Cheatgrass suppressive bacteria and cropland

Farm and Ranch April 23, 2009 Earlier this week we reported that northwest scientists were receiving a 500-thousand dollar grant to do further research on a bacteria to suppress cheatgrass in rangeland. What about cropland? USDA Agricultural Research Service scientist Ann Kennedy at Washington State University discovered the cheatgrass suppressive organism. She says the bacteria works better in rangeland because it is undisturbed as opposed to conventionally farmed cropland. But then there is no-till. Kennedy: "Initially when we were looking at these cheatgrass inhibitory organisms several years ago we were working in no-till fields, and I think yes we need to revisit that now because having that intact soil, having that residue on the soil and little disturbance we probably should go back and look at fields that were treated a couple of years ago. We actually have some funding from the Washington Turfgrass Seed Commission to look at turf fields to see if we get the same reduction in cheatgrass grass that we get in rangeland. So, I think there is multiple uses for this organism if we are talking about intact soil systems." Kennedy says the challenge in no-till and even turf grass may be delivering the organism to the soil through heavy residue. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.