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Researchers are continuing their work on a series of mechanical weeding trials in fields of processing tomatoes. The project is being made possible by support from the California Tomato Research Institute. The field trials are comparing the efficacy of automated and mechanical cultivators to control weeds in processing tomatoes. “Ideally, we’re hoping to demonstrate the benefits, challenges, and costs of using these cultivators to supplement herbicides and reduce hand-weeding costs for processing tomatoes in the Central Valley,” said Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, Vegetable Crops Advisor based in Colusa working on the project.
Although the variation has been substantial in the mechanical weeding trials thus far, most of the results have been higher rather than lower. Amber Vinchesi-Vahl described the weed control variation for the finger weeder as ranging between 28 percent and 87 percent, and between 62 percent and 79 percent for the Robovator. “It’s possible that the one plot with the finger weeder – where we only had 28 percent weed control – that particular area of the field had significant bindweed and that’s something that’s very difficult for cultivators to pull up,” Amber Vinchesi-Vahl explained.
