CORVALLIS, Ore. — An Oregon State University researcher, in partnership with area hazelnut and blueberry growers, is testing a novel means of killing weeds — he’s zapping them with high-voltage electricity.

Electric weed control is gaining traction in Europe and parts of the Midwest, but researchers say it’s still a rare and emerging technology in the U.S. With support from a USDA grant, Marcelo Moretti, OSU assistant professor of horticulture, is starting experiments this month as part of a three-year project to evaluate the effectiveness of electric weed control in Oregon.

“I suspect growers will adopt this as an additional tool for weed control, especially for herbicide resistant weeds,” said Moretti. “I think this technology has a place for both organic and conventional growers.”

Moretti said it’s important to find more non-chemical tools to control herbicide resistant weeds.

“There are some situations we can’t spray ourselves out of,” he said.

Herbicide resistance develops when a field of weeds is sprayed year after year with a single herbicide. Weaker plants die, but some naturally strong weeds survive, reproduce and pass on their resistant traits to the next generations.

Moretti will be starting electric weed control trials this spring in two hazelnut orchards, where he says herbicide-resistant Italian ryegrass is a serious problem.

Moretti will also work with a blueberry grower to test the effectiveness of electric weed control on perennial weeds such as field bindweed, a member of the morning glory family.

He and his assistants will use an electric weed control device, called an EH30 Thor unit, manufactured by Zasso, an international brand.

The system generates a high voltage current that is applied to the plant via contact with a metal bar. As the high voltage passes through the plant and toward the roots, electrical resistance generates heat, leading to cell membrane rupture and plant death.

Moretti said he thinks the technology will be widely applicable among fruit and nut trees, hops, vineyards and other crops. Different sizes of units are available, he said, down to units about the size of a riding lawnmower that can maneuver on hills and through narrow rows.

Compared to other forms of weed control, the researcher said he expects the initial investment and labor inputs for electric weed control would be higher per acre than average chemical costs and lower per acre than most non-chemical methods.

But in areas where herbicide resistance exists, he said, he expects electric weed control will cost less in the long run compared to multiple herbicide applications.

Moretti said if farmers adopt the technology, they will need to follow safety protocols. The person operating the machinery is not at risk of electric shock, Moretti said, but the device could kill a person outside the unit if he or she touched one of the electric probes that emit 5,000 to 12,000 volts.

During trials, Moretti’s team will test the method’s effectiveness on different types, densities and ages of weeds, various soil types, in several kinds of weather and with different voltages.

If you are interested in participating in electric weed control trials, contact OSU professor Marcelo Moretti at marcelo.moretti@oregonstate.edu.