Academic literature on the topic 'Suppression of grasses'

Fruit trees in orchards of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States are often planted in vegetation-free rows alternating with grass alleys. Grass managed to suppress weeds but to compete minimally with fruit trees may be an alternative to herbicide and tillage. This research was conducted in the greenhouse and field to assess five different grasses that may suppress weeds without reducing yield of fruit trees. In the greenhouse with high seeding rates, red fescue competed more effectively than did chewings fescue, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass with three weeds (damesrocket, cornflower, and chicory). However, with reduced seeding rates, similar to rates used in the field, grass competitiveness with weeds was similar between red fescue, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Similar results were obtained during a 4-yr field experiment; roughstalk bluegrass competed least effectively with weeds but the other four grasses provided similar weed suppression—generally providing as much weed suppression as traditional herbicides. None of the candidate grasses significantly reduced yields of 10-yr-old apple and peach trees, although fruit size was affected by some grasses. The grass that was least suppressive of yield, roughstalk bluegrass, was the least effective in controlling weeds. Annual mowing in combination with four of the grasses tested is one option to manage the orchard floor with reduced herbicides, but fruit size may decrease.

Bromus tectorumL. (cheatgrass) is an Eurasian annual grass that has invaded ecosystems throughout the Intermountain west of the United States. Our purpose was to examine mechanisms by which established perennial grasses suppress the growth ofB. tectorum. Using rhizotrons, the experiment was conducted over 5 growth cycles: (1)B. tectorumplanted between perennial grasses; (2) perennials clipped andB. tectorumplanted; (3) perennials clipped andB. tectorumplanted into soil mixed with activated carbon; (4) perennials clipped,B. tectorumplanted, and top-dressed with fertilizer, and; (5) perennial grasses killed andB. tectorumplanted. Water was not limiting in this study. Response variables measured at the end of each growth cycle included above-ground mass and tissue nutrient concentrations. Relative to controls (B. tectorumwithout competition), established perennial grasses significantly hindered the growth ofB. tectorum. Overall, biomass ofB. tectorum, grown between established perennials, increased considerably after fertilizer addition and dramatically upon death of the perennials. Potential mechanisms involved in the suppression ofB. tectoruminclude reduced nitrogen (possibly phosphorus) availability and coopting of biological soil space by perennial roots. Our data cannot confirm or reject allelopathic suppression. Understanding the mechanisms involved with suppression may lead to novel control strategies againstB. tectorum.

Four trials were conducted on a heavily grazed bluegrass-dominated pasture located in east-central Saskatchewan to compare the establishment of alfalfa (Medicago media Pers. Drylander) and forage grasses with no suppression vs. suppression of the resident vegetation using either glyphosate or rotovation. Successful forage establishment was based on seedling count, herbage yield and an economic assessment using net present value. The test area had been cleared of mature aspen poplar (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.) trees, treated with 2,4-D to control suckering and was subsequently invaded by native forbs and grasses, mainly bluegrasses. Alfalfa successfully established with or without suppression while smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss. ’Carlton’) established only when a suppression treatment was applied. Forage yields, averaged over 4 yr and four trials, following sod-seeding and glyphosate at 2.5 kg ha−1 were 1973 and 612 kg ha−1 for alfalfa and bluegrass plus smooth bromegrass, compared to 1287 and 748 kg ha−1 for alfalfa and bluegrass plus smooth bromegrass, respectively, when there was no suppression of the resident vegetation. The low-cost, no-suppression sod-seeding treatment was as profitable as the sod-seeding treatment using glyphosate.Key words: Sod-seed, zero till, alfalfa, smooth bromegrass, economics, glyphosate

This research aimed to evaluate the maize grain yield and forage of grass species under intercropping system using nicosulfuron herbicide. In order to assess the parameters related to maize, a randomized block design was defined. The treatments were arranged in a (5 × 2+ 1) × 2 factorial design with four repetitions resulting in 11 treatments, where maize was cultivated under intercropping condition with different forage species (5) (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Piatã, Xaraés, Brachiaria ruziziensis and Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) and maize monoculture (1) as control treatment, with and without nicosulfuron herbicide application (2) in two growing seasons (2014 and 2015). The off-season intercropping of maize with tropical forage grasses with and without herbicide suppression decreased maize grain yield. The suppression with nicosulfuron herbicide decreased the dry matter production of forage grasses. Intercropping of P. maximum cv. Mombaça with maize showed higher decrease in maize grain yield. On the other hand, it showed higher forage grasses production for livestock feeding. B. brizantha cv. Piatã was the forage which less affected maize grain yield under intercropping, even with absence of nicosulfuron suppression. Off-season maize under intercropping with tropical forages can be used to recover degraded pastures; increasing forage dry matter production for livestock, remaining the soil covered with straws with possibility of no-till seeding for the next cultivation.

Intercropping with functionally diverse crops can reduce the availability of resources that could otherwise be used by weeds. An experiment was conducted across 6 site-years in New York and Maryland in 2013 and 2014 to examine the effects of functional diversity and crop species richness on weed suppression. We compared four annual crop species that differed in stature and nitrogen acquisition traits: (1) pearl millet, (2) sorghum sudangrass, (3) cowpea, and (4) sunn hemp. Crops were seeded in monoculture and in three- and four-species mixtures using a replacement design in which monoculture seeding rates were divided by the number of species in the intercrop. Crop and weed biomass were sampled at ~45 and 90 d after planting. At the first sampling date, intercrops produced more crop biomass than monocultures in all but 1 site-year; however, weed biomass in intercrops was lower than monocultures in only 1 site-year. By the second sampling date, crop biomass was consistently greater in the intercrops than in the monocultures, and weed biomass was lower in the intercrops than in monocultures in 2 site-years. Although we observed several negative relationships between crop species richness and weed biomass, crop biomass was a more important factor than species richness for suppressing weeds. Despite the weak weed suppression from the two legumes compared with the two grasses, legume crops can provide other benefits, including increased forage quality, soil nitrogen for subsequent crops, and resources for pollinators if allowed to flower. On the other hand, if weed suppression is the top priority, our results suggest that monocultures of high biomass–producing grasses will provide more effective suppression at a lower seed cost than functionally diverse intercrops that include low biomass–producing legumes in warm-season intercrops.

Abstract Tolerance of ornamental grasses to preemergence herbicides commonly-used in nursery crop production and turfgrass maintenance was evaluated in container studies. Gallery controlled the broadleaf weeds tested but did not control large crabgrass. Surflan at 2.2 kg ai/ha (2.0 lb ai/A) controlled all weeds except rice flatsedge. Pennant at 2.2 kg ai/ha (2.0 lb ai/A) controlled rice flatsedge but not eclipta. Pendulum, Ronstar, Barricade and OH2 also did not control eclipta at the lower use rate. Although growth suppression and stand reduction was observed in certain herbicide/ornamental grass combinations, the species tested generally exhibited good tolerance to the chemicals tested. Ornamental grass tolerance improved by the second herbicide application. After two applications, no rate of Surflan, Pendulum, or Barricade caused a significant reduction in growth of any of the five ornamental grass species tested.

Long considered a consequence of anthropogenic agropastoralism, the origin of Madagascar's central highland grassland is hotly disputed. Arguments that ancient endemic grasses formed grassland maintained by extinct grazers and fire have been persuasive. Consequent calls to repeal fire-suppression legislation, burn protected areas, and accept pastoralism as the ‘salvation’ of endemic grasses mount, even as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declares 98% of lemurs face extinction through fire-driven deforestation. By analysing grass data from contemporary studies, and assessing endemic vertebrate habitat and feeding guilds, we find that although the grassland potentially dates from the Miocene, it is inhospitable to endemic vertebrates and lacks obligate grazers. Endemic grasses are absent from dominant grassland assemblages, yet not from woodland and forest assemblages. There is compelling evidence that humans entered a highland dominated by woodland and forest, and burned it; by 1000 current era (CE), grass pollens eclipsed tree pollens, reminiscent of prevailing fire-induced transformation of African miombo woodland to grassland. Endemic grasses are survivors from vanished woody habitats where grassy patches were likely small and ephemeral, precluding adaptive radiation by endemic vertebrates to form grazing-guilds. Today forests, relic tapia woodland, and outcompeted endemic grasses progressively retreat in a burning grassland dominated by non-endemic, grazing-adapted grasses and cattle.

Invasive annual grasses, such as medusahead, can reduce forage production capacity and interfere with revegetation projects in California rangelands. Because of the taxonomic similarity to other more desirable grasses, achieving selective control of invasive annual grasses can be difficult. In selectivity trials conducted in Yolo and Siskiyou counties, CA, the herbicide imazapic gave control of many nonnative annual grasses yet provided some level of selectivity to specific perennial grasses used in revegetation projects throughout the western United States. The selectivity difference between newly seeded perennial and annual grasses was greater with PRE applications than with POST treatments. Both perennial and annual grasses within the tribe Hordeae were more tolerant to imazapic than other grass species. In addition, field experiments were conducted at three sites in northern California (Yuba, Yolo, and Lassen counties) and one in southern Oregon (Lake County) to test the response of imazapic to varying management conditions. Imazapic was applied PRE in fall (and also spring in Lake County) at rates from 35 to 210 g/ha on undisturbed rangeland, in comparison with rangeland cleared of standing plant material and thatch by either tillage, mowing and raking, or burning. Imazapic generally showed enhanced weed control when applied following disturbance. Rates as low as 70 g/ha, if combined with thatch removal, provided significant suppression of medusahead. In addition, disturbance alone generally reduced medusahead cover in the following year. Although imazapic showed potential for control of medusahead and other annual grasses, its selectivity window was relatively narrow.

Interest in planting mixtures of cover crop species has grown in recent years as farmers seek to increase the breadth of ecosystem services cover crops provide. As part of a multidisciplinary project, we quantified the degree to which monocultures and mixtures of cover crops suppress weeds during the fall-to-spring cover crop growing period. Weed-suppressive cover crop stands can limit weed seed rain from summer- and winter-annual species, reducing weed population growth and ultimately weed pressure in future cash crop stands. We established monocultures and mixtures of two legumes (medium red clover and Austrian winter pea), two grasses (cereal rye and oats), and two brassicas (forage radish and canola) in a long fall growing window following winter wheat harvest and in a shorter window following silage corn harvest. In fall of the long window, grass cover crops and mixtures were the most weed suppressive, whereas legume cover crops were the least weed suppressive. All mixtures also effectively suppressed weeds. This was likely primarily due to the presence of fast-growing grass species, which were effective even when they were seeded at only 20% of their monoculture rate. In spring, weed biomass was low in all treatments due to winter kill of summer-annual weeds and low germination of winter annuals. In the short window following silage corn, biomass accumulation by cover crops and weeds in the fall was more than an order of magnitude lower than in the longer window. However, there was substantial weed seed production in the spring in all treatments not containing cereal rye (monoculture or mixture). Our results suggest that cover crop mixtures require only low seeding rates of aggressive grass species to provide weed suppression. This creates an opportunity for other species to deliver additional ecosystem services, though careful species selection may be required to maintain mixture diversity and avoid dominance of winter-hardy cover crop grasses in the spring.

Grass ground covers are often used in forestry to suppress weed germination, but little is known on how best to use grasses to suppress broom (Cytisus scoparius). In this field study, three grass species, Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), were sown at three rates in autumn and spring, then suppression of broom germination and survival of seedlings was measured. Scarified broom seeds sown at the same time as the grasses produced large numbers of competitive plants by the final assessment 12 months after sowing, regardless of the time of sowing, species of grass sown or rate of grass sown. However, no seedling emergence was recorded for the treatments in which broom seeds were sown 6 months after the grass ground cover had established. All three grass species established well, although only Yorkshire fog performed well in both seasons. Grass ground covers showed some potential to be used as part of weed management for broom in planted forests, but probably only if herbicides can also be used to control broom establishing at the same time as the grass.

Re-seeding is a frequently used technique to revegetate disturbed areas, but often leaves bare ground prone to weed invasion. Mixtures of drought tolerant or native species in sod could be used as an alternative to seed to provide rapid establishment of desirable plant communities that may potentially reduce weed emergence, survival, and productivity. Additionally, the reinforcement material required to aid transport of multispecies sod could further contribute to weed suppression and sod establishment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the weed suppression and establishment potential of multispecies sod. Three experiments were each subject to a water regime ranging from 2.54 cm of water/week to natural precipitation, and repeated over two/three years. In the first two experiments (A and B) Brassica napus (canola) was used as a surrogate weed species and sown either below the multispecies sod to represent weed seed bank, or above the multispecies sod to represent weed seed rain. In experiment A, B. napus was sown at six densities; while in experiment B reinforcement materials (nylon netting control, coconut-straw, jute, excelsior) were added below the sod and B. napus was sown at one density. B. napus suppression by multispecies sod, with or without reinforcement material, was evaluated by recording seedling emergence, survival and above-ground biomass. Multispecies sod, especially combined with reinforcement material, suppressed a large proportion of seedling emergence. The seedlings that did establish produced less vegetative and seed biomass as water decreased. In the second season of both experiments no seedlings survived to maturity. The establishment success of the multispecies sod was evaluated through repeated measures of percent sod cover over two/three years. The results suggested that the multispecies sod was able to establish and persist under natural precipitation. The third experiment evaluated the ability of multispecies sod to suppress Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) vegetative propagules in two different habitat types, bare ground or multispecies sod, under high and low water treatments. More C. arvense shoots emerged in the bare ground, suggesting that multispecies sod could act as a buffer zone and reduce the vegetative spread of perennial weeds if used as a revegetation strategy.

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Three studies were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of seedling crowning using cardboard in reforestation with arboreal species of the Atlantic. The first study aimed to test the effect of the crowning with cardboard on the growth of Atlantic Forest species planted in a pasture area with dominance of Andropogon bicornis. The experimental design was randomized blocks with two treatments and 12 repetitions. Treatments consisted of crowning with cardboard or crowning with hoe applied to 11 tree species. We evaluated the growth of plants by measuring the height (H) and diameter of the collar height (DAC) at 6, 12 and 18 months after planting beyond survival rate. It was also carried out an assessment of the costs of each treatment. The results showed that the board did not interfere significantly in any forest species assessed. However, the survival rate was higher in the treatment crown of cardboard (80.7%) compared to the capping treatment with hoe (73.1%). In the economic aspect, the crowning with cardboard obtained material cost and labor up to 50% lower than the crowning with hoe. In the second study we evaluated the crowning efficiency with cardboard in the suppression of four species of grasses commonly found in forest areas in the Atlantic Forest. Four experiments were set up in places with dominant species A. bicornis, Urochloa decumbens, Urochloa umidicola and Panicum maximum. The experimental design was completely randomized with five replications. The treatments were the culmination of cardboard and without crowning. The cardboard efficiency was monitored by sampling the total biomass and the level of senescence of grasses in the area crowned. The cardboard was efficient in suppressing the four species of grasses evaluated, because after the evaluation period (100- 170 days) had hardly live plant material in the field of crowns. In the third study was rated as the crowning with cardboard influences the temperature and moisture in the surface layers in the soil. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four treatments and eight repetitions. The treatments were 1 - crown with cardboard (cardboard disposed directly on the braqui?ria); 2 - no crowning; 3 - with cardboard crown after crown with hoe (willing cardboard on the exposed soil); 4 - crowning with hoe. The moisture in the layers from 0 to 5 cm and 5 to 10 cm of soil, and the temperature in the layers 0 and 2,5 cm, 2.5 to 5 cm and 5 to 10 cm of the soil were monitored during periods 19 and subsequent 7 days, respectively, at a rain simulation 130 mm for 24 hours and natural rainfall of 133 mm for 13 days. The results indicated that treatment 1 (crowning with cardboard) decreased soil drying speed while maintaining higher water content in the crown area compared to the other treatments. Both capping treatments showed cardboard soil temperature in the region of the crown to 8.5?C lower than the capping treatment with cardboard. The set of results of the three studies demonstrate that the use of the capping technique with cardboard in reforestation deployment can significantly reduce operating costs after planting, either by reducing hand labor used in capping operations, as the lower need for seedlings for replanting.
Foram conduzidos tr?s estudos objetivando avaliar a efici?ncia do coroamento de mudas com papel?o em reflorestamentos com esp?cies arb?reas da Mata Atl?ntica. O primeiro estudo teve como objetivo testar o efeito do coroamento com papel?o sobre o crescimento de esp?cies da Mata Atl?ntica plantadas em uma ?rea de pastagem com domin?ncia de Andropogon bicornis. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com dois tratamentos e 12 repeti??es. Os tratamentos consistiram de coroamento com papel?o ou coroamento com enxada aplicados a 11 esp?cies arb?reas. Avaliou-se o crescimento das plantas atrav?s da mensura??o da altura (H) e di?metro a altura do coleto (DAC) aos 6, 12 e 18 meses ap?s o plantio al?m da taxa de sobreviv?ncia. Tamb?m foi realizada uma avalia??o dos custos de cada tratamento. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que o papel?o n?o interferiu de maneira significativa em nenhuma esp?cie florestal avaliada. Entretanto, a taxa de sobreviv?ncia foi maior no tratamento de coroamento com papel?o (80,7%) comparado ao tratamento de coroamento com enxada (73,1%). No aspecto econ?mico, o coroamento com papel?o obteve custo de material e m?o de obra at? 50% inferior ao do coroamento com enxada. No segundo estudo avaliou-se a efici?ncia do coroamento com papel?o na supress?o de quatro esp?cies de gram?neas forrageiras comumente encontradas em ?reas de reflorestamento no bioma Mata Atl?ntica. Foram montados quatro experimentos em s?tios com domin?ncia das esp?cies A. bicornis, Urochloa decumbens, Urochloa umidicola e Panicum maximum. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com cinco repeti??es. Os tratamentos foram o coroamento com papel?o e sem coroamento. A efici?ncia do papel?o foi monitorada atrav?s de coletas da biomassa total e do n?vel de senesc?ncia das gram?neas na ?rea coroada. O papel?o se mostrou eficiente na supress?o das quatro esp?cies de gram?neas avaliadas, pois ap?s o per?odo de avalia??o (100 a 170 dias) praticamente n?o havia material vegetal vivo na ?rea das coroas. No terceiro estudo foi avaliado como o coroamento com papel?o influencia na temperatura e umidade nas camadas superficiais no solo. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados com quatro tratamentos e oito repeti??es. Os tratamentos foram 1 ? coroamento com papel?o (papel?o disposto diretamente sobre a braqui?ria); 2 ? sem coroamento; 3 ? coroamento com papel?o ap?s coroamento com enxada (papel?o disposto sobre o solo exposto); 4 ? coroamento com enxada. A umidade, nas camadas de 0 a 5 cm e 5 a 10 cm do solo, e a temperatura, nas camadas de 0 a 2,5 cm, 2,5 a 5 cm e 5 a 10 cm do solo, foram monitorados durante per?odos de 19 e 7 dias subsequentes, respectivamente, a uma simula??o de chuva de 130 mm durante 24 hs e a chuvas naturais de 133 mm durante 13 dias. Os resultados indicaram que o tratamento 1 (coroamento com papel?o) diminuiu a velocidade de ressecamento do solo, mantendo maior teor de ?gua na ?rea da coroa em compara??o aos demais tratamentos. Ambos os tratamentos de coroamento com papel?o apresentaram temperatura do solo na regi?o da coroa at? 8,5?C menor do que no tratamento de coroamento com papel?o. O conjunto de resultados dos tr?s estudos realizados demonstram que o uso da t?cnica de coroamento com papel?o na implanta??o de reflorestamentos pode reduzir significativamente os custos operacionais ap?s o plantio, tanto pela redu??o de m?o-de-obra empregada em opera??es de coroamento, quanto pela menor necessidade de replantio de mudas.

Herbicide sod suppression during pasture renovation by legume sod-seeding often results in the loss of potentially usable forage, weed encroachment, and inadequate glass-legume ratios. A study was conducted to investigate the viability of sod suppression by sheep grazing or mowing, as alternatives to herbicide, during pasture renovation with no-till seeding of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) or white clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Sod suppression methods evaluated were: strategically timed mowing or sheep grazing to 5 or 10 cm at seeding and during legume establishment, or similarly managed mowing or sheep grazing with an additional defoliation to 5 cm the previous fall. Additional treatments included suppression by herbicide and, unsuppressed and unseeded controls. Treatments were evaluated by determining clover plant population, botanical composition, forage yield and quality. Physical (mowing or grazing) and herbicide sod suppression resulted in similar clover plant populations; clover yields tended to be higher with herbicide suppression. However, increasing the intensity of physical suppression increased clover yields. Forage quality was increased only with sod suppression by grazing or herbicide when compared with the unimproved control. Although, for grazing this was attributed to a more frequent defoliation regime and not to the renovation itself. Unlike suppression with herbicide, physical suppression did not decrease total seasonal forage yields in the renovation year when compared with controls.

No-till pasture renovation can increase the quality and forage yield of underproductive pastures. Decreased erosion, lower costs, and less lost grazing time are advantages of no-till renovation compared to conventional renovation. Unwanted vegetation is first controlled with herbicides to decrease competition for introduced orchardgrass. Two field trials were conducted using a split-plot design to compare three seeding methods and two herbicides. An Aerway no-till drill, a Tye double disk drill, and broadcast followed by harrowing were the seeding methods. Paraquat and glyphosate were used to determine herbicide effect on vegetation control. Orchardgrass did not adequately survive at either trial site. However, where some orchardgrass did survive, vegetation control was more important than seeding method. Competition from annual grasses, many germinating after herbicides were applied, was the reason for renovation failure. Herbicide and initial growth for best control. Yield was doubled in the first harvest by the addition of fertilizer. Early spring forage production from poor pastures is usually more than adequate, so the increase from fertilizer is of marginal value unless it is stored for later use. Yield increase did not carry over to the second harvest when it could be better utilized. Later application dates would extend yield increases from certain species if water is available.
Graduation date: 1994

Grassfires: Fuel, Weather and Fire Behaviour presents information from CSIRO on the behaviour and spread of fires in grasslands. This second edition follows over 10 years of research aimed at improving the understanding of the fundamental processes involved in the behaviour of grassfires. The book covers all aspects of fire behaviour and spread in the major types of grasses in Australia. It examines the factors that affect fire behaviour in continuous grassy fuels; fire in spinifex fuels; the effect of weather and topography on fire spread; wildfire suppression strategies; and how to reconstruct grassfire spread after the fact. The three meters designed by CSIRO for the prediction of fire danger and rate of spread of grassfires are explained and their use and limitations discussed. This new edition expands the discussion of historical fires including Aboriginal burning practices, the chemistry of combustion, and the structure of turbulent diffusion flames. It also examines fire safety, including the difficulty of predicting wind strength and direction and the impact of threshold wind speed on safe fire suppression. Myths and fallacies about fire behaviour are explained in relation to their impact on personal safety and survival. Grassfires will be a valuable reference for rural fire brigade members, landholders, fire authorities, researchers and those studying landscape and ecological processes.

The New England Watch and Ward Society provides a new window into the history of the Protestant establishment’s prominent role in late nineteenth-century public life and its confrontation with modernity, commercial culture, and cultural pluralism in early twentieth-century America. Elite liberal Protestants, typically considered progressive, urbane, and tolerant, established the Watch and Ward Society in 1878 to suppress obscene literature, including Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. These self-appointed custodians of Victorian culture enjoyed widespread support from many of New England’s most renowned ministers, distinguished college presidents, respected social reformers, and wealthy philanthropists. In the 1880s, the Watch and Ward Society expanded its efforts to regulate public morality by attacking gambling and prostitution. The society not only expressed late nineteenth-century Victorian American values about what constituted “good literature,” sexual morality, and public duty but also embodied Protestants’ efforts to promote these values in an increasing intellectually and culturally diverse society. By 1930, however, the Watch and Ward Society suffered a very public fall from grace. Following controversies over the suppression of H. L. Mencken’s American Mercury as well as popular novels, including Sinclair Lewis’s Elmer Gantry and D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover, cultural modernists, civil libertarians, and publishers attacked the moral reform movement, ridiculing its leaders’ privileged backgrounds, social idealism, and religious commitments. Their critique reshaped the dynamics of Protestant moral reform activity as well as public discourse in subsequent decades. For more than a generation, however, the Watch and Ward Society expressed mainline Protestant attitudes toward literature, gambling, and sexuality.

The objective of this study was to quantify the dynamic response of the living grass-like crops structure under free and forced vibration. The living grass-like crops may become the key component in a new technology which extract and make use of unwanted energy associated with structural vibration. The proposed procedure is firstly illustrated with a simulated example of the simple pendulum configuration with the tray holding the grass. Output of the vibrating grass is measured through frequency analyzer (FFT Analyzer). The relative decay of the amplitude of vibration is used to measure the damping effect of grass. Secondly, forced vibration effect is studied by designing the slider crank mechanism over a frequency range from 0.7 to 1.7Hz. Resonant effect is studied. The difference in the acceleration, velocity, and displacement between the vibration tray loaded with the crop and the tray without the crop for the same power input will measure the vibration suppression capabilities of grass-like crops. The result of the experiments quantifies this damping effect and extrapolates the data to estimate the effects of a crop-based life support system on a spacecraft.