Interaction between saflufenacil and imazapyr+imazapic in the management of barnyardgrass and weedy rice and selectivity for irrigated rice

Abstract

<jats:p>ABSTRACT: The use of imidazolinone-tolerant rice cultivars allows selective control of weedy rice and barnyardgrass. However, in many situations, there is a need to add herbicides from other chemical groups to increase the spectrum of weed control. In this sense, saflufenacil has the potential to be used in mixture with imidazolinone herbicides. This study aimed to evaluate the interaction effects of the imazapyr+imazapic and saflufenacil herbicides in weedy rice and barnyardgrass and to investigate their impacts on the yield of the irrigated rice cultivar Puitá INTA CL. To reach these aims, greenhouse and field experiments were carried out during two growing seasons, with herbicide treatments sprayed separately and in mixtures of saflufenacil with imazapyr+imazapic. Results showed that saflufenacil did not interfere with control of weedy rice and barnyardgrass obtained with imazapyr+imazapic. The D50 values of imazapyr+imazapic for weedy rice control were 14.5+5, 9.1+3 and 12.5+4.2 g ha-1of imazapyr+imazapic for combinations with 0, 3.06 and 6.12 g ha-1of saflufenacil, respectively. In the field experiments, all doses of imazapyr+imazapic applied isolated or in mixture with saflufenacil provided control levels barnyardgrass above 90% at 28 days after herbicides application. Furthermore, saflufenacil did not cause damage or loss in the yield of the rice crop when mixed with imazapyr+imazapic. The Puitá INTA CL rice cultivar was tolerant of the tested herbicides, whether applied alone or in mixture, reaching grain yield of 9.987 kg ha-1 when applied 42 g ha-1 of saflufenacil plus 147+49 g ha-1 of imazapyr+imazapic.</jats:p>