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Tillage based, site-specific weed control for conservation cropping systems

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Walsh, M. J., Squires, C. C., Coleman, G. R. Y., Widderick, M. J., McKiernan, A. B., Chauhan, B. S., Peressini, C. and Guzzomi, A. L. (2020) Tillage based, site-specific weed control for conservation cropping systems. Weed Technology, 34 (5). pp. 704-710. ISSN 0890-037X

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Article Link: https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2020.34

Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/article/tillage-based-sitespecific-weed-control-for-conservation-cropping-systems/73166FAEEE1BBFDBFA60782001FEDBEC

Abstract

Australian conservation cropping systems are practiced on very large farms (approximately 3,000 ha) where herbicides are relied on for effective and timely weed control. In many fields, though, there are low weed densities (e.g., <1.0 plant 10 m−2) and whole-field herbicide treatments are wasteful. For fallow weed control, commercially available weed detection systems provide the opportunity for site-specific herbicide treatments, removing the need for whole-field treatment of fallow fields with low weed densities. Concern about the sustainability of herbicide-reliant weed management systems remain and there has not been interest in the use of weed detection systems for alternative weed control technologies, such as targeted tillage. In this paper, we discuss the use of a targeted tillage technique for site-specific weed control in large-scale crop production systems. Three small-scale prototypes were used for engineering and weed control efficacy testing across a range of species and growth stages. With confidence established in the design approach and a demonstrated 100% weed-control potential, a 6-m wide pre-commercial prototype, the “Weed Chipper,” was built incorporating commercially available weed-detection cameras for practical field-scale evaluation. This testing confirmed very high (90%) weed control efficacies and associated low levels (1.8%) of soil disturbance where the weed density was fewer than 1.0 plant 10 m−2 in a commercial fallow. These data established the suitability of this mechanical approach to weed control for conservation cropping systems. The development of targeted tillage for fallow weed control represents the introduction of site-specific, nonchemical weed control for conservation cropping systems.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Crop and Food Science
Keywords:Herbicide resistance targeted tillage site-specific weed control rapid response tine engineering design
Subjects:Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Methods and systems of culture. Cropping systems
Plant culture > Field crops
Plant pests and diseases > Weeds, parasitic plants etc
Plant pests and diseases > Pest control and treatment of diseases. Plant protection
Live Archive:26 Oct 2020 23:32
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:46

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