Case study of zero-tillage organic soybean production in Brazil

Abstract

In the absence of the herbicide option, weed control is the major constraint to organic soybean production in southern Brazil and eastern Paraguay. A joint entrepreneurial initiative introduced innovative 6000-V electro-shock desiccation for pre-plant weed control in organic soybeans, under zero-tillage–conservation agriculture, complemented by already-proven inter-row cultivation and biological control methods for insects and diseases. To develop an efficient operating procedure, a field trial with the electro-shock treatment was carried out and showed 78.6% overall weed control 28 days after electro-shock treatment, and no significant difference between operating speeds of 3.42, 9.49 and 16.57 km h−1. Further research is required to improve equipment performance and prove the medium- and long-term economic and social benefits to policy-makers, in order to justify environmental services payments for this environmentally friendly system.