If itâs a weed, spray it. Thatâs the mindset that most in the agriculture industry held for years.
That thinking no longer works as more weeds become resistant to herbicides, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist.
Bradley uses waterhemp as an example. Waterhemp is one of 14 herbicide-resistant weed species in Missouri. It is a prolific producer of seeds, and Bradley considers it Missouriâs most worrisome weed.
âItâs clear that we need a new approach,â he says.
MU Extension researchers are looking at how to remove weeds without herbicides. One nonchemical method is electrocution. The Weed Zapper, made in Sedalia, Missouri, is used mostly in organic operations, but it may also work in conventional pasture and row crops. Mizzou has used the Weed Zapper on test plots and saw 98.6% effectiveness in waterhemp destruction.