The Straw Bale Methodology for Cleaning Weed Seeds Out of a Combine

We often see weeds visible above a cash crop canopy, particularly in soybean fields. Sometimes these weeds are solitary specimens, while other times they are distributed in patches or even rows. Farmers have told us that these weed species are new to their fields and may have been carried into the fields by a combine. It is a plausible scenario: combines have been documented to spread weed seeds from infested fields to new fields. Weed seeds can survive in debris on a combine across seasons.

Most people think that weed seeds are hidden somewhere in the combine and are is almost impossible to remove, even during a thorough cleaning-up. This is not true. It is both crucial and possible to deep-clean the combine before moving to another field, as well as at the end of the season.

In this video we describe how to deep-clean your combine with the use of straw bales.
Collaborator and video: Claudio Rubione, GROW
Narration: Barb Scott, University of Delaware
For more information visit https://growiwm.org/