The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-07-05, Page 25GOD ERICH SIG -NAI. -TAR, THURSDAY, JULY 5, 1979—PAGE 7A
An intensive survey is
underway to track down
Johnson grass, one -of
Ontario's "newest weeds
before it becomes a
threat to crop production.
Althoug.h Johnson•
grass is listed as one of
the most important
weeds •in _ the • United
States, it wasn't
recognized as a pro.blem
in Ontario until 1971, says
Dr. Jack Alex of the
department . of
Environmental Biology,
University of Guelph. The
first specimen was Found
in the late 1950s. Then in
1971, the weed was
identified in Essex and
Kent• counties The
following year it was
,discovered in Elgin
county and in the regions
of York and Waterloo.
Dr. Alex says the weed
probably came into the
province as an impurity
in seed, probably in a
-forage mixture.,
In its early, stages,
Johnson grass resembles
the corn plant. However,
it has a slender stalk and
can be distinguished by
its Targe seed head which
can- tower three to' four
feet (1 to 1.2 metres)
above the corn.
In the warmer climes
ot• - -the United- States,
Johnson grass is a
perennial weed that is
extremely difficult to
eradicate. It chokes out
corn and other crops and
its' rhizomes can harbor
coin mosaic virus. -
"Until 1978, every, •
Johnson grass plant in
Ontario was reproduced
annually by seed," says
Dr. Alex.
"Last year we found
.several plants near
Pari -s, Ontario, that had"
overwintered and
reproduced by rhizomes
beneath the soil."
The Johnson -grass
survey is a joint project
of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and. Food and
the University of Guelph.
Areas to he surveyed this
summer include portions
of Essex, Kent, Elgin,
Brant, Bruce and Huron
counties and the regions
of Waterloo; York and
possibly Halton.
"The survey requires the
co-operation of farmers.,"
says Do -ug. McLaren,
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food
soils and crops branch.
`.`We are interviewing
farmers to try to find out
how -the weed came onto
their "farms and to track
down neighboring pat-
ches of Johnson grass."
The survey staff will
dig up plants periodically
-during the summer to
check the development of
rhizomes the sign of
perennial reproduction.
One plant is capable' of
producing many rhizome
branches_.•sv-hi•ch may total
tip td 200 feet (61 metres)
in one season.
"Although Johnson
grass is listed as a
noxious weed, the pur-
pose of the survey is to
locate plants, not to
enforce the Noxious Weed
Act," says Mr. McLaren.
During the survey,
staff will keep an eye
open for proso millet,
another new annual
weed. This grass also
called broomcorn millet,
stands bout wt high
and has eit - �r arge erect
pyramid -shaped seed
heads or one- sided
drooping heads.
Farmers can help the
survey by reporting
suspect plants to Dr. Alex-` or Mr. McLaren at the _
University of Guelph or
by calling local
agriculture offices.
Pregnant
Your
mess!
Ministers open museum
Agriculture and Food Minister, Bill Newman (left), Minister of Tran-
sportation and Communications, James Snow (centre), and former Ontario
Agriculture Minister, Bill Stewart, pull the whistle of a 1920's steam engine
to mark the .official opening of the Ontario Agricultural Museum. The
museum located five km. west of Milton is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 -p.m.
until Thanksgiving. (photo courtesy of