Mechanical Weeding of the Inter-Row in Sugarcane Cultivation
This system was tested from 2013 to 2018 on the farmer operation EARL Jebam in Ste Suzanne (97) as part of the CanecoH project. This project focuses on the production of sugarcane herbicide-efficient in La Réunion. The weed cover management in sugarcane is usually managed chemically, whether on the row or inter-row and by mulching in regrowth.
The perennial nature of this crop makes the introduction of annual crop rotations impossible.
Levers used
The main levers used to reduce herbicide use are as follows:
- Use of competitive varieties against weeds;
- Mechanical control against weeds: cultivator with goosefoot tines, disc tools, brush cutter...;
- Performing false seedbeds;
- Soil work (cover crop) for better establishment.
Main results and lessons learned
The tested systems will need to be repeated over time because the change of tools and their continuous improvement currently do not allow concluding on the system's performance, especially regarding the effectiveness of weeding and the reduction of the Herbicide IFT. As it stands, the satisfaction is average regarding weed control, with large heterogeneities depending on the method used and the year.
The tine tools, straw stirring as well as mowing show the most interesting results while having minimal impact on the soil (erosion). The herbicide IFT is significantly reduced (variable depending on weed control by mechanical methods) in the system provided that chemical weeding interventions are localized on the rows by modifying the sprayer nozzles. The system's agronomic performance is equivalent to the reference.
Straw stirring and mowing should be tested mechanically. The use of tine tools and mowing in micro-mechanization to be able to intervene longer in the cycle is a path that also deserves to be explored. Finally, a line of thought concerns the possibility of mechanically weeding sugarcane rows.
➔ More info in the EXPE Crop System sheet
Annexes
Leviers évoqués dans ce système
