MREC graduate student Yuvraj Khamare won the Florida Weed Science Society’s Research Paper competition for his publication, Substrate stratification and fertilizer placement as a weed management tool in container nursery production.
Khamare, an environmental horticulture graduate student focusing on weed management, was recently given the award by the Florida Weed Science Society after beating out 15 other students, who were required to present their research.
The paper examined the effect of stratified substrates and fertilizer placement on the growth of common nursery weeds. Substrate stratification refers to the process of filling nursery containers with “layers” of different sized pine mulch to improve drainage, optimize fertilizer use, or accomplish other growth goals.
Results indicated that substrate stratification along with strategic fertilizer placement could be utilized as an effective weed management tool. This would allow growers (homeowners) to manage weeds more effectively in chemically sensitive crops for which there are no labelled or effective herbicide solutions available. This will also allow them to manage weeds more effectively, significantly reduce their labor, pesticide, and fertilizer costs. The manuscript will be published by the end of the year.
“I want to thank the Florida Weed Science Society for recognizing this manuscript and our research,” Khamare said.
Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha) coverage at 20 weeks after potting. 0.95:TO = 0.95 cm pine bark (PB) incorporated with CRF throughout the container, 1.3:TO = 1.3 cm pine bark (PB) incorporated with CRF throughout the container, 1.9:TO = 1.9 cm pine bark (PB) incorporated with CRF throughout the container, 1.9:S:5: N/F = 1.9 cm bark with fines removed, applied at a 5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.3:S:5 = 1.3 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.3:S:7.5 =1.3 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 7.5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.9:S:5 =1.9 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.9:S:7.5 = 1.9 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 7.5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated. Credit: Yuvraj Khamare, UF/IFASBittercress (Cardamine flexuosa) at 10 weeks after seeding. 0.95:TO = 0.95 cm pine bark (PB) incorporated with CRF (Controlled Release Fertilizer) throughout the container, 1.3:S:5 = 1.3 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.3:S:7.5 =1.3 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 7.5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.9:S:5 =1.9 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.9:S:7.5 = 1.9 cm PB as top substrate applied at a 7.5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated, 1.3:TO = 1.3 cm pine bark (PB) incorporated with CRF throughout the container, 1.9:TO = 1.9 cm pine bark (PB) incorporated with CRF throughout the container, 1.9:S:5:N/F = 1.9 cm bark with fines removed, applied at a 5 cm depth with 0.95 cm bark as the bottom substrate with CRF incorporated. Photo credit: Yuvraj Khamare, UF/IFAS
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