Aliakbar Solhjou; Mohsen Bazrafshan; Farrokhdin Ghezeli
Abstract
Weed control by mechanical means can reduce environmental concerns resulting from herbicides application, and also it can help reducing the costs of chemicals and application expenditures. This study was devoted to investigate the suitability of bent leg cultivator for eradication ...
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Weed control by mechanical means can reduce environmental concerns resulting from herbicides application, and also it can help reducing the costs of chemicals and application expenditures. This study was devoted to investigate the suitability of bent leg cultivator for eradication of weeds in sugar beet fields. Field study having seven treatments; bent leg cultivator with 45 mm width, bent leg cultivator with 45 mm width + furrower, bent leg cultivator with 65 mm width, bent leg cultivator with 65 mm width + furrower, conventional cultivator (crescent blade), control of weed in all seasons, and no-weed control were carried out as a complete randomized design in three replications. Field data were used to calculate weed control percentage, sugar beet root yield, sugar content and gross sugar yield. Analysis of data indicated that cultivator geometry affected both percentage of weed control and crop yield. The bent leg cultivator with 65 mm width + furrower, compared to conventional cultivator, increased weed controling (17.0%), root yield (5.5%), sugar content (0.6%), and gross sugar yield (6.1%). Findings showed potential of the new bent leg cultivator in increasing crop yield and decreasing herbicides application.
