Weed hunters? No, it’s not a joke. It’s a real concept that aims to tackle a serious and costly problem for farmers and their crops – herbicide resistance in weeds. The technique is called “abrasive or projectile weed control” and was first developed by University of Nebraska researchers for weeds affecting corn crops.

Using a sandblaster, the university research team “shot” natural materials like corn grit, corn gluten meal, and walnut shells directly at weeds. They found this alternative to herbicides was an effective way of killing the weeds or severely damaging them in corn crops while reducing costs and environmental impacts. But for years, it’s been more or less a concept to be proven for other important crops.

In small plots, some fields will be treated with projectile materials only while others will be treated with projectiles in combination with a reduced rate of herbicide to see if the same weed control can be achieved without any herbicide.

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By 2024, the team hopes to find the best projectile material, including its ideal size and application rate, with weed control of more than 80 per cent without causing significant crop injury and yield loss. The researchers also want to see if air-propelled abrasives can reduce overall herbicide application in potatoes, dry beans, vineyards and blueberries.

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