Possibilities of weed control by water steam
Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Heat andBiotechnology engineering, Kauno r. Studentu 15, LT 53356, Lithuania;tel: (+370) 37 75 23 17; fax: (+370) 37 75 23 24; e-mail: paulius.kerpauskas@lzuu.lt
Abstract:
Damp water steam used for weed control in onion, barley and maize crops was investigated meaningfully for the first time in the world. These investigations show that damp water steam can be successfully used in organic and traditional agriculture for weed control. During weed control by steaming, up to 98% of weed shoots are destroyed. After two weed control treatments by damp water steam in an onion field, the crop yield increased up to 9−10%, compared with three times of weeding; in the maize crop 22%, in the barley crop 10%, compared with the not weeded control.
Key words:
thermal weed control, water steam, weed control