Developing strategies and methods for weeding carrots grown in rotation with field crops

Description

In Québec, organic field crop farmers want to diversify and introduce vegetables into their crop rotations. Fresh carrots and carrots destined for processing are among the vegetables farmers are looking at, but few grow them on a large scale, mainly due to weeding challenges.

New weeding strategies that improve weed control are available for use in pre-plant/pre-emergent, and post-emergent carrots.

In this project we are looking to develop weeding strategies and methods that will reduce weed pressure on carrot crops, especially row-crop carrots, which appear to be the most problematic.

Six experiments will be conducted over a period of three years at two sites, i.e., the Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville Organic Agriculture Innovation Platform and the Institut national en agriculture biologique organic farm in Victoriaville.

Objective(s)

• Establish a weeding strategy and develop new ways to control weeds in carrots grown in rotation with field crops.
• Determine
  • the ability of new weeding methods to reduce weed pressure on pre-plant and/or pre-emergent carrots, and
  • the impact of weeding strategies in post-emergent row crops on weed control effectiveness and crop yields.