1st Workshop BOOK - project RHEA

Effect of flaming with different LPG doses on maize plants
Rooy, 1992). For a common open flamer, LPG consumption, usually varies from 20
to 50 kg ha -1 (Ascard et al., 2007, Peruzzi et al., 2007, Raffaelli et al., 2010, Raffaelli
et al., 2011).
3. Flaming: when and where it can be used
Flaming can be applied:
Before crop planting/emergence on the whole surface (non-selective broadcast
flaming). This method obviously does not require a heat tolerant crop.
After crop emergence:
Non-selective flaming between rows (does not require a heat tolerant crop)
Selective flaming. These methods require heat tolerant crops:
Broadcast flaming (the whole surface area where the crop is located is flamed)
Burners are placed in the rows
Burners are directed at the collar of the crop (“cross flaming”) (Fig. 1)
Non selective flaming before crop planting/emergence is very common in organic
farming with the false seedbed technique, which provides preventive weed control
through seedbank depletion. Weed emergence is stimulated by a delayed seedbed
preparation and the last phase before crop emergence is carried out by flaming.
This does not disturb the soil and the emerging crop and does not stimulate further
weed emergence. This technique is very common in low competitive vegetable
production (i.e. carrot) and is combined with post-emergence mechanical weed
control (Peruzzi et al., 2007, Raffaelli et al., 2010, Raffaelli et al., 2011, Ascard and
van der Weide, 2011).
Non-selective flaming after crop emergence between rows was developed in the
1960s in the USA for weed and insect control in many crops, and for potato haulm
desiccation (Ascard et al., 2007). However this application is not common as a
cultivator/hoe provides less energy-consuming weed control between rows.
Selective broadcast flaming provides weed control on the whole surface where the
crop is located. Heat tolerant crops are required such as maize and onions (Ascard
et al., 2007). Several successful trials were carried out at the University of
Nebraska, in order to investigate the responses of maize, sweet maize, popcorn,
soybean, sorghum, and wheat to broadcast flaming (Ulloa et al., 2011, 2010a,
2010b, 2010c).
Intra-row weed control is challenging for organic farming systems because it is
often very labour intensive, especially in vegetable crops (Fogelberg, 2007, van der
Weide, et al. 2008). This is why in-row flaming plus between row cultivation is a
good option in order to reduce LPG consumption and crop injury compared to
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