A new study from Western Australia has found that using electricity to kill weeds can be just as effective as using herbicides or mechanical tools.
Even better, it’s safer for crops, soil, and the environment—though care is needed in dry conditions to avoid fire risks.
Published in the journal Weed Science, the research shows electric weed control could be a great alternative for farmers, especially organic growers or those dealing with herbicide-resistant weeds.
Dr. Catherine Borger, a principal research scientist with Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, led the study alongside fellow researcher Miranda Slaven.
The team tested the technology in vineyards near Yallingup during the spring seasons of 2022 and 2023.
They used a tractor equipped with the Zasso XPower electric weed control machine, which sends high-voltage electrical currents into weeds using metal electrode arrays. The machine zaps the weeds, damaging their internal cells and killing them from the inside out.
Until now, electric weed control hadn’t been compared directly to other methods like herbicide sprays or mechanical weeders in vineyard settings.
But this study showed it performed just as well. “We found that electric weed control was as effective as the chemical and mechanical methods usually used in vineyards,” said Borger. “And importantly, it didn’t harm the grapevines.”
The study also highlights some big benefits of electric weed control. Since no chemicals are used, there’s no residue left behind in the soil, crops, or nearby water. There’s no need to wait for rain to wash chemicals in, and no risk of herbicide drifting into neighboring fields. It also avoids the issue of weeds becoming resistant to herbicides, which is an increasing problem worldwide.
Still, electric weed control isn’t perfect. It’s slower to apply and uses more fuel than other methods.
And while the idea of running electricity through dry plants might sound risky, the researchers say it’s safe in the right conditions. Their study is the first to measure the fire risk of electric weed control, and no fires occurred during any of their trials—held in spring, the most common weed control season for vineyards in Western Australia.
However, they do caution against using electric methods in hot, dry summer or autumn conditions, when fire risk is naturally higher.
Overall, the findings suggest that electric weed control is a promising tool—especially for organic farms or areas facing herbicide resistance—at least during the cooler months.
