Effect of flame weed control on various weed species at various developmental stages
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Transport and Handling, Trieda Andreja Hlinku 2, SK 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic *Correspondence: miroslav.mojzis@uniag.sk
Abstract:
Physical methods of weed control as solarization, mulching, use of electricity, steam and flame are now an alternative in the organically grown crop. Flame weeder already has a wide range of practical use, particularly in the cultivation of vegetables in alternative form without any chemical treatment. Compared to chemical spraying, the use of flame weeder is more expensive, but we can compensate the costs by the added value of bioproducts. The issue of costs affects the wider use of the method in practice, but it may be offset by increased efficiency of weed control. The correct parameters of flame weeder, such as burner angle, burner height, the gas pressure, speed of weeder as well as the growth stage of the weed, weed species, climate conditions etc., can increase the effectiveness of weed control. Field and laboratory tests carried out in Canada and Slovakia were aimed at verifying the influence of parameters on the effectiveness of flame weed control.