Row crop farmers might someday have more than one way to shock their weeds into submission.
Researchers test novel weed electrocution devices in row crops
1 of 5
From left, an example of a shock-discharge unit using an electrified copper bar that can only shock weeds taller than the crop canopy and an example of a continuous-contact electrocution unit, with electrodes dragging along the ground that electrocute all vegetation touched.
Corn rows are shown before and after continuous contact weed electrocution.
Zasso continuous-contact unit operates in an apple orchard.
The Zasso continuous-contact unit is modified for row crop productions.
From left, images show Zasso continuous-contact unit results after two passes at 0.8 miles per hour and the untreated control plot.
Most Popular
Oats were once a major Minnesota crop, with about 4 million acres planted annually on average until the early 1960s. But in 2025, oats account…
Drones are beginning to play a role in Iowa agriculture, particularly for crop monitoring and pesticide application, but most farmers remain u…
Often we hear of resources being sucked out of rural areas. Local governments and residents are often strapped for the cash needed to buy nece…
Pollinator declines are a global concern, and agriculture sits at the center of the challenge. As farms grow more efficient and landscapes bec…
In an ideal spring, Jefferson County farmer Randy Mitchell would be starting to plant his corn and soybean crops this week.