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Possible Weed Establishment Control by Applying Cryogens to Fields Before Snowfalls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Yutaka Jitsuyama  and
Shinji Ichikawa
Yutaka Jitsuyama*
Affiliation:
Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, 060-8589
Shinji Ichikawa
Affiliation:
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, 060-0811
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: y-jitsu@res.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
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Abstract

Cryogens are defined as substances that produce low temperatures. In this study, cryogens refer to salts added to snow or ice to cool underlying soil, resulting in reduced weed establishment. In laboratory experiments, bags of ice mixed with cryogens were able to reach temperatures as low as −17 C. In soil-filled pots stored at 4 C, bags of cryogenic salts filled with ice chips reduced the soil temperatures to below 0 C and reduced the establishment of weeds significantly without salinity effects. The cryogen magnesium chloride-6-hydrate (MC) that was effective in pot experiments was tested in an oat field in 2008 and 2009. Plastic bags containing concentrated solutions of MC, perforated at the top, were placed on bare soil just before snowfall. Contact of snow with MC was expected to decrease the surface soil temperature enough to cause freezing injury to seeds in the soil. Although overall effects on weed establishment were small, the cryogenic effect did significantly reduce corn spurry establishment in 2008, and significantly reduced overall weed establishment in both years. These results show that weed management with cryogenic salts is possible in principle, but requires further technical improvements to be practical in the field.

Los criógenos se definen como substancias que producen bajas temperaturas. En este estudio, los criógenos se refieren a las sales añadidas a la nieve o hielo para enfriar el suelo subyacente, resultando esto en una reducción en el establecimiento de malezas. En experimentos de laboratorio, bolsas de hielo mezclado con criógenos alcanzaron temperaturas tan bajas como −17C. En maceteros llenos de tierra almacenados a 4C, bolsas de sales criógenas con hojuelas de hielo redujeron la temperatura del suelo a menos de 0C y se disminuyó el establecimiento de malezas significativamente, sin efectos de salinidad. El criógeno cloruro de magnesio hidratado (MC) que fue efectivo en experimentos de macetas fue probado en un campo de avena en 2008 y 2009. Bolsas de plástico conteniendo soluciones concentradas de MC, perforadas en la parte superior, fueron puestas en el suelo justo antes de una nevada. Se esperaba que el contacto de la nieve con MC disminuyera la temperatura de la superficie del suelo lo suficiente para causar daño por congelación a las semillas en el suelo. Aunque generalmente los efectos en el establecimiento de las malezas fueron pocos, el efecto criogénico redujo significativamente el establecimiento de Spergula arvensis en 2008, y disminuyó significativamente el establecimiento en general de las malezas en ambos años. Estos resultados demuestran que en principio el manejo de malezas con sales criogénicas es posible, pero se requieren mejoras tecnológicas adicionales para que sea práctica su aplicación en el campo.

Keywords

Corn spurry, Spergula arvensis var. sativa (Boenn.) Mert. & Kochoat, Avena sativa L.Cryogenfreezing-point depressionthermal weed control
Type
Weed Managment—Techniques
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , September 2011 , pp. 454 - 458
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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