The development of alternative weed control techniques is a slow process as sugarcane growing conditions in Réunion are variable with—depending on the area and season—more or less substantial weed pressure. In this setting, herbicides are therefore still needed despite the industry’s desire to reduce their use.

The TraproH project is conducting three types of test in order to have certified herbicides and treatments adapted to the various weed cover situations:

• tests for the certification of new active substances. In this regard, eRcane received a Good Experimental Practices accreditation in 2014;
• benchmark acquisition trials (herbicide mixtures, dose reduction, use of wetting agents, etc.) for the development of treatments at various weed growth stages;
• trials of technical weed control sequences where successive interventions are implemented to control weed growth until sugarcane canopy closure.