From milesc@wsu.eduWed May 1 22:24:01 1996 Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 17:05:04 -0800 From: "Carol A. Miles" To: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Nigthmare in the Tilling Fields Nigthmare in the Tilling Fields - this article just appeared in the Cornell Ag Viepoints Newsletter. It summarizes work by USDA-ARS scientist Doug Buhler in Rosemount, Minnesota. The work indicates that tilling soil in darkness can reduce small-seeded broadleaf weeds by 50-80%. Does anyone know if this work has been published and/or is the reference available? Have these results been documented elsewhere? A pointer to the author or others who have conducted this type of research would be appreciated. Buhler is apparantly located at the National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Carol A. Miles, Ph.D. Washington State University Extension Agricultural Systems 360 NW North Street Chehalis, WA 98532 PHONE 360-740-1295 FAX 360-740-2792 milesc@wsu.edu From matthew.norton@yale.eduThu May 2 22:31:40 1996 Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 15:28:58 -0400 (EDT) From: Matt Norton To: "Carol A. Miles" Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: Nigthmare in the Tilling Fields My grandfather sent me a clipping from the Peoria, IL newspaper (star-tribune?) about this USDA study... apparently, even the lights from a tractor or the moon are enough to negate the reduction in broadleaf weed emergence. The study involved driving tractors at night, in a new moon, with military-issue night vision goggles (I'd be willing to try it if only for the neighbors' reactions). The Peoria paper should be able to direct you to the study, if no one else sugggests a more direct route. Matt Norton On Wed, 1 May 1996, Carol A. Miles wrote: > Nigthmare in the Tilling Fields - this article just appeared in the Cornell > Ag Viepoints Newsletter. It summarizes work by USDA-ARS scientist Doug > Buhler in Rosemount, Minnesota. The work indicates that tilling soil in > darkness can reduce small-seeded broadleaf weeds by 50-80%. > > Does anyone know if this work has been published and/or is the reference > available? Have these results been documented elsewhere? A pointer to the > author or others who have conducted this type of research would be > appreciated. Buhler is apparantly located at the National Soil Tilth > Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. > > Carol A. Miles, Ph.D. > Washington State University > Extension Agricultural Systems > 360 NW North Street > Chehalis, WA 98532 > PHONE 360-740-1295 FAX 360-740-2792 > milesc@wsu.edu > > > From GEOFF.SEAVERS@bbsrc.ac.ukFri May 3 12:01:05 1996 Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 10:34:03 +0000 From: SEAVERSG To: Non Receipt Notification Requested Subject: Nigthmare? in the Tilling Fields Dear Carol, This idea of using dark cultivations to control weeds which are stimulated by light into germination is not a new one. Hartmann and Nezdal (1990) Naturwissenschaften 77, 158-163 reported very similar results to those you describe from the USDA author. The idea is based on the principal that the phytochrome system, which is responsible for many germination responses, will not be stimulated if cultivations are completed in the dark because of the absence of red light. There is a possible problem with the idea though. There are several weedy species which produce seeds which do not require red light in order to germinate. If dark cultivations were employed for any length of time the tendancy would be select for those species and populations and you could end up with a worse weed problem than you started with! Geoff Seavers IACR-Long Ashton Long Ashton Bristol BS18 9AF UK From SIMPSON@iss.nl Fri Sep 26 13:14:26 1997 Date: Fri, 26 Sep 1997 16:46:43 GMT+0100 From: Brent Simpson To: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." , lkrall@me.nrcs.usda.gov Subject: Re: night cultivation for weed control Dear Lawrence and Lisa, For what its worth I had the opportunity to visit the Thompson farm in Ames Iowa about three years. At that time Dick Thompson was planning a series of trials involving night planting and cultivation to control weeds, which I understand carried out. He keeps very good records of his research. You may be able to contact him directly, or through the Practical Farmers of Iowa. Cheers, Brent > On Thu, 25 Sep 1997, Lisa Krall wrote: > > > I'm working with an organic dairy farmer who's having a problem with > > jimson weed. She's interested in learning more about cultivating at > > night to inhibit weed seeds from germining. I saw some test plots of > > night cultivation at Cornell. Searched the web but can't find any info. > > on this or any other work being done. Any information on night > > cultivation or other ideas for organic control of jimson weed (this is > > in silage corn) would be appreciated. Thanks, Lisa Krall > > > > Lisa Krall, Agronomist > > USDA NRCS, New England > > http://sunsite.unc.edu/london/orgfarm/biocontrol/tilling-soil-in-darkness-to-reduce-weeds > > From milesc@wsu.eduWed May 1 22:24:01 1996 > Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 17:05:04 -0800 > From: "Carol A. Miles" > To: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu > Subject: Nightmare in the Tilling Fields > > Nightmare in the Tilling Fields - this article just appeared in the > Cornell Ag Viepoints Newsletter. It summarizes work by USDA-ARS scientist > Doug Buhler in Rosemount, Minnesota. The work indicates that tilling > soil in darkness can reduce small-seeded broadleaf weeds by 50-80%. > > Does anyone know if this work has been published and/or is the reference > available? Have these results been documented elsewhere? A pointer to the > author or others who have conducted this type of research would be > appreciated. Buhler is apparantly located at the National Soil Tilth > Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. > > Carol A. Miles, Ph.D. > Washington State University > Extension Agricultural Systems > 360 NW North Street > Chehalis, WA 98532 > PHONE 360-740-1295 FAX 360-740-2792 > milesc@wsu.edu > > Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 15:28:58 -0400 (EDT) > From: Matt Norton > Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu > Subject: Re: Nightmare in the Tilling Fields > > My grandfather sent me a clipping from the Peoria, IL newspaper > (star-tribune?) about this USDA study... apparently, even the lights from > a tractor or the moon are enough to negate the reduction in broadleaf > weed emergence. > > The study involved driving tractors at night, in a new moon, with > military-issue night vision goggles (I'd be willing to try it if only > for the neighbors' reactions). > > The Peoria paper should be able to direct you to the study, if no one > else sugggests a more direct route. > > Matt Norton > > > From GEOFF.SEAVERS@bbsrc.ac.ukFri May 3 12:01:05 1996 > Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 10:34:03 +0000 > From: SEAVERSG > Subject: Nightmare? in the Tilling Fields > > Dear Carol, > > This idea of using dark cultivations to control weeds which are stimulated > by light into germination is not a new one. Hartmann and Nezdal (1990) > Naturwissenschaften 77, 158-163 reported very similar results to those you > describe from the USDA author. > The idea is based on the principal that the phytochrome system, which is > responsible for many germination responses, will not be stimulated if > cultivations are completed in the dark because of the absence of red > light. > There is a possible problem with the idea though. There are several weedy > species which produce seeds which do not require red light in order to > germinate. If dark cultivations were employed for any length of time the > tendancy would be select for those species and populations and you could > end up > with a worse weed problem than you started with! > > Geoff Seavers > IACR-Long Ashton > Long Ashton > Bristol > BS18 9AF > UK > > > > ********************************* Brent M. Simpson Institute of Social Studies PO Box 29776 2502LT The Hague, The Netherlands email simpson@iss.nl Tel. (31) 70 4 260 460 Fax (31) 70 4 260 799