Archive for September, 2010

Vegetable loves steamed soil – 30% more yield

Montag, September 20th, 2010

The Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) has demonstrated the results of an extensive research series for weed control in beet cultures (in particular for arugula) at a field show on the 16th of September 2010. The research study compared the effectiveness of several herbicides and hot steam.

The tests were started in spring and repeated in summer 2010. The results were impressive and can be concluded as follows:

The use of herbicides decreased yield by up to 80%, depending on what kind of herbicide was used against what kind of weed. Steaming however lead to an increase of yield due to a significant growth projection of about 2-3 weeks. Thereby steam had a 100% effectiveness against all kinds of weed.

Arugula on steamed soil
Arugula on steamed soil
Arugula after herbicide treatment
Arugula after herbicide treatment
Beetroot on steamed soil
Beetroot on steamed soil
Beetroot after herbicide treatment
Beetroot after herbicide treatment

This positive effect was reconfirmed at a second research study during summer. The report was published on hortigate.de in September 2010. You may download the document as a PDF by clicking on the following link:

Research report of DLR Rheinlandpfalz, September 2010

Steaming at the Horticulture Day of Wädenswil University

Dienstag, September 7th, 2010

Swiss vegetable growers are facing major challenges as no permitted herbicides for weed control are available in particular for arugula cultures.

Therefore the company MSD Corp. from Germany, one of the leading soil steaming specialists, presented the advantages of steaming for weed control at the Horticulture Day of Wädenswil University in Switzerland. Mr. Seifert, the CEO of MSD Corp., demonstrated the effectiveness of steaming against all kinds of weeds to all of the 100 visitors. Present research results were introduced which confirm the positive effects of hot steam.

MSD Corp. was the only privately owned company which was invited by the university and its associated Agroscope-Institute to present their products and methods.