Weeds (2007-2010)

Work package 4: Decreasing and delaying weed emergence in row crops.

 

WP 4 objectives:

• Adaptation and modification of punch planter prototypes to fit to project requirements
• To assess the potential for weed emergence reduction and delay by applying the punch planting principle in different row crops in combination with the stale seed bed technique and flame weeding
• To assess the potential for increased effectiveness of physical weed control in crops that have been sown by a punch planter

 

Advanced punch seeder	Fully mechanical spade seeder	Cycloid hoe and automatic machine for intra-row weeding
Support by Cranfield University	Support by University of Bonn	Support by University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück

 

Description of work:

 

Technical work on the punch planter prototypes to adapt them to the project requirements. Seed spacing and row width have to be adjusted to the project needs. Lab and field testing will be conducted to optimise the operational performance. Field experiments will be conducted in two years in row crops to determine main effects and interactions between timing of seed bed preparation in the context of the stale seed bed technique, delayed sowing and sowing techniques (normal versus punch planting) with respect to weed emergence and crop development. Furthermore, field experiments will be conducted to determine the efficacy of different intra-row weed control methods (robotic weeder from WP3 when operational, cycloid hoe, torsion weeder and spring tine harrow). The experiments will quantify the importance of delayed in weed emergence associated with punch planting. A weed emergence delay is expected to increase the selectivity of mechanical weed control, which is essential to reduce crop damages and selectivity. The testing procedure developed by Rasmussen (1992) will be applied. Punch planting is expected to hold its most promising perspectives as regarding to weeds in slow germinating crops (Rasmussen, 2003). Therefore, weed impacts of punch planting in crops with different requirements of temperature for germination will be investigated in model experiments. These experiments will determine how punch planting will influence weed emergence in row crops.

 

WP 1 Participants:

• Jesper Rasmussen, associate professor (responsible), KU-LIFE
• Hans W. Griepentrog, associate professor, KU-LIFE
• Christian Bugge Henriksen, assistent professor, KU-LIFE
• Jon Nielsen, research assistent, KU-LIFE
• Jesper Resting Jeppesen, engineering assistent, KU-LIFE
• Allan E. Hansen, engineering assistent, KU-LIFE

Download Leaflet in Danish from Open House on 15th June 2008 about Punch Seeding