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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #151030
Title: PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF NON-CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL RESEARCH IN PEANUT PRODUCTION USING CULTURAL CONTROLS AND PROPANE FLAMING

Author
item Johnson, Wiley - Carroll
item CULBREATH, A - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/2/2003
Publication Date: 7/8/2003
Citation: Johnson, W.C., Culbreath, A.K. 2003. Preliminary results of non-chemical weed control research in peanut production using cultural controls and propane flaming [abstract]. American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts. 35:39.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Trials were initiated in 2003 to evaluate systems of weed management in peanut without using herbicides. Two trials were conducted at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, GA; conventional tillage and strip-tillage. The conventional tillage trial evaluated two levels of stale seedbed management, two row patterns, and five levels of weed control using propane flaming. The strip-tillage trial was conducted at a site with a senescent rye cover crop. This trial evaluated all combinations of three levels of cover crop management and nine levels of weed control using propane flaming. Both trials were conducted at sites managed for weed science research with heavy natural populations of southern crabgrass, pitted morningglory, and yellow nutsedge. In the conventional tillage trial, shallow tillage of stale seedbeds twice before planting provided superior weed control compared to stale seedbeds flamed three times before planting. Early season ratings showed weed control was not improved by narrow row patterns over wide row patterns. Over-the-top propane flaming sequentially at peanut emergence and one week after emergence provided early season weed control nearly comparable to the standard herbicide check, when used in conjunction with shallow tillage of stale seedbeds. Single flaming operations did not adequately control weeds. Peanut exhibited acceptable tolerance to over-the-top propane flaming early season. Despite the promising efficacy of multiple propane flamings for weed control, the lack of residual weed control may be evident later in the season. In conservation tillage trials, weeds were not adequately controlled by any form of propane flaming. Burning, mowing, or planting directly into standing rye resulted in numerous weed escapes that could not be controlled by propane flaming after planting. Based on these preliminary results, propane flaming is not a stand-alone practice for non-chemical weed control in peanut, but offers potential when integrated with mechanical and cultural weed control practices.