Weed competition during spears harvesting reduces asparagus yields. The application of herbicides during this period is illegal, and alternative non-chemical practices are needed. This research tested the effectiveness and efficiency of a custom-built combined flamer-cultivator to control weeds (both in the inter- and intra- spears production bands) during the spears harvest season. It also analysed the effects of various liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) doses on total asparagus yield, mean spear weight, and total number of marketable spears. In both years, the asparagus spears were generally not damaged by flame weeding using LPG doses of between 43 to 87 kg/ha. The same LPG doses were effective in controlling weeds, showing the same total marketable yields as the weed-free control. At high LPG doses (e.g. 130 and 260 kg/ha), yields decreased as a consequence of the damage caused to the spears, resulting in a lower number of marketable spears. Flaming did not affect the mean spear weight, and can be applied repeatedly during harvesting to maintain the weeds at a level that does not lead to a yield reduction. The repeated use of the combined flamer-cultivator (every seven days) led to higher yields than plots where weed control was not conducted. The new machine can be used in a period when herbicides are not possible. Flaming could be introduced by asparagus producers as an alternative, or in addition to herbicides applied in the pre-emergence and post-harvest of spears.
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机译：在长矛收获期间的杂草竞争减少了芦笋产量。在此期间施用除草剂是非法的，需要替代的非化学实践。这项研究测试的有效性和定制的组合火焰喷射器，中耕来控制杂草（无论是在间和细胞内长矛生产带）的效率在长矛收获的季节。它还分析了各种液化石油气（LPG）剂量对总芦笋产量，平均矛重量和可销售长矛总数的影响。在这两年中，芦笋矛通常不会被使用43至87 kg / ha之间的火焰杂草损坏。相同的LPG剂量在控制杂草方面是有效的，显示出与无杂无杂草控制相同的总款项产量。在高剂量的LPG（例如130和260公斤/公顷），产量为造成对矛损害的结果降低，从而导致较低的数适销长矛。燃烧不会影响平均矛体重，并且可以在收获期间反复施加以维持杂草的水平，不会导致产量减少。重复使用组合的火焰栽培者（每七天）导致比没有进行杂草控制的曲线的产量更高。新机器可以在不可能的时间内使用。烈焰红唇可以通过芦笋生产商推出作为替代，或除了除草剂在芽前和长矛的收获后应用。
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