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Group works to fight jointed goatgrassBy Larry Dreiling
This is the story of a committed group of weed scientists and producers who saw a need for collaborative research on ways to reduce and control jointed goatgrass (JGG) and, above all, communicate the latest control methods research to farming at large. Therein lies a story within the story, or least a new manual they have created entitled Best Management Practices for the Control of Jointed Goatgrass-A Multi-Practice Approach for Dryland Wheat Producers. It all began in October 1993, when a meeting was held in Denver to examine all the different jointed goatgrass research programs going on at the time. It was found there was duplication of effort and little coordination between scientists. One of the producers in attendance was Doug Schmale, of Lodgepole, Neb., then a member of the Nebraska Wheat Board. For years, Schmale had been active in farm policy debates as a member of the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association. From policy to research Once he joined NWB, Schmale shifted his efforts from policy toward expanding wheat research efforts. One of his interests became ways to reduce jointed goatgrass populations. "We had a real problem with jointed goatgrass across the Great Plains in 1993," Schmale explained recently. "It was a serious problem, and a potentially disastrous problem. We needed to address the issue before things collapsed around us. "We had the National Agricultural Statistics Service do a survey in the mid-80s to determine the amount of infestation. From that, we knew we needed a national meeting over the research on controlling this. We found out we had a lot of duplication of effort." Schmale and the others in attendance at that meeting worked in the formation of the National Jointed Goatgrass Steering Committee, an 11-member body of wheat producers, wheat commission administrators, Extension specialists, and state and federal researchers. The task of the steering committee was and is to establish priorities, review research proposals from scientists, control allocation of funds, and ensure coordination of all programs, so there is no duplication of effort. Research grants are awarded annually through a national merit-based competition. Preferences are given to proposals that include multi-states, multi-scientists, and have strong economic and technology transfer components. New part-time job Schmale's interest in jointed goatgrass control became so passionate that he was hired as Extension coordinator for the Great Plains states to the committee. For purposes of funding under a federal grant, Schmale works for Washington State University. He is listed as a primary author of the supplement. "I became a steering committee member until my term on the Wheat Board ended, but I still dabbled in looking at the research and continued to get the mailings," Schmale said. "In the course of time, they had a position open up as Extension coordinator to finish the job of compiling this supplement. "I took it as a part-time position because I think it dovetails with the things I do when I'm not farming, which includes reading about research and going to meetings to learn new things." Still, Schmale admits it is unusual for a person without the title "Dr." attached to his name to be a lead writer on such a project. "Did I anticipate being one of the principal writers on this when we started? No, but I think we have a useful product," Schmale said. "What comes out of this is a multi-practice approach. It's not a matter of one thing. There is no one magic bullet. "What we've learned over all the years of research is that our climate is so variable from location to location and from year to year. Our cropping systems are different geographically, even in the central Great Plains. There are things you can do to clean up a horrible mess with the stuff and ways you can keep suppressing it." Team praise Schmale said he's proud of the document that supplements this week's edition of HPJ and of the people who created it. "The whole team in this is really a neat bunch of scientists and others," Schmale said. "Look at the scope of this thing. It was set up to run from Washington state all the way down to Texas. You have a broad spectrum of experience and outlooks. Darrell Hanavan, of Colorado Wheat, has been our chairman since day one. He has been tremendous in this job." The multiple best management practices the committee has viewed as effective include the use of Clearfield wheat varieties, crop rotation and, at least in Schmale's mind, some limited tillage. That's led to some interesting discussions between Schmale and a few scientists on the committee. Take Dr. Phil Westra, professor and Extension weed science specialist at Colorado State University, on Schmale's view on tillage. "Doug is a good farmer, but he's a proponent of plowing. Not everyone should plow to deal with goatgrass. We have a difference of opinion about how often and how hard it should be used," Westra said. Another view Meanwhile, a scientist in residence nearer to Schmale is willing to see his side, somewhat. "I'm not as dogmatic about no-till as others are," said Dr. Drew Lyon, professor and dryland cropping systems specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff. "I think if it's used wisely and infrequently, there can be a role for tillage. It's not something that ought to be used on every field every year." Somewhat in the middle of the discussion is Dr. Phil Stahlman, professor and research weed scientist at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center-Hays. Stahlman's thoughts: "What you want to do is turn that soil over so that you bury the seed deeply enough that it cannot emerge. That requires a very complete inversion. That's the paradox of trying to remove jointed goatgrass while preserving topsoil. "In most cases, I don't think we need to go that route; but, if you do find yourself in an extreme situation of dense infiltration, perhaps it's an option. It needs to be used strategically and not as a common practice." Let's have Schmale get in the last word about a plow as a BMP. "Phil Westra would be the big Clearfield guy and Phil Stahlman is the big Clearfield and crop rotation guy," Schmale said. "Plowing is another management tool that is not commonly discussed in university research systems. However, the research we did at North Platte showed that a moldboard plow can be an effective implement for the control of goatgrass if used properly. "I stress it's for a one-time use. Go in, clean things up and use other management practices to keep it under control. It's one of three things, including Clearfield and rotations, you can use to go after a serious infestation." Do what suits you All the principals interviewed for this feature agree that jointed goatgrass is a huge burden to High Plains wheat production. Yet, not every method may be the right one for all. "Rotations are the best method, but it's not the best option for every producer," Schmale said. "It's easier to do crop rotations in Hays, Kan., than it is in Carpenter, Wyo. You've got a whole lot more options to the east. A moldboard can reduce the number of plants the Clearfield has to control in the future. "The goal isn't to suggest that people go back to their plows every summer. It is a management strategy that isn't often talked about in the university research systems because of the erosion problems inherent to it. Rather, the goal is to give producers every option, to let them pick and choose, and to think about what works best for them. It's a widespread problem, so do what suits you." Wise words In summary, here's a few words from the wise on jointed goatgrass control: From Westra: "Goatgrass is a serious issue for so many producers. It can come from bin-run seed. It can come from custom cutters who don't clean their machines too well. What we're working on now is more into molecular genetics and biology to see if the Clearfield wheat gene can move into jointed goatgrass. The concern is we don't want to have this resistance trait going from wheat into the jointed goatgrass. Then you couldn't control it with Clearfield, either. Be vigilant. Stay on top of things and have a game plan. Don't just leave it to lady luck. We've worked hard to develop this technology that makes sense." From Stahlman: "The technology of Clearfield wheat is very effective in reducing JGG plant populations compared with conventional wheat grown using BMPs. Applying imazamox at a lower-than-recommended rate and using bin-run seed results in higher JGG population and significantly lower wheat yield. Just using BMPs can offer a dramatic decrease in goatgrass. You can also use the Clearfield system for one or two years and reduce it even further, then return to conventional wheat. We may not eliminate it but may reduce it to where it's a minimally economic problem." Grow better wheat It's this kind of diversity of opinions expressed while still finding consensus that Schmale and the scientists all found heartening. Schmale said he enjoys the collaborative process and the respect that all on the committee have for each other's thinking. "A lot of these things we've discussed not only help control goatgrass, they help you grow better wheat," Schmale said. "It makes you ask the question, 'Do you grow wheat where you have weeds or do you grow weeds where you have good wheat?' It's not one or the other; it's both. It's about multi-practice controls and that will lead to them growing better wheat. It all goes hand in hand. "The program has provided good information to producers and interesting genetic research to the scientist. There has been a lot of research done that has increased our knowledge base. We now have Clearfield wheat. We have developed BMPs to help in control. We have scientists in Idaho and Oregon looking into the genetics of jointed goatgrass. It's adding to our knowledge base to make sure we have viable information." For his work on this project, Schmale was named in 2001 as an honorary member of Western Society of Weed Science. While he admits that is a great honor, he's said he's more honored to serve as a leader in developing something his fellow producers can well use. He's also proud of the collaborative spirit of the committee that presents the supplement to the producer. "It's a great model and a lot of other groups are trying to copy this committee's work style because you likely never saw this kind of multi-state collaborative research before," Schmale said. Rather than have one state, we had several. USDA said this is one of the best earmarks we've ever had to administer." Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at ldreiling@aol.com. 7/14/08 Date: 7/9/08 Advertisement
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