Farmers in Canada are on alert as a highly destructive and herbicide-resistant weed is spreading further and further north.
What's happening?
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that kochia has reached the prairies of Saskatchewan.
Kochia is a noxious weed that poses a serious risk to late-maturing crops as it outcompetes them for light, water, and nutrients.
Native to the open plains of eastern Europe and Asia, kochia spreads rapidly. One plant can produce 50,000 seeds.
A local farmer told the CBC about his ongoing and expensive battle with the plant, mentioning a $100,000 add-on to his combine.
"It's harder for smaller farms to adapt some of these tools, and that is a concern long term," he said.
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Why is the spread of kochia concerning?
Shaun Sharpe, a scientist and invasive weed specialist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, suggested deforestation is a contributing factor to the weed's spread.
"We've done a lot of cutting down tree lines, which would block the wind," he said. "Now, it has a wide open prairie it can just tumble and fly through."
Additionally, kochia is able to thrive in drought conditions that would kill many other plants. With temperatures rising due to heat-trapping pollution produced by the burning of dirty fuels, kochia can outcompete other plants and spread further.
What can be done to contain it?
The first step is raising awareness and local engagement, as most farmers in the province have never encountered kochia and struggle to identify it.
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Not enough time ⏳ Fortunately, there are sustainable ways to eradicate kochia, although they may involve some short-term pain. Kochia spreads widely but not particularly deeply. According to Cornell University, it emerges from only the top inch of the soil, so methods like tine weeding can work quite well.
Cover crops are another good way to stop kochia from taking hold, and as an added bonus, they're great for the environment and the health of the soil.
Cornell University noted that if the weeds can be contained for a year and monitored closely for the next two to three years, they can be eradicated.
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