RootWave’s technology kills weeds using electricity, offering farmers an eco-friendly alternative to chemical herbicides. The eWeeding solution supports our transition towards a more sustainable agricultural industry, protecting the health of both people and the planet.
Picture a tractor making its way through a field of crops. It drives up and down the neat rows of green stalks, pulling an implement behind it. In that attachment, video cameras and AI identify the crops and guide electrodes towards any weeds that have sprung up between the rows. The electrodes send a shock of electricity coursing through the seedlings, boiling them down to their roots. This kills the unwanted plants, while leaving the surrounding soil, crops and critters undisturbed. It may seem futuristic, but this is the electrical weeding solution developed by RootWave, delivered by the smart tech of its partner Garford Farm Machinery.
This technology is tackling a major global challenge. Feeding a planet of billions is no mean feat – for the past hundred years, we’ve relied on chemical herbicides to combat weeds and increase crop yields. “Farmers today face two major weeding issues,” explains RootWave CEO Andrew Diprose. “Many weeds are developing herbicide resistance, making our chemical solutions increasingly ineffective. Simultaneously, regulators around the world (especially in the EU) are restricting or banning herbicides to protect our health and the environment. This means farmers are on the lookout for non-chemical weeding methods that are cost-competitive, effective and safe, to alleviate their fears for the future well–being of their fields and families.”
“Farmers are on the lookout for non-chemical weeding methods that are cost-competitive, effective and safe, to alleviate their fears for the future well–being of their fields and families.” – Andrew Diprose, RootWave
Old tech; new breakthrough
The concept of electrical weeding (eWeeding) has been around since the late 1800s, but throughout the 20th century, the technology was consistently sidelined, as chemical herbicides were efficient, cheap and abundant, and we hadn’t yet wizened to their immense impact on health and biodiversity. “There was a push for the technology in the late 1990s, including by my own father who was conducting academic research on eWeeding in the ‘80s,” says Diprose. “But it was always sidelined, and not just because chemical herbicides were so popular: there were safety issues as well.”
In the past, eWeeding technology has used either direct current (DC) or 50Hz alternating current (AC). The problem with either of these is that the power needed to kill a weed is potentially lethal for a person. With access to modern electronics, RootWave has been able to develop an eWeeding device that instead uses high frequency AC. “The human body can absorb several thousand times more AC than DC energy,” Diprose explains “If there is an accident with an eWeeder using high frequency AC, the farmer may experience a burn, but unlike DC or 50Hz AC, the energy transfer won’t be fatal.”
Saving both money and soil health
High costs are a major barrier for the adoption of sustainable agricultural solutions. Farmers around the world are already operating on very slim profit margins – to keep their business afloat they’re often forced to pick products that are cheap rather than good for the planet. Happily, the RootWave eWeeder is cost competitive even compared to cheap chemicals, says Diprose: “Both RootWave and Garford have independently calculated that, although farmers pay a higher upfront price of our product, compared with the continuous cost of buying chemical herbicides the eWeeder saves farmers money in the long-term.”
“Our eWeeder is nice and clean; in line with sustainable, smart, precision-oriented agriculture, which is where this industry needs to be heading.” – Andrew Diprose, RootWave
The eWeeder also has an edge on other non-chemical alternatives like mechanical weeding machines which churn up the soil. Although this tilling destroys the weeds, it also kills beneficial bugs and disrupts the soil’s microbiome and structural integrity, meaning it can’t capture as much carbon or water. “The human race is entirely dependent on a very narrow layer of topsoil which we need to be taking better care of. Since our eWeeder doesn’t leave chemical residues or damage the soil, it can support both organic and regenerative farming practices. The technology also fits seamlessly with the trend towards using autonomous tractors powered by green energy, reducing carbon emissions. Our eWeeder is nice and clean; in line with sustainable, smart, precision-oriented agriculture, which is where this industry needs to be heading.”
Protecting people and the planet
RootWave initially developed its eWeeder for use in permanent crops like fruit trees and grapevines, but with the establishment of the collaboration with Garford in 2024, the eWeeder will now also be rolled out globally for row crops like vegetables, cereals and broad-acre crops like maize and sunflowers. “Combining forces with Garford has allowed us to create a formidable weeding solution for farmers, so they can get on with growing crops while also protecting people and the planet,” Diprose states, proudly.
