Abstract
In recent years, intense concerns about the increasing resistance of weed populations to herbicide treatments, the low availability of bioactive ingredients for vegetable crops, as well as the expansion of organic farms for these niche crops have stimulated the development of new non-chemical methods of control or new approaches to those already used. In general, vegetable crops exhibit increased sensitivity to weeds compared to other crops. Therefore, weed control in organic vegetable crops is a real challenge for farmers, mainly using the so-called physical combat methods. Therefore, weed destruction is accomplished by using manual, mechanical, thermal or mulching means. The paper presents the preliminary experimental results obtained under laboratory conditions, referring to an innovative model of equipment for the ecological weed control in vegetable crops. It will achieve the destruction of weeds, combining the thermal method based on using hot water with the mechanical one, by equipping the machine withenvironmentally friendlyactive parts. The results obtained constitute an important premise for developing efficient equipment for the ecological weed control that can be used within integrated control systems, specific for organic onion, bean and bell pepper crops.
Highlights
The quality of agricultural products is a topic that has raised the interest of the general public, especially in recent years, when specialty studies have demonstrated the importance and beneficial effects of healthy eating
According to market studies conducted in EU countries, the consumption level of these products ranges between 3% and 13% for permanent consumers and between 23% and 53% for occasional consumers [1]. This context as well as the indications of nutritionists recommending higher consumption of vegetables has led to the development of organic farming for these species, for which the food and therapeutic value increases in these circumstances
Weed control in vegetable crops without synthetic herbicides, according to the rules of organic farming, is one of the greatest challenges faced by vegetable growers [5]
Summary
The quality of agricultural products is a topic that has raised the interest of the general public, especially in recent years, when specialty studies have demonstrated the importance and beneficial effects of healthy eating This involves a certain way of life as well as the consumption of healthy foods, especially “bio products”. According to market studies conducted in EU countries, the consumption level of these products ranges between 3% and 13% for permanent consumers and between 23% and 53% for occasional consumers [1] This context as well as the indications of nutritionists recommending higher consumption of vegetables has led to the development of organic farming for these species, for which the food and therapeutic value increases in these circumstances. Weed control in vegetable crops without synthetic herbicides, according to the rules of organic farming, is one of the greatest challenges faced by vegetable growers [5]
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