Project Overview

View the project final report

• 2010 annual report
• 2011 annual report

Commodities

• Agronomic: corn

• Vegetables: carrots

Practices

• Education and Training: demonstration, on-farm/ranch research, participatory research

• Pest Management: cultivation, physical control, weed ecology

In this project our aim is to evaluate a wide range of hand weeding tools, including (1) efficacy and working rates; and (2) farmers’ qualitative assessment of ergonomics and ease of use. During the 2009 growing season, Dr. Gallandt’s research group used a NESARE Partnership Grant to conduct on-farm evaluation of hand weeding tools, with a particular focus on the Weed Master®, an innovative cultivator from Finland (see Attachment 1-1, 1-2). Surprisingly, the efficacy of weed control was generally similar among a wide range of hand and pushed tools (Attachment 1-3, 1-4). Working rates, however, were much greater for the pushed tools– the wheel hoe and Weed Master (Attachment 1-5). While we were encouraged by this potential for greater efficiency in weeding, discussions with these farmers made it clear that their choice of a favorite tool was based on more than efficacy and working rates. Thus, in this project we aim to better understand both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of farmers’ decisions to use particular hand tools for weeding.

1. Conduct qualitative evaluations to compare several familiar, traditional hand tools to newer innovative designs

2. Conduct quantitative evaluations to determine how working rate and efficacy relate to qualitative factors

3. Determine through the interview process which perceptions contribute to tool selection, and how this relates to the adoption of new technology