Innovative strategies for on-farm weed management in organic carrot

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 246-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Peruzzi ◽  
Marco Ginanni ◽  
Marco Fontanelli ◽  
Michele Raffaelli ◽  
Paolo Bàrberi
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management System ◽  
Root Yield ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Labor Time ◽  
Innovative System ◽  
Yield Quality ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
Physical Weed Control

AbstractWeed management is often the most troublesome technical problem to be solved in organic farming, especially in poorly competitive crops like vegetables. A four-year (2000–2003) series of trials was established to assess the possibility of adopting an innovative non-chemical weed management system in organic carrot grown on the Fucino plateau, i.e., the most important carrot-growing area in Italy. The system utilized for physical weed control was based first on a false seedbed technique followed by pre-sowing weed removal, performed with a special 2 m wide 6-row spring-tine harrow. Prior to crop emergence, a pass with a flame weeder equipped with four 50 cm wide-open flame burners was also performed. Post-emergence weed control consisted of one or more hoeing passes with a purpose-designed 11-tine precision hoe equipped with spring implements (torsion weeders and vibrating tines), in addition to hand weeding. This innovative system was applied to a novel planting pattern (sowing in ten individual rows within 2 m wide beds) and compared to the standard management system of the area (sowing within 2 m wide beds but in five bands, use of spring-tine harrowing and flame weeding pre-emergence and of traditional hoeing post-emergence). The new system was tested in different commercial farms including both early and late-sown carrot. Assessments included machine operative characteristics, labor time, weed density and biomass, crop root yield and yield quality, and economic data (physical weed control costs and crop gross margin). Compared to the standard system, the innovative system usually resulted in reduced labor time (from 28 to 40%) and total costs for physical weed control (on average −416 € ha−1). Use of the precision hoe resulted in intra-row weed reduction ranging from 65 to 90%, which also led to a marked reduction in the labor required for hand weeding. In 2001 the two systems did not differ in terms of yield and yield quality, whereas in 2002 and 2003 the innovative system showed a higher mean density of carrot plants (from 28 to 55%), root yield (from 30 to 42%), and gross margin (from 40 to 100%). Carrot yield was higher in farms which adopted an early sowing whereas root commercial quality was somewhat variable between systems and years. In general, results obtained with the innovative management system look very promising.

Physical weed control in processing tomatoes in Central Italy

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Raffaelli ◽  
Marco Fontanelli ◽  
Christian Frasconi ◽  
Francesca Sorelli ◽  
Marco Ginanni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Physical Treatment ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Organic Cultivation ◽  
Alternative System ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
Physical Weed Control ◽  
Processing Tomatoes

AbstractTomato is a very important vegetable crop in Italy. Improving the means of production for processing organic tomatoes could help guarantee better profits for farmers and, at the same time, enhance environmental management and safeguard consumers’ health. Weed control, in particular within crop rows, is one of the main problems in organic farming, and thus also for the organic cultivation of tomato. The aim of this study was to develop innovative strategies and equipment for effective physical weed control in processing tomatoes. A conventional weed management system incorporating herbicides was compared with an alternative system relying exclusively on physical control during three growing seasons (2006–2008) on a farm located near Pisa, Italy. The crop was transplanted mechanically onto paired rows. The conventional strategy consisted of three different chemical treatments, two post-transplanting PTO-powered rotary hoe passes and several hand-weeding treatments on the paired rows. The alternative system included a stale seedbed technique (performed by a rolling harrow pass and one flaming treatment), two post-transplanting precision hoeing treatments and several hand-weeding treatments. All the machines for the alternative system were adjusted and set up for processing tomatoes transplanted in paired rows. Each physical treatment (mechanical and thermal) within the alternative system allowed an ‘instantaneous’ (just before/just after) weed control from 50 to 100%, while the alternative strategy as a whole achieved values of weed dry biomass at harvest ranging from 22 to 126 g m−2. However, the alternative system required a total labor input that averaged 50% higher than the conventional strategy. The conventional system had on average more effective weed control than the alternative system, but both strategies controlled weeds effectively. Weed biomass at harvest averaged 36 and 68 g m−2 for conventional and alternative strategies, respectively. On the other hand, the alternative system generally led to a significant increase in fresh crop yield (+13% average yield for the 3 years).

scholarly journals Effects of Flame Weeding on Organic Garlic Production

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Abou Chehade ◽  
Marco Fontanelli ◽  
Luisa Martelloni ◽  
Christian Frasconi ◽  
Michele Raffaelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Liquefied Petroleum Gas ◽  
Additional Tool ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
Physical Weed Control ◽  
Flame Weeding

A lack of efficient machines and strategies for cropping practices are still problems on small farms and in difficult landscapes, especially in organic crop production. The aim of this study was to develop a new weed control strategy for a typical organic garlic (Allium sativum) grown in Liguria, Italy. Flaming was proposed as an additional tool for the physical weed control program. A field experiment was conducted to test the effects of different flaming doses and timing on weed control and garlic production. The treatments consisted of a broadcast flaming at 16, 22, 37, and 112 kg·ha−1 of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at three different crop growth stages—emergence (BBCH 9), three to four leaves (BBCH 13) and six to seven leaves (BBCH 16)—once (at each growth stage separately), twice (at BBCH 9 and BBCH 13, BBCH 9 and BBCH 16, and BBCH 13 and BBCH 16 stages) or three times (all stages combined). Treatments were compared with a weedy control and hand weeding. One flaming treatment was effective in controlling weeds during the growing season. Frequent flaming treatments did not further reduce the weed biomass measured at harvest. A higher production than the weedy control, in terms of the number of marketable bulbs and yield, was obtained for all the flaming interventions carried out at more than 16-kg·ha−1 LPG dose. Garlic flamed once at BBCH 13 at any LPG dose or three times at more than 16 kg·ha−1 led to a comparable number of bulbs as hand weeding. Three flamings at an LPG dose of 22 kg·ha−1 also gave a statistically similar yield to hand weeding. In general, garlic was shown to tolerate up to three flaming treatments without a decline in the production. The decline in yield compared with hand weeding could be offset by the economical savings of the mechanization process and by integrating flaming with other mechanical tools used for weed management.

scholarly journals Weed control in soybean (Glycine max L.) through resource management strategies and its influence on yield and nutrient uptake

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 539-543
Author(s):  
Aradhana Bali ◽  
B. R. Bazaya ◽  
Sandeep Rawal
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Glycine Max L ◽  
Effect On Yield ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
Quizalofop Ethyl

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2011 at Research Farm, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chatha, Jammu to evaluate the effect of weed management prac-tices on yield and nutrient uptake of soybean utilizing different resource management strategies. The lowest weed density and dry matter of weeds was recorded with hand weeding at 15 and 35 days after sowing (DAS) which was equally effective as imazethapyr @ 75 g ha -1 (PoE) fb hoeing at 35 DAS and quizalofop-ethyl @ 40 g ha-1 (PoE) fb hoeing at 35 DAS. All weed control treatments had significant effect on yield and nutrient up-take of soybean. Among the different weed control treatments, lowest N, P and K uptake by weeds were recorded in hand-weeding (15 and 35 DAS) which was statistically at par with imazethapyr @ 75 g ha -1 fb hoeing at 35 DAS. The maximum uptake by seed and straw were recorded in weed free which was statistically at par with twice hand weeding at 15 and 35 DAS, imazethapyr @ 75 g ha-1 fb hoeing at 35 DAS and quizalofop-ethyl @ 40 g ha-1 fb hoeing at 35 DAS. The highest seed and straw yield of soybean was harvested with hand-weeding (15 and 35 DAS) followed by imazethapyr @ 75 g ha -1 fb hoeing at 35 DAS. For the first time, soybean crop has been introduced in Jammu region for research purpose. Weed management varies with agro-climatic conditions. The study would be helpful to understand weed menace in this particular climatic condition of Jammu and to manage them combinedly and efficiently.

Stale seedbed weed control in cucumber

Weed Science ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 698-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Carroll Johnson ◽  
Benjamin G. Mullinix
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management System ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Yellow Nutsedge ◽  
Predominant Species ◽  
Combination System ◽  
Cucumber Yield

Field studies were conducted from 1995 to 1997 near Tifton, GA, to determine the benefits of stale seedbed weed control in cucumber. Three stale seedbed management systems—(1) power till stale seedbeds twice (2 ×), (2) glyphosate application immediately after planting, and (3) combination system of stale seedbeds power tilled once 2 wk prior to planting followed by glyphosate application immediately after planting cucumber—were evaluated as main plots. Subplots were weed management systems after planting cucumber: intensive, basic, and cultivation alone. Weed densities were generally greater in 1996 and 1997 than in 1995. Yellow nutsedge was the overall predominant species in 1995 (46 plants m−2), with Florida pusley being the predominant species in 1996 and 1997, at 80 and 124 plants m−2, respectively. Generally, stale seedbeds shallow tilled 2 × had fewer weeds and greater cucumber yields than stale seedbeds treated with glyphosate. Glyphosate did not adequately control emerged Florida pusley on stale seedbeds, resulting in reduced cucumber yield. Clomazone preemergence and bentazon/halosulfuron postemergence were used for broadleaf weed control in the intensive weed management system. These herbicides injured cucumber plants, delayed maturity, and reduced yield. Based on our results, stale seedbeds shallow tilled 2 × can be integrated into cucumber production and provide effective cultural weed control. Furthermore, these systems will replace the need for potentially injurious herbicides.

scholarly journals Weed Management in Cranberries: A Historical Perspective and a Look to the Future

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Sandler
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated Weed Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Early 19Th Century ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
The Impact

Integrated weed management (IWM) has been part of cranberry cultivation since its inception in the early 19th century. Proper site and cultivar selection, good drainage, rapid vine establishment, and hand weeding are as important now for successful weed management as when the industry first started. In 1940, Extension publications listed eight herbicides (e.g., petroleum-based products, inorganic salts and sulfates) for weed control. Currently, 18 herbicides representing 11 different modes of action are registered for use on cranberries. Nonchemical methods, such as hand weeding, sanding, flooding, and proper fertilization, remain integral for managing weed populations; new tactics such as flame cultivation have been added to the toolbox. Priority ratings have been developed to aid in weed management planning. Despite many efforts, biological control of weeds remains elusive on the commercial scale. Evaluation of new herbicides, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), image analysis, and precision agriculture technology; investigation of other management practices for weeds and their natural enemies; utilization of computational decision making and Big Data; and determination of the impact of climate change are research areas whose results will translate into new use recommendations for the weed control of cranberry.

scholarly journals The Effect of Different Weed Management Strategies on the Growth and Yield of Direct-Seeded Dry Rice (Oryza sativa)

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. MUHAMMAD ◽  
I. MUHAMMAD ◽  
A. SAJID ◽  
L. MUHAMMAD ◽  
A. MAQSHOOF ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Herbicide Treatment ◽  
Direct Seeded ◽  
Hand Weeding

Weed management is a primary concern in direct seeded rice (DSR) cropping because weed growth becomes a major constraint on crop yield. A two year field study was set up to evaluate the effect of various weed control measures on crop growth, grain yield and grain quality of DSR. The experiment involved five different weed control measures: hand weeding, hoeing, inter-row tine cultivation, inter-row spike hoeing and herbicide treatment (Nominee 100 SC). The extent of weed control (compared to a non-weeded control) ranged from 50-95%. The highest crop yield was obtained using hand weeding. Hand weeding, tine cultivation and herbicide treatment raised the number of fertile rice tillers formed per unit area and the thousand grain weight. Tine cultivation provided an effective and economical level of weed control in the DSR crop.

Effects of Delayed Hand Weeding on Sole-crop Cassava in Sierra Leone

1978 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Godfrey-Sam-Aggrey
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Root Number ◽  
Root Yield ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
Predominant Species ◽  
Sole Crop ◽  
Upland Soils ◽  
Hand Weeding

SUMMARYThe effects of delayed hand weed control at 30-, 45-, 60-, 90-day intervals, and no weeding, on sole-crop cassava, was studied in two experiments on the upland soils of Sierra Leone. Timing and frequency of weeding were important in influencing root number and root yield, and delayed weed control depressed both attributes. The critical period of competition was in the 45-day weeding interval, with six weedings in a 14-month growing period. Rottboellia exaltata was the predominant species amongst the permanent grasses on the no-weeding plots.

Effect of weed management and fertility levels on productivity of clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.)Taub]

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clusterbean . ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
Imazethapyr . ◽  
Pendimethalin . ◽  
Weed Management
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba ◽  
Fertility Level ◽  
Yield Attributes ◽  
Control Efficiency ◽  
Weed Control Efficiency ◽  
Biological Yield ◽  
Hand Weeding

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif seasons of 2014 and 2015 at Udaipur (Rajasthan) to find out the effect of weed management on productivity of clusterbean under varying fertility levels. The results revealed that among various weed management practices, two hand weeding 20 and 40 DAS recorded significantly lower weed dry matter, higher weed control efficiency, higher values of yield attributes, seed, haulm and biological yield during both the years over rest of the treatments except sequential application of pendimethalin fb imazethapyr which was statistically at par. Further, application of Imazethapyr fb hand weeding and pendimethalin fb hand weeding also gave comaparable results with pendimethalin fb imazethapyr in terms of weed control efficiency and yields. Among the fertility levels application 20 Kg N + 40 Kg P2O5 ha-1 significantly increased pods plant-1 (24.04), seeds pod-1, (7.12), test weight ( 25.33 g), seed ( 1035 kg ha-1), haulm (2161 kg ha-1) and biological (3196 kg ha-1 ) yield and harvest index ( 31.98 %) of clusterbean over 10 Kg N + 20 Kg P2O5 ha-1 however, it was found statistically at par with fertility level 30 Kg N + 60 Kg P2O5 ha-1. Therefore, clusterbean should be fertilized with 20 Kg N + 40 Kg P2O5 ha-1 and weeds must be controlled with pendimethalin (PE) fb imazethapyr 0.1 kg ha-1 20 DAS .

scholarly journals Labor-Saving Weed Technologies for Lowland Rice Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 751-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonne Rodenburg ◽  
Kazuki Saito ◽  
Runyambo Irakiza ◽  
Derek W. Makokha ◽  
Enos A. Onyuka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Control Efficacy ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Time Requirements ◽  
Rice Yields ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Hand Weeding

Time requirements, weed control efficacy, and yield effects of three labor-saving weed technologies were tested against hand weeding during three seasons in 2012 and 2013. The technologies included two hand-operated mechanical weeders, the straight-spike and the twisted-spike floating weeder, and the PRE application of oxadiazon. The straight-spike floating weeder reduced weeding time by 32 to 49%, the twisted-spike floating weeder reduced weeding time by 32 to 56%, and the application of herbicide required 88 to 97% less time than hand weeding. Herbicide application provided the best weed control in two of the three seasons. No differences in weed control efficacy were observed between mechanical and hand weeding. Yield differences were only observed in season 3 with higher rice yields after PRE application of oxadiazon compared with other weed management treatments.

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