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Innovative methods for organic weed-control in horticulture
Project
Project code: A/21/09
Contract period: 01.12.2021
- 28.02.2025
Budget: 410,764 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: organic weed control, autonomous systems, robotics, mulching technique, horticulture, pomiculture
The increasing awareness in environmental protection issues leads to a rising interest in organic agriculture and the reduction of herbicides. Also the regulatory framework gets more and more adjusted and intensified, for example due to changes in the “Federal Nature Conservation Act“, which restricts the use of glyphosate and aims to prohibit the application of glyphosate completely by end of 2023. To ensure an adequate weed control in organic horticulture in the future the aim of this project is to evaluate economic and innovative alternatives for weed management. The project focuses on innovative methods and new techniques. Important aspects are both, the functionality of weed control and the economic aspects, to develop well-founded recommendations for practice. Further crucial aspects are the demand of working hours, the influence of the new techniques on plant growth and yields and the labour costs, which become increasingly important due to rising wages and the lack of seasonal workers availability. The aim is to test autonomous machines for weed control, such as robotics, and different innovative mulching materials. The proceeding state of the art and the expected technical progress in this field within the next years require a constant need for information and update regarding the latest deployments. In this manner it is possible to develop innovative methods and recommendations for the practical implementation in organic horticulture.
Section overview
Subjects
- Crop Production
- Crop Protection
- Arboriculture
- Horticulture
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Bavarian State Research Center for Viticulture and Horticulture (LWG)