The USDA Bureau of Soils and Its Influence.

Without doubt, the most tumultuous period in the history of allelopathy was that associated with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and its Bureau of Soils, during the first two decades of the twentieth century. During this period, the academic debate on allelopathy became charged with emotion, the commentary eventually became libelous, and academic and political reputations were on the line, as were the budgets of numerous agricultural institutions and departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]