Flame weeding in organic vegetable production

Flame weeding has been a controversial issue since it was introduced 58 years ago in North America. Today it is a bigger topic than ever. The idea behind flame weeding is to kill weeds with an intensive wave of heat, without disturbing the soil or harming the crop root system. Since all plants are composed of tiny cells filled largely with water, a thin blast of heat directed at the stalk will boil the water within the cell. The pressure generated by this expanding water will then explode the cell it self, rupturing a cross section of the stalk. When this happens plant food and water cannot move from roots to leaves and the plant withers and dies. 

This one year study was devoted primarily to observing seven different weed control treatments to determine those most effective for further study in the following years. twenty eight trials were established 16 for onions and 12 for carrots. Four treatments were used in onions: T1 - control T2 - two hand-weeding T3 - pre-emergence flaming; two hand-weedings T4- pre-emergence flaming; post-emergence flaming; two hand-weedings Three treatments were used in carrots: T1 - control T2 - two hand-weedings T3 - pre-emergence flaming; two hand-weedings