DDGS Known to Produce Green Results

To control weeds, many commercial nursery owners resort to the expensive practice of paying workers to hand-weed containers. Some growers use herbicides, but efficacy of herbicides is questionable on the wide range of plant species produced in nurseries, and many herbicides are not registered for use in greenhouses.

Enter "dried distillers grains with solubles", or DDGS. DDGS, a byproduct of converting corn to fuel ethanol, is typically used as livestock feed. Rick A. Boydston, Harold P. Collins, and Steve Vaughn, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, undertook a research study on the use of DDGS as a weed deterrent on potted ornamentals. The study results, published in the February 2008 issue of HortScience, evaluated the use of DDGS as a soil amendment to suppress weeds in container-grown ornamentals, reports Innovations Report.

Dried distillers grains are becoming more readily available as ethanol production in the U.S. increases. The push to produce ethanol, a cleaner-burning alternative to gasoline, has gained interest as gasoline prices continue to soar. As production increases, finding new uses for byproducts like DDGS becomes more critical. Dr. Boydston sees the results of this and similar ARS studies as a win/win for ethanol producers and the agriculture industry, noting, "identifying new uses for byproducts likes distillers grains could increase the profitability of ethanol production".

View the Innovation Report story by clicking here.

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