Ag Outlook 9-17-2020

Several major North American equipment companies are showing interest in harvest weed seed control systems. Developed in Australia, HWSC practices include combines that grind weed seed at harvest or deposit it in narrow windrows to be burned, thus making herbicides more effective on surviving weeds. In the U.S. scientists are using the concept to destroy late-emerging pigweed on Palmer amaranth. They continue to modify units like the Seed Terminator that crushes and grinds eliminating up to 99 percent of weed seed passing through the combine. University of Illinois weed scientist Adam Davis is one of those working on HWSC techniques. His goal is to replicate the practice’s Australian success. He says, ‘Whatever we can do to make a weed less comfortable, the better.’