Farmers across the country are facing high input costs, and this pressure is especially noticeable during harvest season. As producers store grain or deliver it to elevators, they also evaluate the year’s performance and begin shaping their management plans for the next growing cycle. With crop prices under pressure and expenses rising, many are rethinking how to reduce input costs without compromising production goals.
One area receiving renewed attention is weed management, as herbicides—while effective—often make up a significant portion of total production expenses. This has encouraged some growers to explore alternative, nonchemical weed control methods that offer cost savings and long-term sustainability.
Transitioning Toward Organic Practices
Moving Away from Chemicals
For some farmers, rethinking weed control means moving away from chemical inputs entirely. Organic grower Tim Raile of St. Francis, Kansas, says that rising herbicide prices were a major factor in his shift toward organic systems.
“The chemical prices kept getting more expensive, and we had to keep putting on more of it,” Raile explains. “We just decided it wasn’t sustainable and needed another approach.”
Many studies now focus on nonchemical weed control practices, not only for certified organic producers but also for conventional operations interested in cutting costs or improving soil health.
Research on Nonchemical Weed Management
Cover Crops as a Key Strategy
One of the most promising techniques involves cover crops, which help suppress weeds naturally. According to Amit Jhala, a weed management specialist with Nebraska Extension, several years of research show that cover crops—especially cereal rye—can play a major role in reducing weed pressure in corn and soybeans.
“Cover crops can be part of an integrated weed management program,” Jhala says. “We’ve seen strong success with cereal rye when planted right after corn or soybean harvest.”
Cover crops help block sunlight, reduce weed seed germination, and create a natural barrier that disrupts winter annual weeds like marestail, henbit, and field pennycress—many of which are glyphosate-resistant.
Top Nonchemical Weed Control Methods
1. Cover Crops
Cover crops remain one of the most effective nonchemical weed suppression tools. Producers must identify the specific weeds troubling their fields to choose the right cover crop mix. For widespread issues such as winter annual weeds, fall-planted cereal rye can dramatically reduce weed emergence the following spring.
2. Row Spacing Adjustments
Traditional 30-inch row spacing in corn and soybeans leaves the soil exposed longer, giving weeds more room to germinate. Jhala’s research shows that shifting to narrower rows—such as 15 inches—helps the canopy close sooner, limiting sunlight to weed seeds.
Farmer Tim Raile has seen these results firsthand, adjusting his wheat drill spacing from 12 inches to 10 inches, even considering 7-inch rows to accelerate shading and decrease weed pressure.
3. Interrow Cultivation
Mechanical weed control through interrow cultivation remains a reliable, low-chemical option. Though weeds growing directly within the row often survive, this method can remove a significant portion of unwanted plants.
Raile notes that his goal is not perfection but acceptable weed reduction, emphasizing that completely weed-free fields are unrealistic without chemicals. Jhala adds that interrow cultivation can still provide 80% to 85% weed control early in the season, especially when weeds are in the seedling stage.
4. Flaming Technology
Another technique gaining interest is flame weeding, which uses controlled heat to kill weeds without harming the crop. Early-season flaming—especially from V1 to V4 growth stages in corn—is effective because the crop’s growing point remains below the soil surface.
Researchers have even developed tractor-mounted flamers that can treat up to eight rows at once.
5. Emerging Technologies: Lasers, Electricity & Robots
Agricultural innovation continues to push boundaries, and researchers are experimenting with new tools such as:
- Laser weeders
- Electric weed-killing equipment delivering up to 10,000 watts
- Autonomous robots that mechanically remove weeds row by row
While these technologies are still in early testing phases and not yet economical, farmers like Raile believe they hold promise. Mass production and technological improvements may eventually make them viable for large-scale farming.