Electrical weed control and its effect on soil organisms

Abstract

The focus of the public demand for sustainable and resource-conserving agriculture is the reduction of herbicide use. However, successful weed control is essential to ensure crop yield and quality. Today's agriculture is confronted with the challenge of finding suitable crop management alternatives. In the present study, the Electroherb™ technology developed by the Zasso Group AG is investigated. The process is based on a non-selective, systemic electrical flow through the plants' vascular system causing severe cell destruction and ultimately wilting, as mode of action. However, aspects of the effect on non-target organisms must also be considered when evaluating this promising technology. The study investigates the effects of electro-physical weed control on soil organisms. Population densities of earthworms and epigeic arthropods are recorded. Parameters such as speed at application, soil moisture, energy intensity and application timing were investigated. No effects of the electrical treatment on earthworm abundance and biomass were detected. In addition, there was also no evidence of adverse effects on soil organisms. Electro-physical weed control could be an environmentally friendly, sustainable, soil-friendly and innovative way to control weed species, provided that the effects on soil organisms are acceptable when electrophysical voltage is applied.

Keywords

• alternatives in weed control
• earthworms
• epigeic arthropods