Present-day strawberry culture demands a field clean of weeds. This is particularly true in some areas of California where the practice of covering beds with a clear polyethylene film for several months (beginning usually in January or February) creates a unique problem from the standpoint of weed control. Weeds grow rank under clear polyethylene, and hand labor for weed control underneath the film is costly. The combination of a long harvest period plus the fruit's proximity to the ground places a high value on minimum cultivation.

Dr. R. Bringhurst, L. Fulton and A. Dawson also contributed to this study.