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Weed Workshop
Looks At Alternatives |
20
On May 19th, about 20 participants gathered at Pikalok Farms
in Firebaugh. The meeting focused on weed management alternatives
to save growers both time and money.
First up on the agenda was UC IPM weed ecologist
Anil Shrestha whose main message touts weed seed management
as essential to healthy agriculture. Anil believes in the
likelihood “that herbicide –resistant weeds
will produce seeds who will in turn germinate and produce
plants which are also herbicide-resistant. As we eliminate
susceptible plants, the population of the resistant plants
will increase. This may change the volume and diversity
of the seed bank, and call for a change in our current weed-management
strategies.”
Even for growers who are not using chemical
weed control, weed-seed banks are still a very important
issue. “Most weeds start their life cycle from a single
seed in the soil. If these weeds escape control, they will
grow and produce thousands more seeds.” Some seeds
die within a few years or are eliminated from the seed bank
for other reasons, such as by being eaten by insects or
other vertebrates, by physical damage in agricultural processes,
or getting buried too deep in the soil to germinate. However,
some will germinate, grow and produce more seeds.
Different Methods
Preventing weeds from setting seeds will always pay
off in the long run. Anil suggests several approaches in
his article titled “Sowing Misfortunate.” He
promotes the implementation of measures that prevent existing
weeds from producing seeds, which in turn will limit future
weed populations and limit the addition of herbicide-resistant
weed seeds to the seed bank. Some measures to minimize weed
escapes in the field include: post harvest management to
prevent seed set by weeds that continue to grow after crop
harvest; cleaning equipment properly after use in a weedy
field; crop and herbicide rotation to help change the composition
of the seed bank from undesirable to desirable species.
For a copy of the complete article,
contact Anil at anil@uckac.edu
Equipment
Steve Melanca and Jess Herrera from Thomason Tractor
in Firebaugh demonstrated the latest weed control equipment
including the Weed Seeker sprayer. The Weed Seeker optically
detects and sprays weeds. It does not spray bare ground.
Use of the sprayer reduces chemical and spray volume. Steve
and Jess would be happy to show you how it works.
Organic Products
Mike Woods from Bioganics presented information on their
Matran 2 product. Matran 2 is a post-emergent, non-selective
herbicide that is fast acting and provides effective control
of grasses and broadleaf weeds. The product can be used
in organic and IPM systems. It has zero restricted entry
interval, so one can enter the field as soon as the spray
has dried. Matran controls most weeds within hours of application.
Mike supplied field trial data which showed the product’s
effectiveness on several different types of weeds.
For more information, contact Mike
at 209-606-2737.
Natural Foam
Another interesting alternative to herbicides was the Waipuna
Foamer. Originally developed in New Zealand, and demonstrated
by Ian Webster, the Waipuna Systems does not use an herbicide
and requires no registration as an herbicide. The foam produced
is 100% natural, made from a non-toxic extract from corn
and coconut sugar and is completely biodegradable. The heat
from the system breaks down the cellular structure of the
plant, immediately starting the decomposition process. The
results can be clearly observed within hours of treatment.
Ian moved the Waipuna out to the field and
demonstrated how the foam covered the area immediately.
The treated area can be revegetated or used within minutes
of treatment and the foam can be applied in windy conditions
or even light rain. The Waipuna system has been used in
California for many municipal uses, parks, schools, municipal
areas and agricultural operations. For
more information contact Ian Webster at 630-514-1501.
Looking at weed control options can provide
growers with cost saving ideas. Using systems that reduce
chemicals or don’t involve registered chemicals can
save time and help meet clean water regulations.
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