New Bio-Pesticide Shows Weeds Who’s Boss

Sep 19, 2012

Weed-Killing Fungus Could Be a Farmers New Weapon in War on Weeds

Researcher Karen Bailey from Saskatoon’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has been studying a type of fungus that could potentially be used to fight broadleaf weeds without adverse effects on turf grass. The particular fungus being looked at is called Phoma macrostoma, which is a naturally occurring soil fungus that causes certain plants to die, including pesky dandelions.

Studies have shown that the fungus only moves about eight centimetres deep and less than thirty centimetres wide, making it a safer for use in areas with turf grass. The fungus is not traceable in treated soil after about a year, which allows for variety of crop to be grown again. "It turns certain plants white and eventually kills them," said Bailey, who's been researching the fungus since 1995.

The bio-pesticide has been registered in Canada and could potentially be on the market in granular form by 2014.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.