Can pre- and/or post-emergent herbicide application affect soybean seed quality?

Abstract

Soybean cultivation requires herbicide application in the off-season, before emergence for weed desiccation, and after emergence. It is believed that the use of preand post-emergent herbicides combined with preharvest application may negatively affect the quality of soybean seeds. As such, the present study aimed to assess the effect of preand post-emergent herbicides on soybean seed quality. Five field experiments were conducted during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 growing seasons to investigate the effects of synthetic auxins and pre-emergents, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors, broadleaf herbicides, and s-metolachlor or clomazone on the quality of soybean seeds. Dicamba application combined with the pre-emergent herbicides imazethapyr/flumioxazin before soybean planting reduced seed vigor and germination. ACCase inhibitors in association with broadleaf herbicides before planting had no effect on seed quality. Applying s-metolachlor (up to 2,880 g of active ingredient [ai] ha-1) or clomazone (up to 1,800 g ai ha-1) was safe for seed germination, even when used after soybean emergence.