ISHS Acta Horticulturae 533: VIII International Symposium on Timing Field Production in Vegetable Crops
MINIMIZING HERBICIDE INPUTS BY USING MECHANICAL AND INTEGRATED WEED CONTROL TECHNIQUES |
| Authors: | J.S. Davies, W. Bond |
| Keywords: | Herbicide, environment, mulch, brush hoe, weed control |
| Abstract:
In a field experiment with drilled leeks, conventional application of herbicides was compared with an integrated weed control system combining banded herbicide application over crop rows plus mechanical inter-row cultivation. In late July weed control was significantly better in leeks where a brush hoe had been used compared with a steerage hoe which left weeds close to the crop row. At harvest, yield was highest for the banded herbicide plus steerage hoe treatment. Two further trials examined bandwidth (10 or 20 cm) and timing of cultivation for weed control in leeks and carrots. Brush hoeing 3 and 5 weeks after 50% crop emergence in leeks reduced weed levels but crop yield was reduced when weed control was delayed beyond 3 weeks. For carrots, the 20-cm band treatment reduced weed cover in early July where brush hoeing was delayed beyond 3 weeks, but both band widths gave similar yields at harvest. In general, more than one brush hoeing was required to provide adequate weed control and to reduce the risk of weeds flowering and setting seeds. This depended on crop growth habit, as carrots are more able than leeks to suppress weeds. Although herbicide costs could be reduced by about 40% by using banded applications, there is the additional cost of 1 or 2 mechanical cultivations. This varies in cost between, 15 and ,35/ha depending on equipment not including purchase and depreciation of machinery. | |
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