Weeds in the Hot Seat By Greg Lamp Fighting weeds is a constant challenge. That’s especially true if you’re an organic farmer or a traditional farmer with weed resistance issues. Now researchers and farmers are warming up to the idea of using propane-powered ﬂ aming to kill weeds. The University of Nebraska is testing 15 ﬂ ame weeder prototypes throughout the Midwest. The four-row ﬂ ame weeder uses propane and pressure to vary heat created by a concentrated ﬂ ame, often reaching up to 4,000 degrees F. The ﬂ ame is directed at weed leaves or stalks to quickly heat water in the weed plant’s cells, eventually killing them without damaging the tougher stalks of corn or soybeans. The ﬂ ame does not char crop leaves. Approved for organic farming, ﬂ ame weeding can be used in wet or windy conditions and the ﬁ eld can be reentered immediately after treatment. Depending on application speed and pressure, the practice uses 5 to 15 gallons of propane per acre. “Flame weeding is a convenient, logical solution for weed control since most farms handle propane in some capacity,” says Matt Kumm, marketing manager for CHS Propane. “With organic farming growing in popularity, it’s good to see propane technology keeping pace with the need.” About 2 million acres of U.S. cropland are certiﬁ ed organic. ■ Your CHS Connection 17