Integrated management of tough lovegrass (Eragrostis plana Nees): associating chemical control tools and plant physiology

The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of herbicides use in the control of tough lovegrass according to the availability of solar radiation and the presence or absence of flooded. No experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design, in a 2x2x4 and 2x2x5 factorial scheme, where factor A was equivalent to the environment (natural or reduced radiation); factor B to water condition (with a 2 cm flooded or without): and, factor C the herbicides: cyhalofop butyl (315g ha(-1)), glyphosate (1080g ha(-1)), cyhalofop butyl + glyphosate (315 g ha(-1) + 1080 g ha(-1)) and control (without application) in the first experiment. In the second experiment, the herbicides used were cyhalofop butyl (315 g ha(-1)), glyphosate (1080 g ha(-1)), sethoxydim (184g ha(-1)), imazethapyr (106 g ha(-1)) and control (without application). Glyphosate efficiently controls plants of tough lovegrass with four tillers (>90%), being superior to cyhalofop, imazethapyr and sethoxydim: independently, of resource conditions. Reduction in the availability of solar radiation generates less shoot dry mass production from the weed, and improves the control only by imazethapyr and cyhalofop. In general, a flooded condition does not affect tough lovegrass control by herbicides.

Automated summary

The study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of herbicides in controlling tough lovegrass under different environmental conditions and herbicides. Glyphosate was found to be an effective herbicide for tough lovegrass control under various resource conditions, while reductions in solar radiation improved the control effect of imazethapyr and cyhalofop. Flooded conditions did not significantly impact the control of tough lovegrass by herbicides.