Economic analysis of the effectiveness of modern environment friendly systems for chemical control of weed in apple plantation

Vanya Manolova, Nina Gerasimova

Abstract: The efficient and environmentally friendly chemical control of weed in apple plantations is a factor to achieve high economic performance. The high density of modern apple orchards creates favorable conditions for development of diseases and pests. The economic assessment is based on experience, conducted in 2009 – 2011, in the Institute for Land Reclamation and Agricultural Mechanization – Sofia. The variants set were: 1) not weeded, untreated control; 2a) untreated control milled 3 times (in April, May, June); 2b) untreated control milled 4 times (in April, May, June, July); 3) pendimethalin – Stomp 330 new EC, 6000 ml/ha; 4) pendimethalin – Stomp 330 new EC, 8000 ml/ha; 5) oksyfluorfen – Goal 2 E, 2500 ml/ha; 6) oksyfluorfen – Goal 2 E, 5000 ml/ha; 7) oksyfluorfen + s-metolachlor – Metofen, 1200 ml/ha; 8) oksyfluorfen + s-metolachlor – Metofen, 2400 ml/ha; 9) flumioxazin – Pledge 50 WP, 200 g/ha; 10) flumioxazin – Pledge 50 WP, 400 g/ha. The study demonstrated a higher cost-effectiveness of chemical weed control compared with mechanized treatments (untreated control 3 fold or 4 fold milled). The highest economic performance was in the seventh variant: oksyfluorfen + s-metolachlor – Metofen (1200 ml/ha), which is respectively 8 and 11 times higher rate of cost-effectiveness of chemical weed control compared with untreated 3 times and 4 fold milled controls. The second performance was the eighth version: oksyfluorfen + s-metolachlor – Metofen (2400 ml/ha) with costs for chemical control 6 and 8 times more effective than untreated 2a and 2b milled controls. Thirdly of efficiency was the 9th variant – flumioxazin – Pledge 50 WP (200 g/ha) with almost 6 times more cost effective for chemical weed control compared with 2a and 2b milled controls. It was found that the opportunity costs of chemical control are very low. In most effective variant (seventh, eighth and ninth) they were equal to 0.1 to 0.2% of the yield, while in the control maintained by milling the costs were 1 to 1.3% of yield.

Keywords: apple; economic efficiency; herbicides; weeds

Date published: 2017-07-12