Assessment of weed control products applied along the edge of plastic mulch in organic agriculture

Description

An initial experiment consisted of evaluating the weed control potential of a single dose of a series of herbicides listed in the manual on organic agriculture inputs (Manuel d’intrants biologiques) with a view to eliminating ineffective products. The herbicides were applied to two weed species (Chenopodium album and Echinochloa crus-galli) at the two-leaf stage. In a second experiment, products shown to be effective in the first phase were tested at different doses on the same weed species at the same stage to determine the optimum dose. The selected oils were also mixed with a biologically neutral liquid soap to check whether the soap has a synergistic effect that could reduce the amount of oil required. In a third field experiment, the most promising products were applied directly at the junction between the plastic and the soil to test their effectiveness on plants naturally present in the field.

Objective(s)

• Select a series of herbicides that can be used along the edge of the plastic mulch
• Determine the optimum dose for the selected products
• Evaluate the most promising products for their weed control potential and impact on the plastic