Dr Catherine Borger1, Miss Miranda Slaven1
1Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Northam, Australia
Biography:
Catherine has a PhD from the University of Western Australia and over 20 years of experience in weed research with DPIRD or UWA. She leads a weed science team that aims to develop effective control programs to target current and emerging weed species while focusing on the broader agronomic or economic requirements of farming enterprises. Her team generates information on the biology and ecology of emerging species, the impact of agronomic management on weed growth and the weed seed bank, chemical and physical control techniques and integrated weed management modelling.
Abstract:
Electric weed control is a non-chemical weed management alternative that will apply to a range of agronomic systems. The current project assessed electric weed control via the continuous electrode-plant contact method (using a Zasso™ XPower). A wide range of field trials in 2022 and 2023 investigated weed control efficiency, suitability of electric weed control for fence line control of glyphosate-resistant annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.), use for crop topping, fire risk, damage to the soil biota, or use for inter-row weed control. Broadleaf weeds were controlled more effectively than grass weeds with electric weed control, although control of mature grasses like kikuyu (Cenchrus clandestinus Hochst. ex Chiov.) was still comparable to that achieved using herbicide. Likewise, electric weed control of glyphosate-resistant annual ryegrass was comparable to Spray.Seed® (paraquat+diquat). There was a fire risk from electric weed control on completely dry plant residue, but there were zero fires when using the unit for field trials over winter and spring. There was no evidence of damage to the soil biota after using electric weed control (bacterial, archaea and fungal soil microbiome communities or free-living nematodes). Inter-row weed management with electric weed control caused no damage to lupin yield. This technology has immediate applicability for controlling herbicide resistant weeds on fence lines and future potential for inter-row weed control in broad scale grain cropping enterprises.