Improving Efficiency of Crop Protection Measures. A Technical Contribution for Better Weed Control, Less Pesticide Use and Decreasing Soil Tillage Intensity in Dry Farming Regions Exposed to Wind Erosion

Abstract

The extensification of tillage in farming the steppe regions of the earth with the goal of reducing erosion and maintaining soil fertility has been leading to a more intensive use of chemical plant protection products for a while now. Field hygiene and stable yields have been achieved as a result of this method to date. However, the excessive application of herbicides leads to an increase in resistance among weeds and higher expenses. The application of glyphosate as an effective and inexpensive general herbicide is very common in the agricultural steppes of America, Eurasia and Australia. However, its use is limited to short periods before seeding and after harvesting due to climate conditions in these areas. An application to the entire soil surface is effective but also very cost intensive against the background of the vast farm lands in these regions. A selective use and targeted application to weeds without coating free soil surface areas saves product and time while reducing the dangers of resistances in the agricultural ecosystem. A technical method of optical selection between weeds which need to be sprayed and areas which do not need to be treated was developed over several years as a part of Kulunda research project. The strong decrease in the overall amount of the applied herbicide results in greater productivity due to a reduction of filling downtimes and higher driving speeds in the field. The money saved is reinvested in better agents and higher concentrations. This promises more treatment success and lower resistance development. Chemical fallow periods therefore represent an effective tool instead of mechanical black fallow in the summer, even without extensive application of chemical agents to the soil, making them an adequate means to fight soil erosion and water loss.