Use of Pulsed Arc Discharge Exposure to Impede Expansion of the Invasive Vine Pueraria montana

Yoshinori Matsuda, Yoshihiro Takikawa, Koji Kakutani, Teruo Nonomura, Kiyotsugu Okada, Shin-ichi Kusakari and Hideyoshi Toyoda
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Yoshinori Matsuda: Department of Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
Yoshihiro Takikawa: Plant Center, Institute of Advanced Technology, Kindai University, Wakayama 642-0017, Japan
Koji Kakutani: Pharmaceutical Research and Technology Institute and Anti-Aging Centers, Kindai University, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
Teruo Nonomura: Department of Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
Kiyotsugu Okada: Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences Research Center of Osaka Prefecture, Osaka 583-0862, Japan
Shin-ichi Kusakari: Research Association of Electric Field Screen Supporters, Nara 631-8505, Japan
Hideyoshi Toyoda: Research Association of Electric Field Screen Supporters, Nara 631-8505, Japan

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: The invasive kudzu vine Pueraria montana var. lobata is an agricultural nuisance that disturbs the field cultivation of crop plants. We developed a simple electrostatic method of suppressing the invasive growth of kudzu vines as an alternative to the use of herbicides for weed control. Exposure of the vine apex to a high-voltage arc discharge was the focal point of the study. To achieve this, we constructed a ladder-shaped apparatus by arranging several parallel copper rods at specific intervals in an insulating frame. The top rod was linked to a direct current voltage generator and pulse-charged at −10 kV, and the remaining rods were linked to a grounded line. Because of the conductive nature of the grounded vine body, the vine climbing along the grounded rods was subjected to a pulsed arc discharge from the charged rod when its apex entered the electric field produced around the charged rod. The part of the vine exposed to the discharge was heated, which promoted vaporisation of body water. This destroyed the tip growing point and prevented vine elongation. A simplified weed control apparatus was developed, which can be fabricated for practical use from inexpensive, ready-made materials.

Keywords: electrostatic apparatus; weed control; electric fence; thermographic analysis; sound intensity analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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