A Biomass-Fueled Flamer for In-Row Weed Control in Vineyards: An Economic Evaluation

Abstract

Concern about the adverse effects of chemicals on the environment and on human health, and increasing restrictions of herbicide use, have led to renewed interest in non-chemical weed control, particularly under the row of vineyards. A new, biomass-fueled, flaming prototype (CS Thermos) was tested in the vineyard during spring-summer 2018, and compared with tillage and mowing. Based on the data from the field tests, an economic evaluation was conducted to compare flaming with tillage, mowing, and chemical weed control, with both one-sided and two-sided implements. The results indicated that chemical weed control was the cheapest alternative (387 €/ha or 268 €/ha, depending on the farm’s size, 10 ha or 80 ha, respectively). Tillage resulted in a cost increase of 268 to 119 €/ha, which might, however, be sustainable for most growers if the better grape quality might be properly valued by the consumers. The one-sided flamer was generally more expensive than tillage, although cheaper than mowing. On the other side, the two-sided flamer version was generally more convenient than tillage (578 to 367 €/ha). Additional advantages and disadvantages of flaming versus tillage and mowing, particularly crop damage and the risk of fires, are discussed in the paper.