Effects of band steaming on weed control, weed community diversity and composition and yield in organic carrot at three Mediterranean sites

Abstract

Band steaming is a non-chemical weed control method of increasing interest for highly remunerative, low competitive crops. This study aimed to test the field application of a new prototype of band-steaming machine in three organic fields under contrasting Mediterranean environmental conditions. Trials were conducted in car-rot under real-field conditions to investigate the effects of three steaming doses and one control (no steaming) on weed vegetation and crop yield. Soil temperature at steaming application, weed density at species level during carrot crop growth, and weed and carrot biomass at harvest were sampled at each site. Band steaming significantly affected total weed density: when comparing the untreated control