Weed seed destructor to be tested in Alberta

Monday, October 6, 2014

An Australian import that will soon be tested in Alberta may become an important tool in Canadian weed management. But, with a $120,000 price tag, you'd better have some serious weeds.

The Harrington Seed Destructor has been used in Australia since 2012, where the problem of herbicide-resistant weeds has forced the hand of some producers. The destructor is a tow-behind machine that collects weeds at harvest and grinds their seeds, destroying the germ. Harrington dealers claim the machine kills 95 per cent of weed seeds.  

Alberta Farmer reports that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada now have one of these machines in their possession. But, before they begin testing it, they must conduct some preliminary investigations to ensure that weed seeds are still on the plant at harvest time, and at the proper height to be processed by the destructor.

Breanne Tidemann, a graduate student at the University of Alberta, told Alberta Farmer that researchers will be collecting different cutting heights of wild oats, cleaver plants and volunteer canola at harvest. The proportion of seeds on the plants at each height, as well as the number of seeds still on the plant, will help determine which weeds would be good targets for the destructor.

Agronomist Steve Larocque told Alberta Farmer that he expects to see the machine selling in the United States, where producers are "losing entire fields" to herbicide-resistant weeds. "It's just a matter of time before it's our turn," he warns. BF