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Site-Specific Weed Control in Maize, Sugar Beet, Winter Wheat, and Winter Barley

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Abstract

A four-year study of site-specific weed control is presented in this paper. Weed seedling distribution was sampled and mapped prior to and after post-emergence herbicide application in four fields planted with maize, sugar beets, winter wheat and winter barley, rotating on one site. Herbicides and other weed control strategies were applied site-specifically according to the spatial variation of weed populations. Different decision algorithms were used for chemical weed control methods in each crop. A weed treatment map was created to direct location and dosage of herbicide application. The sprayer was coupled with a differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). The solenoid valves of the sprayer were opened automatically when the tractor entered a weed patch characterized in the weed treatment map. For site specific herbicide application, a patch sprayer was developed that allowed variable rate application and the selective control of each section of the spray boom.

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Gerhards, R., Sökefeld, M., Timmermann, C. et al. Site-Specific Weed Control in Maize, Sugar Beet, Winter Wheat, and Winter Barley. Precision Agriculture 3, 25–35 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013370019448

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