Tag Archives: weed control

73-90 P. Casini, G. Biancofiore and E. Palchetti
Mechanical weed control strategies for grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.)
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Mechanical weed control strategies for grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.)

P. Casini*, G. Biancofiore and E. Palchetti

University of Florence, Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), 18 P. le delle Cascine, IT50144 Firenze, Italy
*Correspondence: paolo.casini@unifi.it

Abstract:

Currently, no herbicide is registered for grain amaranth in Europe, the United States and South America. Hence, weed control must be addressed with alternative methods. Field trials were conducted in 2018 and 2019 in Central Italy by comparing some mechanical weed control treatments in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.). In 2018, the five treatments were: untreated control (T118), cutter hoeing (T218), flat share cuts and one central duck foot tine (T318), flat share cuts and two central duck foot tines (T418), and three duck foot tines (T518). In 2019, the five treatments were: untreated control (T119), three duck foot tines (T219), flex tine harrowing (T319), flex tine harrowing plus finger weeding with red fingers (T419), and finger weeding with red fingers (T520). In 2018, amaranth was a successful competitor against weeds from 40 days after emergence (10 true leaf stage, corresponding to BBCH code 15). The competitive ability was showed by excellent seed yields averaging 1.2 t ha-1, for all treatments. This feature was also confirmed to some degree in 2019. However, seed yield in 2019 was more strongly influenced by treatment as well as by the lower emergence of plants. All the mechanical methods employed can be effectively used for weed control in grain amaranth. Treatments with the flex tine harrower and finger weeder negatively affected the plant density at harvest, necessitating further optimization. However, combined mechanical strategies proved the most effective, especially in controlling dicot weeds. There is a need to optimize strategies, with mechanical equipment, to anticipate and improve the ground cover of amaranth. These strategies include selecting optimal plant density and the correct distancing between the rows for easier mechanical control.

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2004–2011 M. Mojžiš, I. Vitázek and J. Klúčik
Effect of flame weed control on various weed species at various developmental stages
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Effect of flame weed control on various weed species at various developmental stages

M. Mojžiš*, I. Vitázek and J. Klúčik

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.

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14-24 S. Arslan, N. Tursun, F. Kurtulmuş and D. Güleç
Use of thermal images for optimizing burner height, operating pressure, and burner angle of a weed flamer
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Use of thermal images for optimizing burner height, operating pressure, and burner angle of a weed flamer

S. Arslan¹*, N. Tursun², F. Kurtulmuş¹ and D. Güleç³

¹University of Uludag, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Biosystems Engineering, TR 16059 Bursa, Turkey
²University of Inonu, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, TR 44100 Malatya, Turkey
³University of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biosystems Engineering, TR 46100 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
*Correspondence: sarslan@uludag.edu.tr

Abstract:

A two-meter wide prototype weed flamer was developed as a tool for thermal weed control. The weed flamer consists of an LPG tank, pressure regulator, back pressure valve, flow valves, and burners. The burner adjustments are flexible with height setting from 0 to 450 mm and flame angle setting from and 0 to 90°.The thermal camera images were studied at different heights (150, 200, 250, and 300 mm), burner angles (30 and 45°), and pressures (0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 MPa) to determine the best settings under stationary operating conditions. Based on thermal camera image results, it was found that the burner should be set at 200–250 mm with 0.2–0.25 MPa to obtain the highest temperatures and longest flames. The initial tests of the gas burning system were completed as a broadcast flaming machine and gas doses from 15 to 90 kg ha-1 were applied from 0.25 m above the ground at 30° flaming angle at 0.2 MPa. The dose-response curves of a weed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) were generated to determine the effectiveness of the weed flamer. C. arvensis could be controlled with gas doses from 40 to 82 kg ha-1 depending on the growth stage at 14 day after treatment (DAT). The theoretical field capacity of the 2 m wide flamer varies from 0.32 to 1.62 ha h-1 depending on the gas dose to be applied.

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425-429 J. Nadzeikienė, A.P. Sirvydas, R. Čingienė,R. Vasinauskienė and P. Kerpauskas
Plant protection by foam in the thermal control process
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Plant protection by foam in the thermal control process

J. Nadzeikienė, A.P. Sirvydas, R. Čingienė,R. Vasinauskienė and P. Kerpauskas

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Kauno r. Studentu 15, LT 53356, Lithuania;tel: (+370) 37 75 23 17; e-mail: paulius.kerpauskas@lzuu.lt

Abstract:

During thermal weed control a high temperature medium exterminates weeds and culture plants without distinction. The problem of preserving germinating plants from thermal extermination therefore arises. Stable foam can be used to protect germinating agriculture plants from the thermal extermination. Using 100°C water steam for weed control for the sprouted carrot crop, till 40 days after the sowing, was investigated, and it was found that it is necessary to use preservatives. Extermination of carrots without preservatives depends upon the carrots’ development stage. It is advisable to use stable foam for plant protection from extermination, when biometric parameters of weeds and agricultural plants are similar. Sprouting agricultural plants covered with a stable foam layer are completely protected from thermal extermination, when 100°C water steam is sprayed at a distance of 8 cm to the plant. In the foam covered plant medium the temperature reached 39°C ± 4.2.

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221-225 P. Kerpauskas, A. P. Sirvydas,P. Lazauskas, R. Vasinauskiene and A. Tamosiunas
Possibilities of weed control by water steam
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Possibilities of weed control by water steam

P. Kerpauskas, A. P. Sirvydas,P. Lazauskas, R. Vasinauskiene and A. Tamosiunas

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.

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