This SBIR Phase I project will develop a technology to utilize carbon dioxide as an environmentally benign herbicide that selectively acts on common lawn weeds. This product would exploit the differences in temperature sensitivity between weedy plants such as crabgrass and desirable plants such as fescue grass, which is more cold tolerant. The Frostbite technology involves controlled expansion of CO2 to generate controlled amounts of ice frost on target plants. The project research plan involves evaluating the effectiveness of the technology against weedy plants and optimization of the equipment for producing the dry ice spray.
The broader/commercial impact of the proposed project will be that the Frostbite product would provide a safe, alternative lawn weed solution for homeowners, landscapers, vineyard owners, organic farmers, and golf course workers. Adoption of the optimized Frostbite product would have the potential to eliminate concerns about soil and water contamination, cumulative herbicide exposure for workers and the general population, and contamination tracked into homes related to synthetic herbicide use.
