Integrated Pest Management

Description

Flame weeding is not a new idea but new equipment for flame weeding has been developed. Flame weeding provides an alternative to herbicides for weed control. Organic systems that are limited in what tools can be used weed control may realize benefits from flame weeding. This study evaluates the usefulness of flame weeding in organic corn and soybean crops.

Corn and soybeans are flame weeded at emergence and again post-emergence. Weed infestation is visually rated and weed biomass measured mid-season. The effect on crop yields are measured and compared between flamed and un-flamed. Each trial is replicated four times.

Due to excessive rainfall in 2014, our ability to carry out this study has been limited.

From the information we collect during this study, we expect to develop estimates of cost and returns some of the limitations of using flame weeding.

This study is a collaborative effort of SDSU Research, SDSU Extension, USDA-SARE, USDA-IPM, and local producers.

For more information, contact:
Dr Peter Sexton
Manager-SE Research Farm/Associate Professor, Beresford Field Station-AES
Peter.Sexton@sdstate.edu