Annex White book.pdf

A1.3.6 EradicationWeeds cause a loss of 5 to 20 % of the cultivation (Perez, 1995). Wildplants function also as a focus for parasites and disease proliferation.A1.3.6.1Mechanized eradicationIn Castile – La Mancha, weeds are traditionally removed by hand(digging) and recently by mechanized digging between the furrows. Manureis incorporated during pre- planting, after the weeds have beenremoved. Digging of the surface during pre-planting and during themonths of April and May should be sufficient for eradication.When weeds appear, digging at 10-12 cm depth is recommended, onemonth after planting. Caution is suggested in order to avoid damaging thebulbs (Perez, 1995). Digging the surface in-between the furrows will takeplace in September in order to break the crust and remove the weeds. In addition,a supplementary digging could soften the soil and help aeration.In Western Macedonia, weeds are being removed with light diggingor by using a rotary cultivation machine before and after bulb planting.The digging depth after planting should not exceed 8-10 cm in order toavoid exposure and damage of the bulbs. After weed growth (springtime)and during dormant period of the bulbs (summer), weeds are cut off andburned on the field few days after cutting.In Sardinia, the tools for germination consist in digging by handalong the furrows while mechanized weed control is used for spudding,milling or banking up the field.A1.3.6.2 Chemical germinationIn Castile – La Mancha, the chemical products used mostly, are twocarbamates (contact herbicide) that remain for a short time in the soil:diquat and paraquat are applied between June and August and duringthe dormant period. The dosage varies between 2 and 4 Lit per hectare(ITAP, 1998). Diquat is used to fight weeds with narrow leaves whileparaquat is used after weed appearance.From 1999 until 2004, ITAP carried out various researches on theuse of different germinators such as glyphosate, linuron, metribuzin,pentimethaline and bentazon in saffron cultivation. These germinatorshave been applied separated or in combination during Decemberor February depending on their function. In the case of separate use,metribuzin 70 % (1 kg per hectare) has proved to be the best solution107