Abstract Detail

Teaching Section

Singh, Santokh [1], Mehroke, Jarnail [2], Fung, Lanie [3].

Sustainable weed control project: Involvement of the Faculty, Staff, and Undergraduate Research students in Sustainability Teaching and Learning.

We have developed and implemented a sustainability research project using the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus as a “Living Laboratory”. It involved an active collaboration between faculty members, staff and undergraduate research students. The UBC staff at the Building Operations department identified the need for using organic, sustainable method to control weeds in the campus landscape areas. Working under my supervision, undergraduate research students designed and implemented experiments on sustainable organic weed control. Organic herbicides have been found to be effective in weed control. We examined the efficacy of two organic herbicides, Topgun and Ecoclear for control of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), and Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). In addition to the heterogeneous solutions of Topgun and Ecoclear, various combinations, and mixtures were tested to monitor their effects on (re)growth, and mortality of these weeds. Mixtures of the Topgun and Ecoclear were found to be the most effective treatments in rapidly killing the shoots of both Canada thistle and Giant hogweed. Through protein analysis we found that Rubisco and Light Harvesting Complex were the major leaf proteins degraded by these herbicides. The physiological significance of the role of these herbicides in weed control will be discussed.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University of British Columbia, Botany, #3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
2 - University of British Columbia, Botany, #3529-6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
3 - University of British Columbia, #3529-6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

Keywords:
Canada thistle
Ecoclear
proteins
sustainability
Topgun.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Grand Salon A - D/Riverside Hilton
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PTE010
Abstract ID:945
Candidate for Awards:None