Experimental Herbicide Technology Blasts Weeds In Rows
August 27, 2014 Presenting a new spin on weed control, a research agronomist in Minnesota developed technology in collaboration with an engineer at South Dakota State University that uses an air compressor to blast weeds using corncob grit from eight nozzles, according to an article in the StarTribune.
“We point the nozzles at either side of a corn row and blast about a 4-inch band on either side of the row and within the row,” USDA researcher Frank Forcella told the Star Tribune. “Field trials typically hit the weeds twice: once when the corn is 4 to 6 inches high, and again when it’s about a foot tall. The technique is called ‘propelled abrasive grit management.’”
After hearing Forcella explain the technology at a conference in 2011, Sam Wortman, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences, told the Star Tribune that weed blasting might have potential in fruits and vegetables.
Wortman used the weeding technique on tomatoes last year and on peppers this season, and may expand to sweet corn, kale, and broccoli. Plus, the technology is being noticed by organic producers.
“In our initial work [with tomatoes], we were able to reduce the density of weeds by about 75% with just one application,” he said in the article. “And the weeds that we didn’t kill we were able to reduce the overall height so that they wouldn’t become competitive with the crop.”
Right now the technology is pretty pricy, costing about five times what spraying an herbicide would cost. According to the article, the cost potentially may be reduced if the technology becomes more widespread.
Click here to read the full article in the Star Tribune.
Source: Star Tribune
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