Micro Electric Shocks Control Broadleaved and Grass Weeds

A search for energy efficient, non-herbicide weed control methods led to development of a novel electrical weeding technology. This study focuses on efficiency and as elements system that would include machine vision robotics escape weeds in field crops. Two pulse generation systems, one single multiple, were developed evaluated at different delivered voltages energies. Greenhouse trials using specially designed built application recording technology showed the precisely applied micro-shocks with controlled direct current (DC) voltage, number, length period (hereafter PMS) can kill small Lolium multiflorum Lam., Chenopodium album L., Amaranthus powellii S. Wats. Solanum nigrum L. plants minimal energy. Plants took much two weeks die. Increasing increased effectiveness determined by plant biomass reduction death rate. Grasses appear difficult once tillering has commenced, high may destroy leaf blades but not growing points. Broadleaved several days show evidence chlorosis which preceded senescence death. Our results 5 J is sufficient bring about or severe growth limitation many seedlings up 15 cm height. little 1% of, more effective than, ultra-low treatments reported other recent research. To five herbicide resistant m−2, required be 0.25 MJ ha−1 plus transport actuation destruction, compared an optimum target 20–40 including suggested literature. PMS effectively broadleaved non-tillering grasses fraction commercially available systems. indicates potential viable hand-held electric weeders part site-specific robotic system.