Controlling Rumex obtusifolius by means of hot water |
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| Authors: | R Latsch T Anken C Herzog J Sauter |
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| Institution: | Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS, Ettenhausen, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | Hot‐water treatment of broad‐leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) was developed as an alternative to manual digging out in organic farming. During treatment, the top region of the root was heated so that the plants would die back. The aim of this study was to validate the efficacy of the hot‐water treatment of dock roots. The trials were carried out with a commercially available hot‐water high‐pressure cleaner and a rotating nozzle for water application. The target plant control rate assessed 12 weeks after treatment was set at >80%. The appraisal covered 1330 treated plants of varying size from four sites with three different soil texture classes. Parameters which influenced the control rate were water temperature, amount of water, soil moisture and soil texture. Additional parameters recorded were the amount of fuel oil consumption and working time requirements. A reassessment of the plants 1 year after treatment yielded information concerning the ground cover, the possible germination of new dock plants from buried seeds and the soil structure of the site treated. In order to achieve the target control rate of >80%, it is recommended that the temperature of the water leaving the equipment should exceed 80°C. The amount of water required depends on root size and soil moisture. On average, 131 plants per hour can be treated with no negative effects on regrowth or soil structure. Hot‐water treatment is the first functional control alternative to manual digging out R. obtusifolius for organic farming. |
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| Keywords: | broad‐leaved dock thermal weed control hot‐water treatment energy requirement organic farming |
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