WHEN A COMMON NUISANCE IS AN OCCASIONAL DELICACY

Professor Applies $300,000 National Science Foundation Grant to Research of Unique Amaranthus Weed

When most people think about weeds, the thoughts are probably brief and unpleasant. Most of us learned early to view weeds as unsightly yard pests that must be chemically destroyed or simply “whacked” away during the weekly lawn upkeep.

But one chat with Dr. Yolander Youngblood can give anyone a whole new perspective on at least one unique and fast-growing weed. Youngblood, an assistant professor of biology at Prairie View A&M University’s College of Arts and Sciences, recently persuaded the National Science Foundation (NSF) that a weed known as Amaranthus palmeri is well worth a substantial, three-year research effort funded by a $300,000 NSF grant.

Amaranthus palmeri grows throughout much of North America and is native to the southern United States. It can survive drought, respond to high levels of available nutrients, and one of its versions is resistant to traditional pesticides. The weed also competes against warm season crops, and reproduces through prolific seed production.

The Amaranthus weed is often described as “aggressive” because it matures so rapidly that it steals resources from surrounding plants, says Youngblood. “The neighboring crop plants typically take a longer time to start growing. The Amaranthus seeds are tiny, and for every 100 seeds, only about five are going to survive, but once they survive, they can produce thousands more.”

Youngblood’s research is aimed at controlling the rapid growth of the Amaranthus palmeri. If the weed’s growth can be slowed, the cost of pesticides could be reduced by 20 percent or more. “But even without that, we could cause less damage,” she observes. From an environmental standpoint, Youngblood is seeking a way to control the rare weed’s growth by identifying the best time to add the least amount of chemicals to suppress the growth.

“Doing that would cause less harm to the environment, reduce the amount of money farmers need to spend in terms of controlling the weed’s growth and lessen the overall impact of the weed,” Youngblood adds.

IF THE WEED’S GROWTH CAN BE SLOWED,

THE COST OF PESTICIDES COULD BE REDUCED BY 20 PERCENT OR MORE.

Interestingly, in Jamaica and other parts of the West Indies, Amaranthus is actually popular as a food, and its leaves are used for salads while the seeds are used as grains.

Having grown up on a farm in the South, Youngblood learned early to appreciate various forms of plant life, but did not expect to pursue a career that would involve studying weeds and how much they affect farms. “I am interested in plants and the surfaces of plant leaves because that’s the most obvious part of the plant,” she says. “If a plant is going to survive, it must have hearty leaves. It’s got to have something to protect it, and every environment is different.”

Youngblood says securing the NSF grant was a major breakthrough for her because previous requests-for-proposal (RFPs) had been declined. “The goal was to write 20 RFPs. By the time I reached number 20, I was sure one of my proposals would have to win acceptance,” she says, adding that it took about eight consecutive RFPs before she finally won the grant.

“When the call came about this one, I was very excited because this gives me the ability to make certain my students are hired,” she says, adding that her students have been resourceful at finding different sources of employment. “Now, they’re going to be leaving (graduating) in May but this group will help train the next group and I will have funding for them.” Along with the freedom from worrying about how to fund her research, Youngblood welcomes a chance to spend less time writing RFPs and more time writing about research results. Additionally, winning an NSF grant increases your odds of securing another and Youngblood says she’s optimistic about the chance to collaborate with other researchers.

“It frees up time to do some writing,” she says. “Because the goal is to get published and share the information. Writing RFPs and publishing each require a lot of time. And also, other researchers are more willing to collaborate when you bring something like an NSF grant to the table.”

Youngblood says she’s encouraged when students occasionally approach her to express interest in research opportunities. “I like research because it’s just a matter of helping you see that you can figure out things,” she says. “That’s all we’re doing — figuring out the answers. If my students are responsible and assertive about research, those are probably the two biggest things for me,” she says. o