Weed control in Mexican Irrigation Districts with lightweight equipment

Abstract

In Mexico, mechanical weed control was traditionally carried out with inadequate equipment, which caused damage to the slopes and changes in the hydraulic section. In order to solve this problem, lightweight equipment is currently being used to allow the development of a vegetation cover to retain soil with no interference with water flow, reducing erosion and maintaining stable conditions in the slopes. This paper addresses aspects related to the characteristics and criteria for selecting and sequencing tools for use. The costs of weed control in irrigation channels, drains and roads have been reduced by 39.21% compared to using inadequate equipment. The versatility of lightweight equipment allows the use of the most appropriate implement for each weed. In Mexico, the current inventory includes 290 lightweight devices with which a potential weed control of 90% can be obtained in channels and 70% in drains of the Irrigation Districts.