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Thermal Weed Control

One of the earliest forms of thermal weed control, stubble burning, is now banned because of the smoke and other hazards it created. However, this traditional form of thermal weed control was effective in reducing the number of viable weed seeds returned to the soil after cereal harvest. Soil surface temperatures under the burning straw reached in excess of 200oC for 10 -30 seconds and reduced the viability of freshly shed wild oat (Avena fatua) and blackgrass (Alopecurus myosuroides) seed by up to 30% and 80% respectively. Current thermal weed control methods use a variety of thermal weeders to generate the heat needed to kill weed seeds and weed seedlings.

Flaming equipment has been developed in several countries including Germany, Holland, Sweden and Denmark, and a range of tractor and smaller hand operated burners is available in the UK. The main fuel used in the burners is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) usually propane. Two main methods of thermal weed control are used commercially

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