- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Published on: March 7, 2017
![Weeds will compete with a new orchard for water, sun and nutrients, and interfere with harvest in mature orchards. Weeds in this orchard were killed with an herbicide.](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/anrnews/blogfiles/42141small.jpg)
Weeds will compete with a new orchard for water, sun and nutrients, and interfere with harvest in mature orchards. Weeds in this orchard were killed with an herbicide.
The popular herbicide paraquat works well and is inexpensive, but emerging research shows a correlation of paraquat exposure and Parkinson's disease, reported Kerry Klein on Valley Public Radio.
Klein met with UC Cooperative Extension weed advisor Kurt Hembree at an almond orchard near Selma that was clear of weeds. Growers kill weeds because weeds kill crops, Hembree said.
"Direct competition for water and nutrients. Whatever the tree likes, the weeds like," he said.
Hembree explained how the paraquat works.
"Paraquat's a contact-type...
Tags: Kurt Hembree (1), weeds (7)
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