Stunted Wheat

Stunted Wheat

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Dr. Ann C. Kennedy is a Soil Scientist/Soil Microbiologist: "I actually work for the

USDA Agricultural Research Service and I am based in Pullman, Washington, at Washington State University and this all started by looking at the stunted wheat that sometimes can occur in the early spring. 28 years ago we found out that there were bacteria that inhibited the growth of wheat in these areas that you will see that are very yellow as the rest of the crop is growing very wonderfully and is nice and green and lush. These organisms are only in the soil during that time period where we have a lot of freeze and thaw events. There is a phenomenon of poor grass or cereal growth in the early spring due to a lot of different reasons. Some people say it is the immobilization of the nitrogen or it could be pathogens or it could be cold feet or wet feet but we were looking at this growth, or lack of growth, and found these bacteria that were very selective in their inhibition of the wheat. I got tired of hurting wheat and thought well maybe we could use this phenomenon looking at weed control or weed management. In her sights, going after cheat grass.

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