About

Lynn M. Sosnoskie, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section at Cornell AgriTech. Her work focuses on weed ecology and weed management, particularly in specialty crops. She leads the Sosnoskie Lab, which is part of the Weed Science program at Cornell University. Dr. Sosnoskie's research aims to address challenges related to weed identification, ecological management, herbicide resistance, and the effects of climate change on weed dynamics and herbicide efficacy. Her expertise supports the development of sustainable weed management strategies to improve crop production and protect agricultural ecosystems.

Research topics

• Agronomy
• Biology
• Agroforestry
• Genetics
• Ecology
• Botany

Selected publications

• Detection and confirmation of atrazine-resistant Palmer amaranth ( <i>Amaranthus palmeri</i> ) in the northeastern United States

  Weed Science · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Palmer amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) poses a significant threat to northeastern U.S. crop production due to its rapid growth, prolific seed production, and evolving herbicide resistance. This study characterized the response of four A. palmeri populations from New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ) to postemergence applications of atrazine, a photosystem II (PSII) inhibitor, and mesotrione, a hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitor. Dose–response bioassays revealed that two NY populations (NY-GEN and NY-STE) exhibited high-level atrazine resistance, 31- to 42-fold based on ED 90 estimates, whereas NY-ORA and NJ-CMB populations remained susceptible. Target-site sequencing of the psbA gene revealed no mutations, indicating that resistance is conferred by a non–target site mechanism. Metabolic assays demonstrated that resistant populations retained 20% to 21% less intact atrazine 48 h posttreatment compared with the susceptible reference, suggesting enhanced metabolism likely mediated by glutathione S -transferase enzymes. All populations were susceptible to mesotrione, with the field rate of 105 g ai ha⁻ 1 providing ≥94% control. Tank mixtures of atrazine plus mesotrione applied postemergence provided near-complete control (≥97% biomass reduction relative to nontreated checks) across the tested populations, including those resistant to atrazine alone, which is consistent with synergistic interactions between PSII and HPPD inhibitors. This study documents two new cases of atrazine-resistant A. palmeri in New York and shows that resistance is mediated by enhanced metabolism, consistent with findings from other states. These results have important implications for northeastern corn ( Zea mays L.) production, where atrazine remains foundational to weed management. The sustained efficacy of atrazine–mesotrione combinations offers an immediate management option, but integrated strategies incorporating multiple herbicide sites of action and cultural practices are critical to prevent further resistance evolution.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sensitivity and resistance survey of common lambsquarters ( <i>Chenopodium album</i> ) populations to bentazon across the United States

  Weed Science · 2026-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Bentazon, a photosystem II–inhibiting postemergence herbicide, has been used in corn ( Zea mays L.), soybean, wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), and vegetables to manage common lambsquarters ( Chenopodium album L.), although growers have reported reduced efficacy across the country. The aim of this study was to describe the sensitivity response of C. album to bentazon and identify whether reported escapes could be considered to be cases of herbicide resistance evolution. We evaluated C. album populations collected from lima and snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) fields across Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon. Dose–response experiments with 25 populations were conducted to create a reference response to bentazon, using rates that ranged from 0 to 8,406 g ai ha −1 . Injury ratings and biomass were assessed at 28 d after herbicide application, and the herbicide rates required to reduce growth by 50% (I 50 or GR 50 ) and 80% (I 80 or GR 80 ) were calculated. Results indicated C. album responses to bentazon varied within and across states. Across all populations studied, the GR 50 for biomass reduction ranged from 159 to 816 g ha −1 , and GR 80 from 230 to 1,944 g ha −1 with populations from Oregon exhibiting the highest average GR 50 , followed by those from New York, the Northcentral states, and Delaware. Based on our criteria that the injury rating- or biomass-based resistance index (ratio between I 50 or GR 50 of the suspected resistant and a local selected susceptible population) had to be at least 2, and the I 80 or GR 80 should be greater than the labeled field rate, one population from New York (NY6) and one from Oregon (OR29) were considered to be resistant. This research underscores the wide variation in C. album response to bentazon across the United States and the importance of herbicide resistance diagnostic strategies that account for local population variation, and highlights the increasing challenge of C. album management in specialty crops.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Laser Weeding Technology: A Precision Approach for Sustainable Weed Management in Vegetable Crops

  Outlooks on Pest Management · 2025-10-01 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Synthetic herbicides were first commercialized in the 1940’s and rapidly adopted in agriculture because of their high effectiveness. By 1988, the chemical weed control toolbox had expanded to over 30 sites of action (Heap 2025). The introduction of herbicide‐resistant agronomic crops in the late 1990s simplified weed control and increased reliance on a few broad‐spectrum herbicides across millions of hectares. Many growers still rely on transgenic crops as the foundation of their weed management programs with herbicide‐resistant crops grown on 167 million hectares worldwide in 2019.

  PublisherDOI

• Response of Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis) from New York Vineyards and Orchards to Paraquat and Diquat

  HortScience · 2025-03-14 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Horseweed ( Erigeron canadensis L.) is a troublesome species in specialty crops, including orchards and vineyards. Some growers in New York have adopted paraquat [photosystem I (PSI) electron diverter] for in-season weed control as an alternative to glyphosate. This change was facilitated by concerns about possible crop injury and herbicide resistance to glyphosate. In response to weed control failures following paraquat applications in a vineyard (NY-Gr) and apple orchard (NY-Ap), whole-plant dose–response assays were conducted to confirm putative resistance. The paraquat rates required to reduce NY-Gr and NY-Ap biomass by 50% ( GR 50 ) were 0.63 and 0.56 kg a.i./ha, respectively; these values were 31- and 28-fold greater than the mean estimated GR 50 value (0.02 kg a.i./ha) for the paraquat-susceptible checks from a roadside (NY-Ro) and a soybean field (NY-So). The diquat rates required to reduce the biomass of the NY-Gr and NY-Ap populations by 50% were 0.019 and 0.052 kg a.i./ha, respectively. Conversely, the mean rate required to reduce the biomass of the NY-Ro and NY-So populations was ≤0.004 kg a.i./ha. The photosynthetic efficiency (CO 2 assimilation and chlorophyll a fluorescence) of resistant individuals remained unaltered, suggesting that the resistance mechanisms may not be directly related to the target site. All horseweed populations were effectively controlled by glufosinate and saflufenacil applied at 0.05 and 0.98 kg a.i./ha, respectively. These findings confirm that paraquat resistance is present in two New York horseweed populations. The NY-Gr and NY-Ap populations were less sensitive to diquat than the NY-Ro and NY-So populations, which could suggest emerging resistance to another PSI active ingredient. The extent of paraquat resistance in New York state is not known and requires additional investigation. Given the wind-dispersed nature of horseweed seeds, growers should be vigilant for paraquat escapes to prevent the spread of resistant biotypes. This should include the use of effective, alternative chemistries when resistance is suspected.

  PublisherDOI

• Common soil invertebrate (Collembola: Isotomiella minor) reduces weed biomass and alters weed communities

  Applied Soil Ecology · 2025-05-19

  articleOpen access

  Soil microarthropods affect soil ecosystems in a manner that may contribute to balancing the goals of building soil health and controlling weeds in organic agricultural systems. While soil microarthropod feeding behavior can affect plant growth, their impacts on plant communities in agricultural systems are largely unknown. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of microarthropods on weed communities. A model weed seed bank was used in each mesocosm, which included yellow foxtail ( Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem&Schult.), giant foxtail ( Setaria faberi Herrm.), Powell amaranth ( Amaranthus powellii S. Watson ), waterhemp ( Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer), common lambsquarters ( Chenopodium album L.), and velvetleaf ( Abutilon theophrasti Medik.). The study included three treatments: Collembola ( Isotomiella minor , Schaffer 1896) abundance (none, low, high), soil microbial community (sterilized/non-sterilized), and fertilizer (presence/absence of compost). A lab experiment examining individual weed species interactions with I. minor was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms driving the greenhouse experiment findings. Twenty seeds of each weed species were placed on moistened germination paper in containers with varying I. minor abundance levels (none, low, high, very high). Seed germination was recorded after five and seven days. In the greenhouse, the presence of I. minor increased total weed emergence during the first two weeks, but this effect diminished after three weeks. Increasing I. minor abundances generally decreased weed biomass, though this effect was greater in the non-sterilized soil. In the non-sterilized soil, I. minor presence decreased total aboveground weed biomass production by up to 23 %. The Amaranthus species, Powell amaranth and waterhemp, drove this effect with a 55 % and 32 % reduction in biomass, respectively. In tandem, the Amaranthus species had reduced abundances in the presence of I. minor . I. minor increased yellow foxtail germination in the lab, while not affecting the other weed species. This suggests that their effects on the Amaranthus weeds in the greenhouse were likely not caused by direct effects on germination, but instead through nutrient cycling or root herbivory. The proposed mechanism underlying these interactions is that I. minor can initially stimulate germination by feeding on seed coats, but when the seed coats are minimal can damage the seedling. Our findings indicate I. minor could impact weed growth in a manner that affects management decisions and outcomes. • Isotomiella minor decreased total aboveground weed biomass production by up to 23 %. • Powell amaranth (55 %) and waterhemp (32 %) biomass were most decreased by I. minor . • I. minor directly increased yellow foxtail germination in lab study. • Seed coat composition may influence the outcomes of seed-Collembola interactions.

  PublisherDOI

• Crop and Weed Management Practices of Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Production Fields in the United States

  HortScience · 2025-01-31 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Agronomic and weed management practices employed by growers in the production of snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) for the processing industry are poorly characterized. To address this knowledge gap, records of agronomic and weed management practices from 358 snap bean fields were obtained from collaborating processors. These fields encompassed three production regions in the United States: the Northwest (NW), Midwest (MW), and Northeast (NE). The obtained records were formatted to be more suitable for presentation or analysis. Forty cultivars were used across all three regions, primarily of green round podded type (∼90% of all fields). However, it was common for only relatively few cultivars to be widespread in each region. Seeding rates were substantially higher (by more than 100,000 plants/ha on average) in the NW region. Crop row widths were also narrower in the NW region compared with other regions. Planting and harvest occurred across a wide range of dates in all three production regions, with the NW having a delay of ∼10 days. The most common crop in rotation with snap bean was usually some type of corn, although the NW region had more variability in crop rotation. Spring tillage and irrigation were commonly used practices across all regions. Weed management was dominated by the use of interrow cultivation and a narrow spectrum of preemergence and postemergence herbicides. However, interrow cultivation was not used as much in the NW compared with the other two regions. Snap bean grown in the NW production region showed a departure in agronomic and weed management practices compared with the MW and NE production regions.

  PublisherDOI

• Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Response to Postemergence Herbicides at Different Growth Stages

  HortTechnology · 2025-06-30

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Weeds competing with snap beans can reduce harvest efficiency and lower yields. Postemergence herbicides are most effective when applied to small weed seedlings, but their application timing must also account for crop development to avoid injury. Achieving a balance between effective weed control and crop safety can be challenging, especially if crop emergence is uneven. In 2021, field experiments were conducted in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York, USA, to evaluate crop response to bentazon (0.84 kg a.i./ha), fomesafen (0.21 kg a.i./ha), and bentazon plus fomesafen or imazamox (0.04 kg a.i./ha) when applied postemergence at the cotyledon, unifoliate, and first trifoliate snap bean growth stages. Snap bean injury was greatest in herbicide treatments containing bentazon plus fomesafen (10%–34%). Averaged across herbicides, applications at the trifoliate stage were the least injurious to snap beans. Crop yield was most affected by the bentazon plus fomesafen and imazamox treatments (77% and 76% of untreated control, respectively), and by applications at the cotyledon stage (78% of untreated control). Results highlight that applications of postemergence herbicides should adhere to label guidelines (i.e., treatment after the first trifoliate leaf is fully expanded) to ensure crop safety and maximize yields.

  PublisherDOI

• Confirmation of glyphosate-resistant waterhemp (<i>Amaranthus tuberculatus</i>) in New York

  Weed Technology · 2025-01-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Waterhemp has become a serious management challenge for field crop growers in New York. Two putative glyphosate-resistant (GR) waterhemp populations (NY1 and NY2) were collected in 2023 from two soybean fields in Seneca County, NY. The objectives of this research were to 1) confirm and characterize the level of glyphosate resistance in waterhemp populations from New York relative to a known glyphosate-susceptible population from Nebraska (NE_SUS), and 2) evaluate the efficacy of various postemergence herbicides for GR waterhemp control. Based on the shoot dry weight reductions (GR 50 values) in a dose-response study, the NY1 and NY2 populations exhibited 5.6- to 8.3-fold resistance to glyphosate compared with the NE_SUS population. In a separate study, postemergence herbicides such as dicamba, glufosinate, lactofen, and 2,4-D applied alone or in a mixture with glyphosate or glufosinate had provided 89% to 99% control and ≥97% shoot dry weight reduction of NY1 and NY2 populations 21 d after treatment. Greater than 98% control of the NE_SUS population was achieved with tested postemergence herbicides, except mesotrione (62% control). Furthermore, atrazine, chlorimuron + thifensulfuron, and mesotrione were the least effective in controlling NY1 and NY2 populations (42% to 59% control and 50% to 67% shoot dry weight reductions, respectively). These results confirm the first report of GR waterhemp in New York. Growers should adopt effective alternative postemergence herbicides tested in this study to manage GR waterhemp.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Associations among weed communities, management practices, and environmental factors in U.S. snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production

  PLoS ONE · 2025-09-23

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Weed species that escape control (hereafter called residual weeds) coupled with changing weather patterns are emerging challenges for snap bean processors and growers. Field surveys were conducted to identify associations among crop/weed management practices and environmental factors on snap bean yield and residual weed density. From 2019-2023, a total of 358 snap bean production fields throughout the major U.S. production regions (Northwest, Midwest and Northeast) were surveyed for residual weeds. Field-level information on crop/weed management, soils, and weather also were obtained. To determine associations among management and environmental variables on crop yield and residual weed density, the machine learning algorithm random forest was utilized. The models had 24 and 22 predictor variables for crop yield and residual weed density, respectively, and both were trained on 80% of the data with the remainder used as a test set to determine model accuracy. Both models had pseudo-R2 values of over 0.50 and accuracy over 80%. The models showed that crop yield was higher in the Northwest compared to the Midwest region, while higher average temperatures during early season growth and planting midseason (June-July) predicted greater crop yield compared to other time periods. The use of row cultivation was associated with lower snap bean yield and weed density, suggesting row cultivation had less-than-ideal selectivity between the crop and weed. Moreover, multiple spring tillage operations prior to planting were linked with an increase in weed density, implying that excessive tillage may favor the emergence of residual weeds in snap bean. Over the coming decades, climate change-driven weather variability is likely to influence snap bean production, both directly through crop growth and indirectly through weeds that escape control practices that also are influenced by the weather.

  PublisherDOI

• Systemic Uptake of Rhodamine Tracers Quantified by Fluorescence Imaging: Applications for Enhanced Crop–Weed Detection

  AgriEngineering · 2025-02-20 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Systemic fluorescence tracers introduced into crop plants provide an active signal for crop–weed differentiation that can be exploited for precision weed management. Rhodamine B (RB), a widely used tracer for seeds and seedlings, possesses desirable properties; however, its application as a seed treatment has been limited due to potential phytotoxic effects on seedling growth. Therefore, investigating mitigation strategies or alternative systemic tracers is necessary to fully leverage active signaling for crop–weed differentiation. This study aimed to identify and address the phytotoxicity concerns associated with Rhodamine B and evaluate Rhodamine WT and Sulforhodamine B as potential alternatives. A custom 2D fluorescence imaging system, along with analytical methods, was developed to optimize fluorescence imaging quality and facilitate quantitative characterization of fluorescence intensity and patterns in plant seedlings, individual leaves, and leaf disc samples. Rhodamine compounds were applied as seed treatments or in-furrow (soil application). Rhodamine B phytotoxicity was mitigated by growing in a sand and perlite media due to the adsorption of RB to perlite. Additionally, in-furrow and seed treatment methods were tested for Rhodamine WT and Sulforhodamine B to evaluate their efficacy as non-phytotoxic alternatives. Experimental results demonstrated that Rhodamine B applied via seed pelleting and Rhodamine WT used as a direct seed treatment were the most effective approaches. A case study was conducted to assess fluorescence signal intensity for crop–weed differentiation at a crop–weed seed distance of 2.5 cm (1 inch). Results indicated that fluorescence from both Rhodamine B via seed pelleting and Rhodamine WT as seed treatment was clearly detected in plant tissues and was ~10× higher than that from neighboring weed plant tissues. These findings suggest that RB ap-plied via seed pelleting effectively differentiates plant seedlings from weeds with reduced phytotoxicity, while Rhodamine WT as seed treatment offers a viable, non-phytotoxic alternative. In conclusion, the combination of the developed fluorescence imaging system and RB seed pelleting presents a promising technology for crop–weed differentiation and precision weed management. Additionally, Rhodamine WT, when used as a seed treatment, provides satisfactory efficacy as a non-phytotoxic alternative, further expanding the options for fluorescence-based crop–weed differentiation in weed management.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• A. Stanley Culpepper

  University of Georgia

  18 shared

• Tyler J. Slonecki

  U.S. Vegetable Laboratory

  9 shared

• Lawrence E. Steckel

  University of Tennessee at Knoxville

  9 shared

• Bradley D. Hanson

  9 shared

• Philip A. Wadl

  United States Department of Agriculture

  9 shared

• Thierry E. Besançon

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  8 shared

• Junming Wang

  6 shared

• Theodore M. Webster

  6 shared

Labs

• Sosnoskie LabPI

Education

• B.S., Biology

  Lebanon Valley College

• M.S., Plant Pathology

  University of Delaware

• Ph.D., Weed Science

  Ohio State