A common fungus could blanch dandelions out of existence by robbing the pesky weeds of the green-colored chlorophyll they need to live, Canadian researchers have announced.
The fungus could replace certain chemical herbicides, some of which have been banned because of environmental and health concerns in a growing number of cities.
Scientists at Agriculture Canada found the naturally occurring fungus, called Phoma macrostoma, can be spread on soil to prevent weeds from growing, without harming grass.
“It causes those plants to turn white so they don’t produce any chlorophyll,” said researcher Karen Bailey. “If plants don’t produce chlorophyll, they don’t grow, so they die very quickly."
80 percent success
The fungi was isolated from sickly Canada thistles across the country. Trials show that spreading the flour-like fungi on freshly planted or clean lawns prevents more than 80 percent of weeds from growing, Bailey said.
“If you’re going to seed a lawn or want to prevent weeds from entering into an area, that would be how it would be used,” she said.
The organisms live about four months in soil before they start to die. By the following year they are gone, Bailey said.
“We don’t want (the fungi) to really change that microbial balance, because that’s not the only living thing in the soil,” she said.
The department has a three-year research agreement with The Scotts Co., maker of Miracle-Gro fertilizer and other gardening products. It gives Scotts the first right to commercialize the fungi if it is found to be safe and economical to produce in large quantities.
Scotts also markets Killex, a synthetic herbicide that uses 2,4-D to kill weeds after they have emerged.
Scotts sees 'huge' potential
The potential market for the fungi is “huge,” said Barry Maynard, vice president and general manager of Scotts Canada.
“Whether it’s golf courses or cemeteries or consumer lawns, basically it could have appeal for all those different areas to use the product,” Maynard said.
The fungi could be on shelves in four to six years, Bailey said, if the research continues to show promise.
But first, researchers need to figure out how to formulate, package and store the living organisms, which are sensitive to temperatures and moisture.
“It naturally exists in the environment. The challenge is: How do you harness it?” Maynard said.
