As researchers continue to look for alternatives to conventional herbicides, one potential solution might be an ingredient found in your kitchen pantry.
Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill might not conjure up an image of your average hunter, but his prey isn’t typical, either. He’s the lead scientist running experiments on a Prince Edward Island potato farm to see if they can exterminate weeds using a commercial sandblaster filled with crushed walnuts, corncobs — and baking soda.
In its initial testing, McKenzie-Gopsill says they started with just mashed-up corn cob and walnut shell grits — two sustainable and accessible agricultural byproducts. But the project faced an early challenge as the larger grit sizes clogged the sandblasting equipment. Not to mention, the grits alone weren’t doing the job.
“They did stunt the weeds, but we wanted something that would give us more control,” McKenzie-Gopsill says.
That’s when the team decided to try baking soda, which they sprayed onto the weeds after the grit application. The result?
“We were able to get full control of all of our weed species when we hit them with grit and then hit them with the baking soda,” he says. “That means we’re able to reduce the volume of product that’s going out in the field, which is the ultimate goal.”
Obviously, the project isn’t just about hunting weeds though — it represents another way growers can shift toward more environmentally-friendly farming practices, especially in high-value crop fields.
With a viable option toward meeting this goal, the team quickly adapted their methodology. The experimental plot received targeted applications of grit and baking soda, aligned with the timing of standard herbicide treatments. This approach not only helped manage weed populations but also significantly reduced their seed production, potentially mitigating future infestations.
So far, so good.
But as the project enters its third year, a new challenge has emerged. Practical application. In the testing phases, researchers walked between potato rows, targeting the weeds at ground level.
“We were scouting for weeds and aiming the spray right at the weed, so it’s a long process,” McKenzie-Gopsill says, acknowledging that while it does provide reassurance to growers who may be concerned about unintended damage to their plants, it isn’t a viable option for farms with acres and acres of potatoes.
In this next phase of the project, researchers are working on a plan for that. Collaborating with an engineer, McKenzie-Gopsill and his team are hoping to create specialized sprayer equipment capable of handling weed management on larger scale operations.
It’s important work, he says, given the growing pressures on farmers to find innovative, non-chemical ways to deal with pests, such as unwanted vegetation, in their crops.
“Regulatory changes, consumer preference changes… the biology of the system is forcing us to find alternative solutions,” McKenzie-Gopsill says. “The results of this project are promising so far.”
And as traditional herbicides continue to lose their effectiveness, the quest for alternatives is more urgent than ever. With pioneering solutions like baking soda and enhanced methods on the horizon, the call to arms for weed control has never been more innovative.
