"Sudangrass get very tall. It outcompetes the thistle for light. The Sudangrass creates shade so photosynthesis cannot occur in the thistle," said U of I weed scientist John Masiunas. "In our test plots, primarily in the northern part of Illinois, we've seen 95 percent control, so farmers can plant a cash crop the following year in the patch that had been infected with Canada thistle."
Research about Sudangrass has been conducted by graduate student Abram Bicksler and research specialist Dan Anderson. Masiunas stressed that Canada thistle is usually found in patches and that the timing is critical for planting Sudangrass to combat the thistle.
Read the full release at the University of Illinois website.
