Surf the Turf

I recently wrote a cover story for Science News titled "Herbal Herbicides." It introduced many of the magazine's readers--including members of my own family--to the concept of allelopathy. This chemical warfare, carried out by one plant species against others, can get pretty brutal. In extreme cases, the soil around an aggressor can become barren of any species other than its own. More often, an antisocial plant may just seed its immediate vicinity with poisons against its primary competitors.

In any case, the story focused on plenty of agricultural examples, pointing to how the harnessing of plants that secrete selective herbicidal poisons might eventually save farmers a small fortune on buying and applying synthetic pesticides. This weed-control strategy would also be good for the environment since the plant-secreted chemicals are released only where and as needed.

Even my dad, more an engineer than science junky, read the piece through to the very end, digesting and absorbing its chemistry. In fact, it was he who drew the story's attention to my sister (a nurse who ordinarily would never read the mag).

Her reaction, minutes later, mimicked that of so many other readers: She wanted more details about Intrigue--the sole horticultural example in the story. I had reported that this turf grass, a commercially available fine fescue, is undergoing field trials by New York State officials because of its innate allelopathic weed resistance.

Cornell University data has just demonstrated, I noted, that such strongly allelopathic fescues "create dense carpets of bright green grass that grow slowly, so they need little mowing. They also resist disease, tolerate shade or full sun, and inhibit at least 20 of the most common urban weeds, thereby needing no help from herbicides." Photos illustrated just how weed repellent such turf grasses have proven.

My sis, like everyone else who contacted me, wanted to know where they could find Intrigue. I had no idea, so I suggested they try scouting vendors via the Web.

But what really pleases me is the reaction most people have had to this example of explanatory journalism, one that has brought an important biological concept onto the radar screens of even Harry and Harriet Homeowner. I know they're jazzed by the idea of low- or no-maintenance lawns. However, while considering this greener approach to turf management, they've also wrapped their heads around some new and very practical science.

Now how cool is that?