Lawn Care/Basics for Homeowners-Lawn Care/Weed Identification and Control/Weed Control/Biological Weed Control

Biological weed control by use of insects and other organisms is a rapidly growing field of agriculture and horticulture. In the future, any number of biological agents may be employed to control weeds in turf. For example, research attempting to identify dandelion diseases has been undertaken. Other possible biological agents may include bacteria, nematodes, insects, and viruses.

At present, however, practical and effective biological weed control in residential turf is not a reality. In other areas of agriculture and horticulture, biological controls are being investigated and used against many weeds, particularly newly introduced species

For further information, see the following websites:

http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/fea205.html
general discussion

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/weedfeeders/wdfdrtoc.html
(Insect Weed Controls)

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/pathogens/pathtoc.html
(microbe and plant disease weed controls)

http://www.co.weber.ut.us/weeds/control/biological.asp

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/journals/wurtz geese weed.pdf
(Paper on the use of domestic geese to control Quackgrass among pine seedlings)

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/bioweed.htm
(Biological weed control in British Columbia)

Some commercial companies already offer biological weed controls for species found in turf, such as those offered at:
http://www.integratedweedcontrol.com/insects.htm
(This is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute USEPA or Purdue University endorsement of any particular products or company

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an established permitting program for the importation and testing of biological weed controls:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/biological/weedbio.html

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Lawn Care/Basics for Homeowners-Lawn Care/Weed Identification and Control/Weed Control