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Judi Lynn

(162,336 posts)
Mon Aug 19, 2024, 01:20 AM Aug 19

College student develops innovative solution to fight major invasive species wreaking havoc on the Midwest:

'There are few miracle fixes in the world'

Susan Elizabeth Turek
August 4, 2024·3 min read

Michigan Tech student Abe Stone's concoction may start out as odd-looking gelatinous blobs, but those orbs may hold the key to fighting an invasive species wreaking havoc in the Midwest.

In March, the university's research blog detailed how Stone is using the lab-nicknamed "SuperPurp" — a nod to the animated show Adventure Time — to battle two species of buckthorn trees that are throwing native ecosystems out of balance.

The undergraduate student, who is studying ecology and evolutionary biology, developed the sprayable "mushroom soup" after discovering a more efficient way to propagate chondrostereum purpureum — the fungus that causes silverleaf disease in trees.

His method results in the orb-like growth that is easier to turn into a chemical-free alternative to control buckthorn. Ultimately, Stone hopes that his research will become a proven method of removing the invasive trees without contaminating nearby species with toxins.

More:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/college-student-develops-innovative-solution-000000016.html

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College student develops innovative solution to fight major invasive species wreaking havoc on the Midwest: (Original Post) Judi Lynn Aug 19 OP
watch out for unintended cconsequences nt msongs Aug 19 #1
From the article... Hermit-The-Prog Aug 19 #3
Darn Figarosmom Aug 19 #2
Saw "Midwest" and hoped it would be about Amur honeysuckle . . . hatrack Aug 20 #5
Mesquite Trees evemac Aug 19 #4

Hermit-The-Prog

(36,562 posts)
3. From the article...
Mon Aug 19, 2024, 01:53 AM
Aug 19
"Typically, it causes an infection that slowly affects the tree, causing a silvering color on the leaves, eventual death of some branches and often the entire tree," Stone said in the blog. "It is very much a part of the forest ecosystem and has been around for thousands of years. In its natural state, it only infects trees with significant wounds and wouldn't wipe out an entire forest."

hatrack

(60,730 posts)
5. Saw "Midwest" and hoped it would be about Amur honeysuckle . . .
Tue Aug 20, 2024, 06:57 AM
Aug 20

Alas, no. Back to the loppers and Tordon.

evemac

(168 posts)
4. Mesquite Trees
Mon Aug 19, 2024, 02:03 AM
Aug 19

We need something like this to eradicate invasive mesquite. Ranchers use diesel and herbicides to kill these trees. Mesquite trees impact the water table, and the only way to get rid of them presently without using poison is to grub them out with a bulldozer.

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