibson, K. D. and A. J. Fischer (2001). Relative Growth and Photosynthetic Response of Water-Seeded Rice and Echinochloa oryzoides (Ard.) Fritsch to Shade. International Journal of Pest Management 47:305-309.
Gibson, K.D, A.J. Fischer, and T.C. Foin (2001). Shading and the growth and photosynthetic responses of Ammannia coccinnea. Weed Research 41:59-67.
Caton, B.P., A.M. Mortimer, T.C. Foin, J.E. Hill, K.D. Gibson and A.J. Fischer (2001). Weed shoot morphology effects on competitiveness for light in direct-seeded rice. Weed Research 41:155-163.
Fischer, A.J., D.E. Bayer, M.D. Carriere, C.M. Ateh, and Kyu-Ock Yim (2000). Mechanisms of resístanse to bispyribac-sodium in an Echinochloa phyllopogon accession. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 68: 156-165.
Fischer, A.J., C.M. Ateh, D.E. Bayer, and J.E. Hill (2000). Herbicide-resistant early (Echinochloa oryzoides) and late (E. phyllopogon) watergrass in California rice fileds. Weed Sci. 48:225-230.
Fischer, A.J., C.G. Messersmith, J.D. Nalewaja, and M.E. Duysen (2000). Interference between spring cereals and Kochia scoparia related to environment and photosynthetic pathways. Agron. J. 92:173-181.
Florez, J.A., A.J. Fischer, H.V. Ramirez, and M.C. Duque (1998). Predicting rice yield losses from multi-species weed competition. Submitted to Agronomy Journal.
Fischer, A.J. (1997). Suppression of junglerice [Echinochloa colona (L.) Link] by irrigated rice cultivars in Latin America. Agron J. 89:516-52.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Hill, J.E., A.J. Fischer, M. Ehlhardt (2002). Section on Weed Control in Rice for chapter (refereed) on Weed control in Agronomic Crops for the book Principles of Weed control in California. Thompson/California weed science Society.
Fischer, A. J. (2000). Weed control in rice. Pages 62-98 in Annual Report Comprehensive Rice Research. Davis, CA: University of California-Davis and USDA.
Fischer, A. J., M.D. Carriere, and J. E. Hill (1999). Weed control
in rice. Annual Report Comprehensive Rice Research. Davis, CA: University
of California-Davis and USDA.
Fischer, A.J. (1999). Problems and Opportunities for Managing Red Rice in
Latin America. Pages 77-85 In Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) Report on the Global Workshop on Red Rice 30, Cuba August –
3 September 1999. FAO, Rome.
Fischer, A. J. and J. E. Hill (1998). Weed control in rice. Pages 54-84 in Annual Report Comprehensive Rice Research. Davis, CA: University of California-Davis and USDA.