b'Dr. Harlene Hattermann-Valenti, NDSU by Tom Berg, NDSU Extension Writing AssociateHarlene Hatterman-Valenti grew uptake a research assistantship in PlantThe position was to take over the in rural Nebraska and got a taste ofPathologyorHorticultureandfieldaspectsofpotatoproduction farm life almost immediatelyanddecidedthatIwouldrathergrowresearch that Dr. Jim Lorenzen was that would serve as the catalyst forplants instead of trying to figure outdoing,Hatterman-Valentisaid. her long career in agriculture.what was killing them, Hatterman- Initially I focused on the produc-Valentisaid.Myresearchstartedtion aspects and physiological prob-My younger sister and I helped ourout looking at fertility requirementslems such as sugar-ends. dad with everything on the farm,of an annual flower, but then I got Hatterman-Valentisaid.Ithinkinto the weed science part. That isLater, Dr. Rich Zollinger asked me if thatgotmemoreinterestedinwhenIrealizedthatkillingweedsI wanted to take over the weed man-plantseventhoughwehadcattle,really sparked my interest.agement part of potatoes, and I said hogs, and chickens. We also had athatwouldbegreat.Iwasalready hugegarden,andhalfofitwasHatterman-Valenti would then pur- working on the production aspect of probablypotatoes.Thatwaswhatsue a Ph.D at Iowa State.potatoes, research-wise and felt that solidified my interest in plants.my experience at ISU would be ben-IwasatIowaState,anditwasaeficial for growers. AnativeofWisner,Nebraska,pre-doctoralextensionassociate Hatterman-Valentisworkontheposition,Hatterman-Valentisaid.Hatterman-Valentihasstate-wide farmwasjustthestartofherI was 3/4-time extension and 1/4- weedresearchresponsibilitiesin involvement in agriculture, particu- time I was supposed to be workingfruit and vegetables.Her experience larlyinresearch.Shehasbeenattowards my Ph.D.at Iowa State with potatoes and her-North Dakota State since 2000 andbicides has proved valuable for pota-is a professor and High-Value CropsAtIowaState,Hatterman-Valentito growers in the region.Specialist at the school.was responsible for extension weed management for fruits and vegeta- Werelookingatwhattheinflu-SheattendedKearneyState(nowbles,roadsiderightofway,andence of off-target of herbicide move-Nebraska-Kearney), where she was aaquatics.mentsthatcouldgoandinjure three-yearstarteronthewomenspotatoes,Hatterman-Valentisaid. basketballteam.ShecompletedaThatexperienceledhertoNorthWithglyphosatedrift,wefound degree in biology from Kearney, andDakota State in 2000. She was slatedthe timing herbicide exposure that then would get a masters degree into take over the potato productionreally caused the most injury, not to horticultureattheUniversityofresearchslotvacatedbyDr.Jimthe mother plant, but the daughter Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb. Lorenzen. Soon, another opportuni- plants. Because North Dakota is big ty arose. inseedproductionourdiscoveries AtUNLIhadanopportunitytotherewererelevantandimportant 20 POTATO GROWER MARCH 2023'