ArmenPress
Nov. 3, 2004

HOME-MADE VINEGAR PROVES EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING WEEDS

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS: The Marketing Assistant Project
(MAP), administered by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Yerevan
office, said two groups of fresh herb growers recently participated in
an experiment that has profound implications for improving crop
management.
They sprayed their own commonly made household vinegar (acidic acid)
on weeds in their plots of tarragon and within one hour saw dramatic
results: the weeds that they normally must remove by hand hoeing every
10 days were rapidly dying.
“The results are simply dramatic” was the reaction of Alvard
Tovmasyan and the 10 women of Nalbandian Village who witnessed the
demonstration. The participants in Mrgashat Village echoed the same
reaction. Four concentrations of vinegar were demonstrated: 6%, 10 %,
15%, and 20%.
Dr. Sergey Yeritsyan of the Armenian Agricultural Academy (AAA)
carefully prepared them. Growers under the supervision of Dr. Hrant
Terlemezyan did the actual spraying. Nuneh Sarukhanyan of Agrogitaspir
served as extension leader for the project.
According to Sarukhanyan, the random plot findings showed that
vinegar concentrations of 15% and 20% had the most immediate effect on
weeds. However, spray drift caused slight damage to the tarragon. The
10% and homemade 6% concentrated vinegar worked slower and also proved
effective, however they caused no damage to the tarragon crop.
The idea for the demonstration came from Paul Sommers and Felix
Vardarian of USDA/MAP. “The idea was to validate research conducted by
the USDA National Research Center at Beltsville under Armenian
conditions,” said Mr. Sommers.” Vinegar is bio-safe, low cost, and is
traditionally made by farm families. This successful exercise has great
implications for reducing one of the most labor demanding and costly
aspects of growing quality crops-weeds.