Optimizing rotary hoe weed control in field bean crop at transition to organic agriculture in Dobrudzha. I. Crop injuries.

The weed control is a basic problem in organic agriculture. Most often it leads by multiple mechanical treatments, which except significant weed destruction show certain positive as well as some negative influence on the crop. In this investigation the influence of rotary hoe working rate and number of treatments on field bean crop at transition to organic agriculture in Dobrudzha. The hoeing speed, the working depth and the number of hoeing were factors in the trial. The crop density, the number of injured plants per ha, crop height, pod placement height, 1000 grain weight, moisture content at harvesting and the bean yield were measured. The increase of working speed and hoeing depth, as well as the number of treatment leads to proved decrease of crop density, but did not decrease the yield. At most aggressive treatments the crop height and lowest pod height were lowered. There is no significant influence of rotary hoe working rate and number of treatments on the 1000 grain weight and on the moisture content at harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]