By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Lack of funding is a big reason the genetic code for weeds hasn’t been cracked, according to an official with the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA); and Lee Van Wychen said not to expect a breakthrough in the foreseeable future.

“Until this becomes a priority for society and we get a push in public funding, we likely won’t crack the genetic code anytime soon,” said Van Wychen, director of science policy for the organization.
“It comes down to public demand for doing research. It hasn’t been a priority. Weeds are real survivors, and we’re not cracking the genetic code like we should be.”

WSSA, founded more than 50 years ago, is a nonprofit scientific society which promotes research, education and extension outreach related to weeds, Van Wychen said. The society serves as information brokers for organizations who do research, such as land grant universities, industry and private consultants.

The research community is in its infancy of understanding the genetic code of weeds, he added.

“In breaking the code, that helps us to be better land managers,” he said. “For farmers, these plants are growing where you don’t want them to be. We’re trying to kill all of them. From an economic standpoint for farmers, the damage weeds do is worse than any gains there might be from them.”

Interest in learning more about weed genetics began in the early 1980s with the development of herbicide-resistance in weeds, said Michael E. Foley, research leader for plant science research with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Fargo, N.D.

“We began to ask questions that needed to be answered genetically,” he said. “We were trying to figure out why there are herbicide-resistant weeds.”

Farmers will benefit from learning more about the genetic code of weeds, Foley said. “We’re working on new solutions for integrated weed management. That‘s the bottom line,” he said. “We’re looking for any new tool you can stick out there to try to control these things.”

Research has been slowed by funding shortages and because of the small number of people working on weed gene research, Foley explained.

“They really don’t make a lot of tools for weed scientists to work with,” he said. “We’re really just getting a good start on it.”
Scientists in Foley’s office, in collaboration with South Dakota State University, recently cloned a seed dormancy gene from weedy, or red, rice, he said.

“In doing this, we learned a lot,” he said. “Map-based cloning isn’t a trivial pursuit. But the science is in its infancy.”