Understanding Plant-Soil Interaction Could Lead to New Ways to Combat Weeds

Rachael Pine

Understanding Plant-Soil Interaction Could Lead to New Ways to Combat Weeds

 

I bet you among many other people are worried about the pesticides used in controlling weeds in crops. As well as being worried about GMO’s, genetically modified organisms, and the possible effects that can happen to humans in the future by the consumption of GMO’s. Microbial ecologist Tony Yannarell and colleagues from the University of Illinois have identified soil microbes that affect ragweed’s negatively. This has provided a new understanding of the relationships between plants and microorganisms happening beneath the soil. Tony Yannarell said that adding microbes to the soil has never been successful in the past, and the best approach is to introduce plants that attract microbe that are bad for ragweed’s.

This idea is fantastic it allows farmers to use this technique to help keep weeds away and this same plan can be used to attract microbes that can fight against pests and insects from harming the crops. It will help stop the use of GMO’s and harmful pesticides and human consumptions of these chemicals and GMO’s; along with the future problems they can create. This can give people more organic food as well as the possibility of becoming cheaper and more affordable allowing our country to become healthier.

            To be honest I never knew that some plants could attract microorganisms to prevent or attack weeds, pests, or insects from attacking the crops being grown. I thought the only way to remove them would to be constant attention to pull or remove them as well as using chemicals to prevent the crops from being harmed.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140325133548.htm