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Film: Stubble cultivation to control root-weed in organic agriculture

At a machinery demonstration, several tools were presented. (Photo: FiBL, Thomas Alföldi)

In organic agriculture, minimal tillage is more challenging than conventional farming using herbicides. There is an increased risk of volunteer crops, problems with grasses and root weeds.

Stubble cultivation in summer is the only possibility to effectively control thistles, wild rye, bindweed and docks. The prerequisite is to use the existing technology properly and to set up the tools correctly and use them at the appropriate time. At a machinery demonstration on the organic farm Neuhof in Birr, Switzerland, cultivators and skim ploughs were presented for stubble cultivation.

If the focus was on the controlling of root weeds, the flat cultivator scored the best results. Fully undercutting and exposing the roots is possible in one go even with skim ploughs. However, finding the correct settings seems to be more difficult.

The video includes statements by Hansueli Dierauer (FiBL), André Meier (organic farmer), Django Hegglin (organic farmer).

This film was realised by Thomas Alföldi and Hansueli Dierauer (FiBL) in the framework of the projects OK-Net Arable (financed by the European Union) as well as Boden- und klimaschonender Bioackerbau BKBA (Coop Fonds für Nachhaltigkeit and Bio Suisse).

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