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Non-Chemical Weed Management Workshop |
9:00 am to 5:00 pm, 21 July 2023, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand
Giving a complete overview of non-chemical weed management as part of Integrated Weed Management (IWM)
Registration is required - see below
Merf has more than 30 years experience in non-chemical weed management. He started his career helping re-establish Sunnyfields organic vegetable farm in the UK after the previous manager had walked off having lost his war with the weeds. In a sink or swim moment, he devised a new weed management strategy which turned around the weed problem in just two years. From the UK he came to Aotearoa New Zealand for a working holiday from which he is unlikely to return. He worked extensively at Harts Creek Farm in Canterbury as they expanded their organic cropping systems across multiple farms.
He has also invented, designed and built a wide range of weeding machinery including an optimised naturally aspirated flame weeder, re-invented the direct-fired steam boiler and repurposed it for ag / horticultural use, the 4 Wheel Hoe, false seedbed cultivators, interrow hoes, basket weeders and even a new toolbar clamp!
He has over 40 publications on non-chemical weed management including peer reviewed papers and book chapters, conference proceedings and extension publications including though leading articles on the future of weed management. For example, 'Redefining weeds for the post-herbicide era' and 'Could the dawn of Level 4 robotic weeders facilitate a revolution in ecological weed management?' See his research page and the FFC website for more examples and additional information.
The primary audience is horticultural and cropping / arable farmers & growers as it is these production systems that have the largest challenge with weeds. Perennial crop (e.g. vines, apples) producers will also benefit with one section dedicated to perennial crops (see below). There is some benefit for livestock / pasture systems in terms of the overall concepts of non-chemical and integrated weed management plus herbicide resistance. Consultants and advisors working with farmer and grower clients, particularly in cropping, will gain considerable benefit, especially regarding the latest technologies. Scientists, especially those working on the transition away from agrichemicals, will gain valuable insights.
The content assumes a reasonable level of understanding and practical experience of commercial agriculture and horticulture systems including weed management.
This is a really full on and intense workshop - bring your thinking head!
The day gives a systematic overview of non-chemical weed management, providing information on the changing context of weed management, the fundamentals of weed biology and ecology, through to practical know-how of tools and techniques that farmers and growers can use themselves. See below for more detail on the topics covered. Due to the huge size of the topic this is 'only' and overview and cannot get into the detailed of non-chemical weed management in every crop.
Attendees will be given a colour hardcopy booklet containing all the presentation slides (in handout format). Attendees can also download PDF versions of the presentations after the workshop.
"Great overview and backed up by robust science"
"Highly useful, time to implement theory into practice"
"At the cutting edge"
"Enthusiastic presenter"
"Great discussions"
Cost is NZ$391.30
excl. GST = $450.00 incl. GST. This includes a colour handout printout of the presentations. Catering includes tea, real coffee and snack on arrival, morning and afternoon smoko and finger food lunch.
Registration is essential as places are limited. To register please email
including:
and I'll email you back an invoice from Xero. Payment is by online bank transfer on receipt of invoice to guarantee your place(s), i.e., payment is required before you can attend. I dont have credit card facilities, online payment only. Please note the cancellation policy below. If you have any other questions please also email Merf at
The exact location in Lincoln will be confirmed when final numbers are known. It will most likely be at the BHU Organics Trust building in the Hort Research Area at Lincoln University, or the Lincoln Events Center.
Below is the topics from last years workshop. This will be updated with the latest new ideas and technology, esp. in robotic weeding which is undergoing very rapid change. Attendees will be provided with a full timeline of the day.
Part 1: The Big Picture: A Little Context
Context - weed management under planetary crises
Context - the changing attitudes to weeds
Redefining weeds for the post-herbicide era
The new soil health paradigm of plant root exudates
Integrated weed management (IWM), how herbicide and non-chem. weed management relate
The ESR concept of system redesign
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 2: Herbicide resistance
Global herbicide resistance
NZ herbicide resistance
How herbicide resistant weeds occur
Where do they come from?
Herbicide resistance risk factors
Beating herbicide resistance
How do I know if I have herbicide resistant weeds?
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 3: Think like a weed: key biological and ecological knowledge
Lifecycles and morphology
Seeds, seeding and dormancy
The weed seed bank - the ‘root’ of the problem
The ‘bud based perspective’
Dedifferentiation - zombie plants
Therophytes
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 4: Doing it in the field - the weed management hierarchy
Just how good it can get!
The non-chemical weed management hierarchy
Weed seed rain - stopping it
Harvest weed seed control (HWSC)
Rotations what they can and can’t do for weed management
The relevance, and lack of relevance, of soil conditions inc nutrient status for weed management
The role of crop and pasture choice and grazing management
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 5: Plants vs. weeds
Diversity is the answer
Plant mixtures are the answer
Cover crops - all the different types
Plants vs. weeds in perennial crops: Living mulches and diverse pasture
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 6: Doing it in the field - Pre-emergence weeding
Pre-crop-emergence weeding (tillage)
False and stale seedbeds
Thermal weeders - flame, steam and electrothermal
Sowing, planting & related techniques
Nutrient placement and timing
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 7: Doing it in the field: Post-emergence weeding - Contiguous and perennial crop weeders
How mechanical weeders kill
Row spacing and un-hoed area
Crop weeder hierarchy
Contiguous weeders
More on electrothermal
Perennial crop weeding and the why the "death zone" has gotta go
Mechanical, thermal and high pressure water weeders for perennials
Discussion / questions and answers
Part 8: Doing it in the field: Post-emergence weeding - Incontiguous weeders and the robots
Weeding in annual crops - arable and vegetables
The importance of accuracy
Automatic guidance systems
Incontiguous weeders
Pedestrian wheel hoes
Ridge weeders
Intrarow weeders: non-discriminatory and discriminatory
The robots revolution is here
Selective thermal weeding
Hand weeding
Final discussion / questions and answers
You may cancel (after payment has been received) up to one week before the workshop starts, and you will receive 90% of the fee back (10% being charged for administration and bank costs).
If you cancel between one week and two days of the start of the workshop, you are entitled to a return of 50% of the fee.
If cancel two days or less before the start of the workshop, i.e. at 9:00 am Friday 20 June or you fail to attend you will not be entitled to a refund.
Please note if you are flying into Christchurch consider flying down the previous afternoon as Chch airport is prone to morning and evening fog at this time of year.
If the workshop is cancelled by us, e.g. the presenter is sick, then you will be entitled to a full refund, or credit for another workshop, and/or we will endeavour to reschedule the workshop, ideally within a few weeks. Merfield Agronomy Ltd. will not be liable for other costs you incur due to such a cancellation, e.g. flights.