Weed control in organic soybeans can be challenging but new technology is helping Brandon Jantzi and his family keep it clean at Janlan Farms near Baden, Ont.
On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Jantzi and Maizex Seeds agronomist Henry Prinzen dig into the farm’s weed control strategy, which is designed to deliver high-yielding organic soybeans that command a premium.
Jantzi says there are many facets of farm and agronomic management that contribute to weed control in organic soybeans, but he’s quick to note the critical role that the farm’s Einbock Chopstar scuffler plays in keeping fields clean. The model Janlan uses comes with some added bells and whistles that makes it much more than just another scuffler.
The 12-row units carry additional wheels on the back, which work within the soybeans to hill the rows and pull out additional weeds. It also employs a camera to provide sub-inch accuracy that keeps the units on the rows and optimizes cultivation to kill as many weeds as possible. (Story continues after the video.)
The cultivator also provides sectional control — a huge advantage for managing many of the odd-shaped fields that make up the 1,300 acres farmed by Jantzi and his family.
“When you come up to the headlands it’ll start pulling out the [units] one at a time across the machine. So in theory, we’re able to scuffle every square inch of the field” and greatly reduce the chances of weed staining, which can have huge economic implications in organic soybeans, adds Jantzi.
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