Comments on: Is this a lesson in how to grow superweeds which outgrow our food crops?

By: linlyons

linlyons — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:55:59 +0000

here in Calif, we have the California thistle.

http://www.dowagro.com/nz/resource/calthistle.htm
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/biological_resources/weeds/plants/scotch_thistle.html
http://flickr.com/photos/roddh/228328401/

oh my, or is it Scotch thistle? i think so.

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/biological_resources/weeds/plants/scotch_thistle.html

the first time i ever saw one was 10 years ago.
today, there are fields full of them.
superman would be proud. (darn, where’s the kryptonite when we need it?)
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By: little.robbergirl

little.robbergirl — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:48:59 +0000

good points. yes, arms race sums it up.

a silver lining; many ‘weeds’ are medicinal plants originally allowed to live on the margins for that reason, or can be eaten themselves (i understand the kudzu mentioned in previous answer is edible, and japanese knotweed which we have in uk definitely is).
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By: TWO SOCKS

TWO SOCKS — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:17:59 +0000

Here in the U.S. we are hard- headed. We imported Kudzu, tried to eradicate kudzu because it takes over people's lawns but it has survived by adapting to every method we yanks have tried. Yes these are lessons we should learn. It's better to work with nature and the land instead of trying to subdue and change it.
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By: Poondi B

Poondi B — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:47:59 +0000

A right point is made albeit from a wrong angle.. The green revolution involving the breeding of High Yielding entries primarily in food crops, followed by commercial crops, was lauded as a boon at a time when people feared the impact of population explosion vis a vis a static agrl production..

But the HY varieties so evolved had to be fed well with concentrates (chemical fertilizers) just like we feed concentrate feed to the superior breeds of animals and birds to boost their production.. In fact they are called high yielders by virtue of their capacity to convert the chemical nutrients into food.. The world was thus saved from an impending famine by these hitechs..

But the use of fertilizers etc also made the other non target fauna to get strong and breed more intensively.. thus necessitating the herbicide intervention (as in those days the chemicals were the ready solution to all problematic issues – from control of malaria thru DDT spray to kill the vector mosquito.. use of antibiotics against the bacterial infections in humans, evolution of nylons, plastics so on and so forth to serve our expanding utilities..

So the effort was least to invite any problem like the production of super weeds as suggested in your title but the right intentions to solve more pressing human issues thru chemical techniques that seemed to offer the solutions.. But the unexpected fall outs thereof have been infinite such as the production of super weeds, resistant pests, new bacterial and fungal races causing more complex diseases in the flora and fauna of this planet..

So instead of finding faults on the scientific methods, in view of the fact that the scientists themselves have become aware of the risks of chemical methods and started exploring more natural alternatives – like use of bio fertilizers, bio control agents to control pests etc.. – we should all unite to meet the emerging challenges of this kind.. in the faith that Nature that had offered us infinite variety of solutions in the past would not fail to guide us to hit upon suitable solutions to contemporary issues as well..

Was not Opuntia introduced (in India by the British) originally as a hedge became a menace and was controlled with a mealy bug rather than thru chemicals ?

Chrysanthemum spp was found to control the nematodes that infested the Crosandra plants which had to be controlled earlier with costly pesticide granules.. As farmers learnt to grow a crop of Chrysanthemum after the Crosandra to clean the soil of the pathological nematodes, the problem was solved without any chemical..!

Lots of examples could be cited but I stop here and just emphasise that we can hit upon proper ways to manage the noxious fauna thru minor / non chemical alterations in the eco system, that easily fit into the natural ambience..
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By: Barrie O

Barrie O — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:38:59 +0000

That is very interesting. However, you hae not mentioned the important factor about weeds, they have such wonderful root systems. Dandelion
leaves grew flat to the ground 60 years ago when I was a kid. It is not a sudden evolution. Kangaroos in Australia have always nipped grass off above the root when grazing, sheep don’t. Kangaroos preserve their grazing stocks, sheep don’t. But what grass nibbler would ever want to eat bitter dandelions. At first I thought we could cultivate a dandelion
delight for sheep, but even if they did want to graze on this pest and even if then they did nip it off below ground level, the stock is so good it would only send up fresh shoots and start regrowing again more hardy than ever. Right now I am observing in my veggie patch millions of tiny bok choi seedlings emerging from seeds dropped by parent plants. They will almost smother out the weeds, but it depends upon whether there is excellent root remnants to send those things bursting up again. Of course, the risk remains that I only replace one pest with what can become another if this has good root stock. Ideally, however, something that builds up nitrogen rich nematodes would be preferable for planting into the soil and letting the weed root compost.
The situation is rife with possibilities, but what will work? It’s a heartbreaking road to nowhere but someday, somewhere, someone will find a good answer.

Yes, the situation is a lesson. A continuing one, in my opinion, not necessarily an individual good one, because farmers would be well aware of what you speak about. We in the cities only compare vegetable prices available to us and if we are aware, we have no eal idea of what it is all about and are not gooing to be responsible for deciding anything. Hope you can win.

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By: Randall E

Randall E — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:07:59 +0000

Superweed? Sounds intriguing!
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