Electric Discharge Weed Control in a Competitive Plant System: A Modeling Approach and Experimental Validation

This study proposes a model and experimental validation of the effects of high-voltage pulsed electric discharge for weed management in agronomic systems characterized by interspecific plant competition. The objective of the proposed model is to investigate the potential for electrical current applied to a target organism (i.e., weed) to cause a detrimental biological response in the neighboring crop, thereby assessing the efficacy and selectivity of the electrical treatment method. The investigation will assess whether the application of high-voltage electrical pulses to target weed species induces collateral physiological or structural impacts on adjacent crop plants within the competitive zone. Due to the spatial overlap of weed and crop root systems, selective targeting is essential. This approach aligns with non-chemical weed control methods aimed at reducing herbicide dependence while maintaining crop health. Furthermore, this study includes an experimental validation through the development of a prototype system capable of applying highvoltage electrical discharges to target weed species, enabling assessment of the resulting impacts on adjacent crop plants.