Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience: Producers Field men Packers and distributors of woody perennial high-value horticultural crops Researchers in woody perennial high-value horticultural crops Weed scientists Weed management industry specialists Tree fruit and berry producers Crop consultants Cooperative extension specialists Agricultural and horticultural research faculty/staff/graduate students State regulatory officials Members of the public at large Dr. Qu Dyong. Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Dr. Karen St. Germain and the leadership team from NASA Acres. Changes/Problems:The transformer for Cornell's Zasso Electroherb unit failed in June of 2024 as the field season was beginning. A new transformer is being delivered from Brazil and repairs will be conducted in fall of 2024. Trials will resume in October and November to investigate dormant season electrical weeding on perennial weed control. Formal trials will resume in spring/summer of 2025. The initial economicst for this project transitioned to another IHE, and we have brought in another UC Davis applied economist for objective 3. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Student degrees. Baccin, L.C. Ph.D student; Undergraduate students: Maxwell Voss, Madden Robertson (worked for summer and fall 2024 in the project). Events. Moretti, M.L and Baccin, L. C. 2024. Exploring electric weed control in organic blueberries. Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference. January 10, 2024, Abbotsford, BC, CAN. (0.5h, 200 participants) Baccin, L. C., and Moretti. M. L. Impact of Electricity on Soil Health and Weed Control in Blueberries. Poster Presentation at the Weed Science Society of America annual meeting: San Antonio, TX. 2024. Baccin, L. C., and Moretti. M. L. Yellow Nutsedge and Canada Thistle Response to Electricity and Mowing. Paper Oral Presentation at the Weed Science Society of America annual meeting: San Antonio, TX. 2024. Baccin, L. C., and Moretti. M. L. Crop Safety and Weed Control in Organic Highbush Blueberries Using Electrical Weeding. Paper Oral Presentation at the Western Society of Weed Science annual meeting: Denver, CO. 2024. Results of EWC trials on common summer weeds in California were reported as a poster presented in the 2024 annual meetings of the California Weed Science Society, the Western Society of Weed Science, and the Weed Science Society of America. Baccin, L. C., and Moretti. M. L. Weed Control in Organic Blueberries: How Electricity is Changing the Game! Weeders of the West. 2024. Baccin, L. C., and Moretti. M. L. "Electric Weed Control in Organic Highbush Blueberry". YouTube, uploaded by Marcelo L Moretti, 28 Mar 2024, Sustainability Field Day, June 2024 Corvallis, OR. Blueberry Field Day, July 2024 Aurora, OR. Field visit - October 29, 2024 - Boring OR. On-farm demonstration and grower interaction. Scheduled field visit 4,000 acres of organic blueberry - Jefferson, OR Nov 15, 2024. Training opportunities were provided to three technicians, and a graduate research assistant. Affiliated cooperative extension specialists and research support staff (i.e. farm managers, mechanics, electricians) have also received instruction regarding unit operation, safety, and performance. Electrical weed control technology has been discussed as a part of four guest lectures (Cornell University, Finger Lakes Community College, Penn State, University of Wyoming) to 100 undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate student Tong Zhen attended the 2024 annual meetings of the Western Society of Weed Science and the Weed Science Society of America. He presented the EWC project as a poster. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We have disseminated the results in person, online, and through trade articles for both academic and non-academic audiences. We are now preparing two scientific publications summarizing results from objective 1. Sosnoskie, L.M. Rooting for Robotics. The Crop Corner Podcast. October 17th, 2023. https://shows.acast.com/coffee-then-crops/episodes/652de5922bf6d100120ca69f Sosnoskie, L.M. On target for a weed control victory in vineyards. Growing Produce. December 11th, 2023. https://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/grapes/on-target-for-a-weed-control-victory-in-vineyards/ Sosnoskie, LM. After the volts: is electrocution safe for the soil? GROW IWM. April 9th, 2024. https://growiwm.org/after-the-volts-is-weed-electrocution-safe-for-the-soil/ Butler-Jones, A.L. Responses of weeds and microarthropod communities to Zasso electrical weeding. Presentation at the Northeastern Weed Science Society annual meeting. January 9th, 2024. Boston, MA. (200 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Novel weed control technology in grapes and perennial crops. Presentation for the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. February 22nd, 2024. Niagara Fall, ON, Canada. (70 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Novel weed control technology. Presentation in the New York Orchard Soil Health Webinar. February 26th, 2024. Geneva, NY. (60 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Novel weed in perennial crops: where do we stand and where are we going? Presentation in the New York Berry Weed Management Webinar. March 6th, 2024. Geneva, NY. (60 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Novel weed control technology. Presentation for the 2024 Connecticut Farm Winery Education Symposium. March 26th, 2024. New Haven, CT. (40 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Novel weed control technology. Presentation for Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Qu Dyong. May 8th, 2024. Geneva, NY. (15 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Vision spraying and electrical weeding in perennial crops. Presentation at the Precision and Digital Viticulture Field Day. June 4th, 2024. Geneva, NY. (30 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Vision spraying and electrical weeding in perennial crops. Presentation at the Precision and Digital Viticulture Field Day. June 6th, 2024. Portland, NY. (40 participants) Butler-Jones, A.L. Responses of weeds and microarthropod communities to Zasso electrical weeding. Presentation at the Weed Management in Perennial Fruit Crops - Field Workshop. June 20th, 2024. Tivoli, NY. (30 participants) Butler-Jones, A.L. Responses of weeds and microarthropod communities to Zasso electrical weeding. Presentation at the Champlain Valley Orchard Weed Management Field Meeting. June 21st, 2024. Peru, NY. (30 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. Novel technologies for weed management. 2024 Christmas Tree IPM Field Day. August 15th, 2024. (20 participants) Sosnoskie, L.M. The now and future of novel weed control. Presentation for NASA ACRES leadership #Space4Ag New York Tour. August 21st, 2024. Portland, NY. (40 participants) A demonstration of the Zasso machine on Weed Day 2024 received a lot of questions and discussions among California farm advisors, growers, weed specialists, and graduate students. The conversation has led to potential projects in the next reporting period, such as performing a grower's trial and collaborating with the UC farm advisor. An article about UC Davis Weed Day 2024 was published on the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences website. https://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/news/weed-day-2024. The same article was posted on UC Davis Plant Sciences Social Media & Newsletter as well. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The focus of the final funding year is to continue the study in Objective 2 (long-term study) and 3 (economic analysis) while publishing findings from objective 1. We expect that Luisa Baccin will conclude her Ph.D program in the fall of 2024 We will expand our extension activities, including a webinar on January 14, 2025. We are also organizing a Stakeholder Perspective and Engagement meeting to collect feedback on the project progress and future needs. We will complete an additional year of trials in established organic apples comparing the performance and safety (crop and soil health) of electrical weeding to cultivation, as well as electrical weeding followed by cultivation (stacked tools). We have also planted a new apple (Honeycrisp on B9, B10, G11, M7 rootstocks) block/vineyard (own-rooted Concords and Seyvals on 3309 rootstocks) to describe the impacts of electrical weeding on weed control and tree and soil health to better describe the application potential of the technology in young trees and vines. UC Davis Team will continue to conduct experiments described in Objectives 1 and 2 described above and finish data analysis from the data collected in 2024. Graduate student, Tong Zhen, plans to draft two publications regarding Objectives 1 and 2 described above. Two publications will be completed by December 2025. For Objective 3, we plan to conduct a grower's trial in an organic prune orchard to analyze cost and profitability.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Oregon State conducted four replicated field studies in Jefferson OR and Grants Pass OR commercial blueberry fields to compare the effectiveness of electric weed control (EWC) on different weed species and at different times of the year. All trials used a large commercial unit (XPS Power) and a prototype suitable for small farms. Results suggest that multiple passes at higher speeds (>2 mph) are more economical in the long term. The current prototype produces 3 kW and is most effective at one mph or slower speeds. Results indicate that EWC can control annual weeds and perennial weeds like Canada thistle, yellow nutsedge, and horsetail. Cornell: Early season electrical applications were made to newly emerged Canada thistle and compared to flame weeding to describe the impacts on extended control. Additional trials were delayed until next year due to a mechanical failure in the transformer, which is currently being resolved. Davis: Electrical weed control (EWC) trials on different common summer weeds in California orchards. Field experiments of EWC to determine the relationship between weed control efficacy and soil water content in summer 2024. Obnjective 2: Studies at Oregon State on blueberry in Corvallis showed that while plastic mulch outperformed electricity or mowing, its benefits were limited to the base of the plant. Electricity treatments did not affect soil health or plant growth. Electric weed control is compatible with all types of soil mulches, and the number and species diversity of weeds were greatly reduced by the electricity treatments compared to mowing or nontreatment. Our nontreated plots indicate that lack of weed control causes significant plant death (30%) and growth reduction. At Cornell, apple trees treated in the 2023 trials were monitored for survivability, leafing out/canopy development, and other phenology differences in 2024. Data is being analyzed. 2024 research trials could not be conducted because of a broken transformer in the Zasso Electro-herb unit, which is being repaired. Soil physical structure, chemical composition, microarthropod density and diversity, and microbial activity data derived from samples collected from the 2023 field season are being analyzed. In 2025, trials will be conducted to compare cultivation to electrical weeding with respect to soil health parameters. In 2023, an electrical weeding vs cultivation and hand weeding study was conducted in a newly planted apple nursery. Tree health (survivability, leafing out, growth and biomass accumulation) was evaluated following nursery stock removal from cold storage in spring of 2024. Results suggest electric weeding is safe for use in young trees, although differences were observed among root stocks. An apple orchard with Honeycrisp on B9, B10, G11, M7 rootstocks was planted in spring of 2024 to better elucidate the influence of rootstock and rooting behavior on crop safety. Concord grapes on their own-roots and Seyval grapes grafted onto 3309 rootstock were also planted to evaluate electrical weeding in young organic orchard and vineyard systems. The UC Davis Team continued conducting EWC crop safety trials in organic almond and blueberry orchards, which are in their second growing season. The first-year (2023 season) results from the almond trial were presented as posters at the 2024 annual meetings of the California Weed Science Society, the Western Society of Weed Science, and the Weed Science Society of America. Objective 3: The production budget for organic blueberries is being revised and improved with the expected conclusion in the spring of 2025. Dr. Daniel Sumner, UCD, is leading the economic analysis for the project since Dr. Goodrich accepted a different role. Objective 4: A website was created for the project: https://eorganic.info/node/35641 Youtube video: https://youtu.be/a_HHKVHeMjw?si=w4Qxnrpj8NmD0_KQ website. Link:https://eorganic.info/node/35946 Results from field trials were shared with more than 600 stakeholders in the US and Canada via in-person presentations and webinars. Additional outreach was achieved via The Crop Corner podcast, and features in the GROW IWM website and Growing Produce magazine. A demonstration of EWC was presented on 2024 Weed Day at UC Davis on June 26, 2024.

Publications

Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience: Producers Field men Packers and distributors of woody perennial high-value horticultural crops Researchers in woody perennial high-value horticultural crops Weed scientists Weed management specialists Changes/Problems:Blueberry Crop Safety Study Update: In our blueberry crop safety study in NY, the weed fabric treatment unfortunately resulted in the loss of over 50% of the plants. This loss was primarily due to excessive summer heat and the relatively small size of the young blueberries. To address this issue, we have decided to replant the mulch trial in September 2023, this time with larger plants. Furthermore, for the purpose of data analysis, we will separate the weed fabric treatment from the other mulch treatments, as they were introduced at different planting dates and involved varying plant sizes. Equipment Varieties in Oregon: In Oregon, our research involves the utilization of two distinct types of equipment. The first is the Zasso, which aligns with the equipment used by our collaborators in Objectives 1 and 2. The second equipment variant is a prototype designed for small farms. Given that the average blueberry farm size in Oregon is approximately 20 acres, and most growers do not possess tractors exceeding 40 horsepower, this prototype is tailored to their needs. Importantly, it requires around 25 horsepower and comes at a significantly lower cost, amounting to less than one-third of the price of a larger unit. Our efforts are concentrated on defining viable working speeds and operational costs for this specific type of equipment What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Tong Zhen, a graduate student in the Hanson Lab, delivered a presentation titled "Electrical Weed Control in Organic Orchards" at the California Weed Science Society Annual Meeting in Monterey in January 2023. The presentation provided an overview of the mechanism behind electrical weed control and shared preliminary data and images of weed damage from a demonstration held in May 2022. The Hanson Lab conducted a live demonstration of electrical weed control in orchard crops during the 2023 Weed Day hosted by UC-Davis. The demonstration was aimed at growers, farm advisors, and professionals from the crop protection industry. Aleah Butler Jones, a graduate student in the Sosnoski Lab, presented preliminary results from the 2022 field season at the 2023 joint Weed Science Society of America and Northeastern Weed Science Society Annual Meeting. Her Single Slide Talk earned second place. Luisa Baccin, a PhD student, presented at both the WSWS in March 2023 and OSWS in October 2023. Additionally, a select group of growers visited the study site for one-on-one demonstrations. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We have introduced electrical weed control in California Weed Science Society and UC Davis Weed Day during this reporting period. We have exchanged ideas and interacted with field men in perennial high-value horticultural crops, and researchers in these crops, weed scientists and weed management specialists. Butler-Jones, A. L. (2023, January 31). Preliminary Responses of Weeds, the Weed Soil Seedbank, and Microarthropod Communities to Zasso Electrical Weeding [Oral presentation]. Weed Science Society of America - Northeastern Weed Science Society Joint Meeting, Arlington, VA, United States. Cornell will repeat the established orchard trial in the summer of 2024. Electrical Weed Control in Organic Highbush Blueberry. Luisa C. Baccin*, Marcelo L. Moretti; Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR (009) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Develop Site- and Weed-Specific Recommendations for Electric Weed Control Our research plan involves an expansion of our studies in both bare-ground and orchard settings, commencing in the fall of 2023 with a focus on winter annual weeds. These investigations will continue into the spring and summer of 2024, allowing for the collection of more comprehensive data encompassing various weed species and different orchard crops. Given the limited spring and summer rainfall in California, we have recognized the necessity for an irrigation and soil moisture study. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of electrical weed control under varying soil moisture conditions. We intend to employ various irrigation methods, including surface drip, subsurface drip, and micro-sprinkler systems to generate comprehensive weed control efficacy data during the spring and summer of 2024. Additionally, we are committed to sustaining our ongoing studies in commercial blueberry fields, with a specific emphasis on perennial weeds. These studies will continue to document the impact on vegetative propagules and seed production of yellow nutsedge and Canada thistle. Objective 2: Determine the Impacts of Electric Weed Control on Weed Populations, Crop Vigor and Productivity, and Soil Health in-Crop Hanson Lab: The almond and blueberry crop safety studies will persist into the spring of 2024. Orchard maintenance will resume during the winter of 2024. Sosnoski Lab: The Sosnoski Lab at Cornell, utilizing the Zasso Electroherb unit for electrical weed control, will repeat the study focusing on a combination of treatments, considering travel speed (1.7 and 4.8 kph) and mean amperage (9.1 A, 19.4 A, and 35.6 A). We plan to identify extracted microarthropods to the family level and report arthropod abundance as the number of individuals per kilogram of dry soil. The composition and relative abundance of the soil microbial community will be determined. Soil samples will undergo analysis for multiple indicators of soil health, including soil texture, aggregate stability, organic matter content, and pH, at the Cornell Soil Health Testing Laboratory. Moreover, we will assess the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the field trial in accordance with the soil sampling protocol outlined in the Cornell Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health manual. After the final treatment application, soil samples will be collected for wet aggregate stability measurements. We will obtain five subsamples from each plot, aggregate them, and submit them for wet aggregate stability measurements. Our statistical analyses will be conducted in R Studio. We will use repeated measures ANOVA to analyze the effects of the management strategy on weed cover and total invertebrate abundance. Differences in microbial biomass and weed biomass will be determined using ANOVA. To reveal differences between treatment groups, Tukey's pairwise multiple comparison tests will be applied. We will also assess the effect of the weed management strategy on weed and soil biological communities through multivariate analyses. Lastly, our commitment includes the continuation of long-term studies and documenting their impact on yield, fruit quality, and gas exchange measurements in the plant. Objective 3: Perform Cost and Profitability Analyses of Electric Weed Control in Bushberry and Orchard Crops We are planning to conduct cost and profitability analyses of electrical weed control in blueberries and almonds during the 2024 growing season. Our analysis will involve a comparison of electrical weed control to other organic weed control methods, such as organic herbicides, hand-weeding, and cultivation. The evaluation will consider aspects of energy use efficiency and weed control efficacy. Objective 4. We will continue attending conferences and presenting our results.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Develop Site- and Weed-Specific Recommendations for Electric Weed Control At UC Davis, the Hanson Lab conducted replicated studies in two locations in Yolo County, California, to assess the impact of speed and power settings on weed control efficacy. These locations included a fallow field at the UC Davis Plant Sciences Field Facility in Davis and a 2-year-old walnut orchard at UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility in Winters, California. The fallow field study was initiated as a randomized complete block design with four replications in May 2023, featuring nine treatments, combining speeds (0.7 mph, 1 mph, and 1.3 mph) and power settings (high, medium, and low). The dominant weed species were field bindweed (perennial) and glyphosate-resistant hairy fleabane (established annual). Visual weed damage efficacy data was collected at 1 day after treatment (DAT), 3 DAT, 6 DAT, 13 DAT, and 21 DAT, with data analysis planned for September 2023. The walnut study was also initiated as a randomized complete block design with four replications in June 2023, featuring four treatments combining speeds (0.7 mph and 1.3 mph) and power settings (medium and low). The dominant weed species were common summer annuals, including hairy fleabane and tumble pigweed. Data collection for this study included visual weed damage efficacy and the number of regrowth at 5 DAT, 10 DAT, and 20 DAT, with data analysis scheduled for September 2023. The results of these studies will be presented at the California Weed Science Society Annual Meeting, the Western Weed Science Society Annual Meeting, and the Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting in 2024. Objective 2: Determine the Impacts of Electric Weed Control on Weed Populations, Crop Vigor, Productivity, and Soil Health New almond and blueberry plantings were established in a certified organic research field at the UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility in April 2023. A multi-season trial to assess the crop safety and soil health impacts of electrical weed control was initiated. For the blueberry crop safety study, two levels of treatments were considered: mulching types and weed control methods. Mulching types included weed fabric, sawdust, and bare ground. Electrical weed control treatments were applied at both high-power settings (traveling at 0.7 mph) and low-power settings (traveling at 1.3 mph) to evaluate the worst-case scenario's impact on crop and soil health in organic orchards. Electric weed control was applied in June and July 2023, with two more treatments scheduled for September and October 2023. Visual weed damage efficacy was evaluated at 5 and 10 DAT. After the 10 DAT evaluation of each application, all the weeds in each plot were removed to minimize weed-crop competition. Soil samples from both fields were submitted in June to the Cornell Soil Health Laboratory, with results pending. Plant height and stem diameter data for blueberries and almonds were collected in June 2023, with additional measurements planned for September 2023 and late October 2023. Objective 3: Perform Cost and Profitability Analyses of Electric Weed Control in Bushberry and Orchard Crops No experiments were conducted for Objective 3 in the current reporting period. Objective 4: Extend Results to Stakeholders and Describe Changes in Grower Knowledge and Interest in Electric Weed Control Electric weed control equipment was demonstrated at the UC Weed Day extension field day on June 21, 2023, for 100 pest control advisors and researchers from California. Several agricultural media reporters were present, further amplifying this extension effort through subsequent communications to their networks. A Blueberry Field Day attracted 175 growers in Aurora, Oregon, on July 15, NWREC. An OSWS presentation with 150 attendees included an oral presentation on October 24, 2023, by Luisa and Moretti. Additionally, a Blueberry Extension Day engaged 45 contacts with a presentation to growers on October 26, led by Moretti.

Publications

Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience: Producers Field men Packers and distributors of woody perennial high-value horticultural crops. Researchers in these crops Weed scientists and weed management industry representatives Tree fruit and berry producers Extension specialists, Agricultural and horticultural research faculty/staff/graduate students State regulatory officials Members of the public at large Changes/Problems:The project was significant delayed in all states by supply chain issues including equipment manufacture, shipping, setup and crew training on the Zasso EWC. Some units were shipped to the east coast and freighted to the West coast. Moretti spend a significant amount of time overseeing ordering and shipping arrangements to ensure all research members had the necessary equipment. He also faced difficulties recruiting and retaining staff for this project, but it is now moving forward as planned. In California, an extremely dry winter and spring resulted in low weed growth and high fire risk. California field research will resume in fall and early winter when seasonal rainfall and temperatures stimulate germination and annual winter weed growth in almond and blueberry production. No significant changes to the project objectives or outcomes are expected from these delays. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? OSU Research Associate Rafael Pedroso joined the project in October 2021 and was involved in experimental design and study implementation. He has since accepted a position elsewhere and left the project in July 2022. OSU PhD student Luisa Baccin joined the project in March 2022 and has been involved in project discussions, setup and training on the EWC equipment. Two additional graduate students not funded by this project have participated and seen EWC in action. Two undergraduate students have participated in field work related to this project. UC Davis PhD student Tong Zhen joined the project in Fall 2021 and has been involved in project discussions, setup and training on the EWC equipment, and initial demonstration and replicated experiments during spring 2022. In addition to Zhen, four additional graduate student and postdoc members of Hanson's team who are not funded by this project have also had opportunity to participate in UC Davis demonstration trials with the EWC. Cornell provided training to two technicians, two undergraduate summer scholars and two graduate research assistants. Affiliated cooperative extension specialists and research farm managers, mechanics, electricians have been instructed regarding unit operation, safety, and performance. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of results has been limited due to a cascade of delays related to supply chain issues. However, information about the project plans and goals has been shared with general audiences via the UC Weed Science blog, Cooperative Extension meetings, and in direct meetings with the target commodity groups in California. Electri-fried weed control trials underway: Oregon State University leads electric current project with potential for organic weed control in blueberries, apples and almonds. Good Fruit Grower, April 15, 2022 Issue. Two student poster presentations to student peers and the Cornell AgriTech community at large. New York Department of Environmental Conservation officials and members of Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences administration attended presentations/demonstrations. Stakeholders received project overview and preliminary results at the 2022 Peru Orchard Weed Management and Soil Health Field Day (July 20, ~25 attendees), the 2022 Lake Ontario Fruit Field Day (August 9, ~230 attendees), and the Cornell AgriTech 140th Anniversary Open House (August 13, ~800 attendees). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, OSU will establish a ~1-acre planting of blueberry in a certified organic field for research proposed in Objectives 1 and 2. UC Davis will establish ~2-acre planting of blueberry and almond in a certified organic field for the same end. OSU will use a mature cherry block for studies on the same objectives. Young plantings are crucial for evaluating the potential for negative crop safety and soil health impacts; the area around these plants will be treated with EWC multiple times per year for two growing seasons. Bare ground areas of the same field, as well as another certified field and conventional research fields will be used in related experiments to broaden the diversity of weed species evaluated. The EWC treatments and non-EWC alternatives at the UC Davis field location will also provide information on input costs, including hand labor, for the economic analyses proposed in Objective 3. Cornell has selected field sites and crop blocks for summer 2023 research trials to develop site- and weed-specific recommendations for electric weed control and to determine the impacts of electric weed control on weed populations, crop vigor and productivity, and soil health in-crop. A review article (New York Fruit Quarterly) describing the value of New York fruit and berry crops, major weedy pests, current weed management practices and the potential of electrical weed control in organic production operations is planned. Global health situation permitting, we anticipate including the EWC research in spring and summer field days in 2023.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Develop site- and weed-specific recommendations for electric weed control. Moretti group is meeting with statisticians at OSU to identify proper statistical analysis and design an experiment to compare performance of electric weed control across multiple sites. During this performance period, OSU activities have primarily been related to ordering, purchasing, receiving delivery, setup, and training on the EWC system for both Cornell and UC Davis. Both institutions had their equipment delivered in March 2022. Due to supply chain issues, there was a significant delay and increased equipment costs from the initial estimates. OSU has faced issues with tractor repair since June 2022. A second tractor was ordered but has not been received as of August 2022. To mitigate future delays, we have ordered additional front brackets to allow us to use three different tractors for this research as conditions dictate. We hope to have all system operation by early September 2022. During this performance period, UC Davis activities have primarily been related to ordering, purchasing, receiving delivery, setup, and training on the EWC system. The equipment was ordered in December 2021, delivered in mid-March 2022, and setup and operator training were completed in late March 2022. During March-May 2022, we conducted several un-replicated demonstrations in almond and other orchard crops and evaluated weed control in several bare ground sites with typical weeds for the region and time of year. Naturally occurring weed communities in the California locations included Italian ryegrass, California burclover, hairy fleabane, field bindweed, prostrate and redroot pigweed, common lambsquarters, and common purslane. Additional experiments and demonstrations were not conducted during summer because of poor weed growth under drought conditions and due to concerns of fire safety related to arcing from the EWC unit. Research in California will resume with fall weather and seasonal weed growth. Three trials were conducted at Cornell AgriTech to evaluate the impacts of travel speed, generator setting, and aboveground weed community on weed control, soil microbial respiration, soil microarthropod numbers, and soil weed seedbank germination. Studies are ongoing. These trials will serve as a basis for replicated studies to develop site- and weed-specific recommendations for electric weed control. Objective 2: Determine the impacts of electric weed control on weed populations, crop vigor and productivity, and soil health in-crop. OSU: We have ordered all plant and supply materials and met with our local organic certifier to ensure we meet all requirements. Crop planting is expected to start in Fall, 2022, as proposed in the project timeline. UC Davis: During this performance period, UC Davis activities have primarily been related to experimental design and coordinating supplies and planting materials. An organic blueberry planting will be established for the research during late fall or early winter 2022. Research related to EWC efficacy and blueberry crop safety will continue for the remainder of the grant period. Cornell AgriTech: The Cornell group will install this experiment in an existing organic blueberry block at their research farm. Objective 3: Perform cost and profitability analyses of electric weed control in bushberry and orchard crops. None Objective 4: Extend results to stakeholders and describe changes in grower knowledge about and interest in electric weed control. UC Davis: California stakeholders have been introduced to the project concept in cooperative extension meetings and small group meeting with commodity group leadership. Specifically, the EWC project was introduced in presentations at the annual Almond Conference (Sacramento, CA) on 12/3/2021 and the Walnut Research Conference (Bodega Bay, CA) on 1/27/2022. UC Davis PI Hanson and UC Davis grad student Zhen met with representatives from the California Blueberry Commission on 4/15/22 and 6/21/22 and with leadership of the Almond Board of California on 6/14/22.

Publications