Electricity as an effective weed control tool in non‐crop areas

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Abstract
While weed management is often thought of as an agricultural issue, weeds are also problematic for homeowners, public space managers and utilities. In these situations, weeds are typically hand‐pulled, mechanically treated or managed via herbicides. Hand pulling and mechanical treatments are labour‐intensive, and all control methods may have unintended off‐target impacts, necessitating new alternatives for weed control. We have developed a method of using electricity to effectively manage unwanted plants. A series of experiments was conducted with the aim of developing operating protocols with consideration to specific scenarios: we tested a system on Morus alba (mulberry) and Ulmus pumila saplings, determined the response of Tamarix spp. (tamarisk) to different electricity doses, evaluated electricity as pre‐emergent weed control in xeriscaping, and tested the ability of electricity to prevent climbing growth by the vine Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed). Tests on M. alba and U. pumila demonstrated that low doses of electricity applied over several days are effective in killing trees up to 20 cm in diameter. The Tamarix experiment showed that the plants displayed typical dose–response characteristics with higher doses leading to less plant growth. Results of the pre‐emergent weed control experiment demonstrated the excellent ability of electricity to prevent weed growth, with treated plots having a mean weed cover of 4% compared to 94% in control plots after 4 months. Finally, electricity was shown to be 100% effective in preventing C. arvensis from climbing poles. Our results indicate that electricity is a viable alternative to manual, mechanical or chemical methods for small tree control, pre‐emergent weed control in xeriscaping, and prevention of climbing weeds.
Funding Information
  • Western Integrated Pest Management Center

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