Testing a tine weeder with artificial weeds in the controlled conditions of a soil bin

Abstract Farmers adjust physical weed control (PWC) tools to optimize performance based on soil conditions, as well as the size and species of weeds and crop. These many variables make PWC field research challenging. Research in controlled conditions would reduce variability and allow more rapid testing of PWC tools. To this end, we constructed a soil bin with a mobile tool carriage inside of a heated glasshouse. The soil bin was 2 m wide by 12 m long by 1 m high. The mobile tool carriage can operate PWC tools at 0.4–19.0 km h−1. Research methods were developed using a tine weeding tool and artificial weeds (AWs). The tine weeder offered uniform soil disturbance and, based on observation, has both uprooting and burial modes of action. Tine speed, angle and depth were evaluated in replicated soil bin and field experiments. Efficacy using AWs in soil bin was similar to efficacy based on surrogate and a real weed in one field experiment, but much greater than values measured in a second field experiment. Despite this inconsistency, we think that the simplified conditions of the soil bin system may be useful to test and prioritize tool settings or adjustments for field studies.