MECHANICAL WEEDING IN CEREAL FARMING

In organic, as well as in conventional farming, how to avoid chemicals to increase margins ?

Mechanical weeding is an ancient and well-known growing practice that has been superseded by the use and progress of chemical solutions, remaining only in use for specific in-row crops, vegetables crops or organic farming.

For technical motives, like the rise of resistant weeds, or in compliance with environment preservation policies, today’s general plans for chemical’s use reduction have led farmers in considering mechanical weeding as a valuable solution, even in conventional systems.

Actually, the costs of inputs (chemicals up to 180€ per hectare) and equipment (premium sprayers priced over 100K€) are impacting more and more the margins of any type of crops. The pledge for “equal or slightly lower yield” with much lower inputs, in addition to environmental benefits, turned this practice into something worth considering.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT?

The main global farm machinery manufacturers, with no exception, added some mechanical weeding machines to their current ranges, either by business acquisition or by refreshing existing in-row-crops-dedicated ranges.

For the specific needs of its organic cereals farm, PHENIX AGROSYSTEM was already ahead, manufacturing machines that are really designed for large crops : high productivity, in-row and depth accuracy, and above all, stiffness and wear resistance to maintain the qualities of precision year after year.

DOES THE (RIGHT) EQUIPMENT MAKE ALL THE JOB?

As in the emerging technical practices like Conservation Farming or Direct Seeding, the traditional equipment of the farm’s yard does not suit the new needs and requirements. Nonetheless, the purchase of a brand new type of equipment will not, by itself, guarantee the successful system conversion.

In fact, to deliver its potential outcome, a good-quality machine is to be operated at the right vegetation stage, the right rate, under the right weather conditions, in a proper crop rotation and with a suitable cropping plan… Here is PHENIX’s unchallenged know-how, available to deliver a high-level technical customer support. Since the company’s success is driven by its customer’s, our vision is not only the supplying of weeding equipment but the educating and the fitting of farmers in order to free their business from chemicals addiction.