Effectiveness and environmental effect of alternative weed control in vineyard

In the presented research, we tested two alternative concepts for controlling weeds under the vines as a counterweight to the glyphosate-based herbicide approach: control with plant extract-based organic fertilizer Stopeco with herbicidal action and mechanical control with the help of a combined tool consisting of rotary star tiller and finger weeder. A comparative analysis among the tested methods was done on fuel consumption, carbon footprint, grape yield, economic feasibility and environmental effect. The smallest environmental footprint was estimated for three-times application of organic fertilizer Stopeco (7.50 gha anno-1), followed by two-times glyphosate application (7.79 gha anno-1) and four times mechanical weed control (8.09 gha anno-1). However, Stopeco can be environmentally friendly from an eco-toxicological point of view. The biggest GWP emissions (990.91 kg CO2eq) and CO2 emissions (381.92 kg CO2) were again established for mechanical weeding and the smallest for glyphosate application (762.22 kg CO2eq and 351.46 kg CO2). Considering the economicfeasibility, both alternative weed control methods were comparable to the glyphosate-based herbicide because the financial benefit amounted to 1933 EUR per ha at mechanical weeding, 1085 EUR per ha at glyphosate-based herbicide, and organic fertilizer 989 EUR per ha, respectively.