Integrated Advanced Cultural and Mechanical Strategies for Improved Weed Management in Organic Vegetables
Project Director
Eric R. Gallandt
Year Funded
2018
Award Number
2018-51300-28426
Funded Institution
University of Maine
Grant Program
OREI (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative)
USDA NIFA Report
Project Overview
Many organic vegetable farmers cultivate for weed control through the crop’s “critical weed-free period” and neglect later-emerging weeds, a practice that mitigates current year yield losses but allows the soil’s weed seed bank to build. This project sought to reduce weed populations in organic vegetable fields by combining weed seedbank management (preplant tarping, pre-emergence flame weeding, and later-season manual weeding to prevent seed set) with advanced and stacked within-row cultivation tools.
Farmer Takeaways
(1) Preplant tarping, stale seedbed, advanced cultivation tools, and later season manual weeding can limit weed seed buildup and improve crop yields and net returns.
(2) Finger weeders are a good, practical “workhorse” tool for within-row weeds. Combine or alternate with hilling disk or whisker or torsion weeder to enhance efficacy.
(3) Adjust tools to bury weeds (moving soil into the row) for taller or weakly rooted crops and small grass weeds.
(4) Adjust tools to uproot weeds (moving soil away from the row) for well-anchored crops and more weakly rooted weeds.
(5) For table beet, flame weed just before emergence, then cultivate for within-row weed control at the 4-6 leaf stage (not sooner) to minimize crop damage.
Project Outputs
Physical Weed Control Forum
Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Arlington, VA. Jan 31 – Feb 2, 2023.
Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting (Virtual), Feb 16-17, 2021.
Champagne, R. 2022. “Evaluating Physical and Cultural Methods to Improve Weed Management in Organic Vegetables.” The University of Maine.
Connors, N. A. 2022. “Addressing Weed and Soil Management Trade-Offs in Vegetables Through Integrated Cultural and Mechanical Strategies.” Michigan State University.