M. Nicolai

Glyphosate sustainability in South American cropping systems

South America represents about 12% of the global land area, and Brazil roughly corresponds to 47% of that. The major sustainable agricultural system in South America is based on a no-tillage cropping system, which is a worldwide adopted agricultural conservation system. Societal benefits of conservation systems in agriculture include greater use of conservation tillage, which reduces soil erosion and associated loading of pesticides, nutrients and sediments into the environment. However, overreliance on glyphosate and simpler cropping systems has resulted in the selection of tolerant weed species through weed shifts (WSs) and evolution of herbicide-resistant weed (HRW) biotypes to glyphosate. It is a challenge in South America to design herbicide- and non-herbicide-based strategies that effectively delay and/or manage evolution of HRWs and WSs to weeds tolerant to glyphosate in cropping systems based on recurrent glyphosate application, such as those used with glyphosate-resistant soybeans. The objectives of this paper are (i) to provide an overview of some factors that influence WSs and HRWs to glyphosate in South America, especially in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay soybean cropped areas; (ii) to discuss the viability of using crop rotation and/or cover crops that might be integrated with forage crops in an economically and environmentally sustainable system; and (iii) to summarize the results of a survey of the perceptions of Brazilian farmers to problems with WSs and HRWs to glyphosate, and the level of adoption of good agricultural practices in order to prevent or manage it.

Herbicide selectivity by differential metabolism: considerations for reducing crop damages

A seletividade dos herbicidas e uma tecnologia agricola que tem sido vastamente explorada nas estrategias de controle quimico de plantas daninhas. E resultado da acao conjunta de diversos mecanismos que protegem a cultura da fitotoxicidade dos tratamentos herbicidas, mantendo-a com niveis de injurias aceitaveis agronomicamente, ou mesmo na ausencia destas. O principal mecanismo de seletividade dos herbicidas e o metabolismo diferencial desses produtos entre plantas daninhas e cultivadas, em que, nas situacoes de recomendacao agronomica, as plantas daninhas sao menos habeis em realiza-lo. Neste caso, a fitotoxicidade pode ser entendida como a suplantacao da capacidade maxima de protecao oferecida pelos mecanismos de seletividade ou, considerando o metabolismo como o principal mecanismo, como a superacao da capacidade intrinseca da especie em detoxificar determinada molecula. Considerando-se que o metabolismo de herbicidas envolve gasto de energia, os sintomas de fitotoxicidade caracterizam um segundo gasto energetico que nao deve ser aceito como uma resposta fisiologica natural, portanto pode resultar em perdas de rendimento das culturas. Para evitar ou minimizar as perdas ou injurias as culturas, e necessario que as recomendacoes de herbicidas sejam baseadas em trabalhos de seletividade conduzidos com adequado rigor experimental; bem como e importante a conscientizacao dos agricultores quanto a melhor forma de utilizar cada produto.Herbicide selectivity is an agricultural technology largely exploited in chemical strategies of weed control. The joint action of several protection mechanisms avoids phytotoxicity from herbicide treatment, maintaining the level of agronomically accepted damage to a minimum, or even totally avoiding them. The major mechanism of herbicide selectivity derives from the differential metabolism between weed and crop plant species, with weeds presenting a limited ability to perform it under agronomically recommended conditions. In this case, phytotoxicity can be interpreted as an overcoming of the maximum protection capacity offered by the mechanisms of selectivity, or when considering metabolism as the main factor, the overcoming of the inherent plant ability to detoxify a particular molecule. Considering that herbicide metabolism requires energy disposal, symptoms of phytotoxicity characterize an additional waste of energy that should not be accepted as a natural physiologic response; therefore it might result in yield losses. To avoid or minimize crop losses or damages, it is required that herbicide application recommendations are based on results from rigorously conducted selectivity experiments, as well as that there is an increase in the awareness of growers about the best use of each product.

Curvas de dose-resposta para avaliação do controle de fluxos de emergência de plantas daninhas pelo herbicida imazapic

The objective of this work was to evaluate the control of two emergence fluxes of the weeds Brachiaria plantaginea and Digitaria horizontalis by the herbicide imazapic applied under pre-emergence conditions, by analyzing the dose-response curves. The experimental design adopted was randomized blocks, with four replicates, with each plot being a 3L capacity pot, filled with clay soil plus Brachiaria plantaginea and Digitaria horizontalis seeds. Considering D as the recommended rate of imazapic (140 g ha-1), the treatments were: 4D, 2D, D, 1/2D, 1/4D, 1/8D, 1/16D and no herbicide. Visual evaluations of control at 30 and 60 Days After Infestation (DAI) and dry weight at 60 DAI were performed. After harvest of the biomass present in the plots, resulting from the first flux, the pots were seeded again followed by control evaluations at 30 and 60 Days After Re-infestation (DAR) and dry weight at 60 DAR. The results showed that imazapic inhibited the development of both weeds, reaching results higher than 80% of control in all the evaluations for the recommended dose, in both emergence fluxes; the efficacy in the control of Digitaria horizontalis was slightly superior than the control of Brachiaria plantaginea; imazapic was presented as an interesting option for management of these weeds.

Carfentrazone-ethyl aplicado em pós-emergência para o controle de Ipomea spp. e Commelina benghalensis na cultura da cana-de-açúcar

This work aimed to evaluate the efficacy and selectivity of the herbicide carfentrazone-ethyl applied in post-emergence to control weeds in sugarcane crop and to evaluate dose-response curves of this herbicide in four species of Ipomoea spp. and Commelina benghalensis. Field experiment was carried out in post-emergence of weeds and sugarcane (cv. RB72-454).The experimental design adopted was a completely randomized block with the following treatments: carfentrazone at 5, 10, 20, 30 and 50 g ha-1 and metribuzin at 2,400 g ha1. The main weed species presented in the area were I. nil, I. grandifolia, I. quamoclit, Momordica charantia and C. benghalensis. The evaluations of percentage of weed control and selectivity to sugarcane crop were carried out at 15, 30 and 45 days after herbicide application. An experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions to elaborate dose-response curves with the weeds I. nil, I. grandifolia, I hederifolia, I. quamoclit and C. benghalensis. The herbicide rates analyzed were: 10D, 4D, 2D, D, 0.5D, 0.25D, 0.125D, 0.1D and 0.01D; where D = 20 g ha-1. Results were analyzed by dose-response curves in visual control and fresh mass. In the field experiment, results showed efficient weed control and the rate of 50 g ha-1 was considered the best carfentrazone treatment. No chemical treatment caused visible injury in the sugarcane crop. The greenhouse experiment showed that decreasing susceptibility of Ipomoea species to carfentrazone-ethyl was: I. hederifolia > I. quamoclit > I. nil > I. grandifolia and that C. benghalensis is controlled by carfentrazone at 5 g ha-1.

Herbicidas alternativos para controle de biótipos de Conyza bonariensis e C. canadensis resistentes ao glyphosate

After successive years, glyphosate applications on Sao Paulo-Brazil citrus orchardsxa0selected resistant biotypes of Conyza bonariensis and C. canadensis. The occurrence of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes at some agricultural area makes it necessary to change the management practices to reach effective control of the selected resistant populations, as well as to reduce selection pressure on the other species. Thus, this work aimed to identify the alternative herbicides to control glyphosate-resistant biotypes of Conyza spp., with applications at different weed phenological stages. Three trials were developed under field conditions: in citrus orchards under formation, in plants with phenological stages of ten leaves and at pre-flowering. For plants at the ten leaf stage, satisfactory control was reached with applications of glyphosate + bromacil + diuron (1,440 + 1,200 + 1,200 g ha-1), glyphosate + atrazine (1,440 + 1,500 g ha-1) and glyphosate + diuron (1,440 + 1,500 g ha-1). For Conyza spp. plants at the pre-flowering stage, ammonium-glufosinate application, at the rate of 400 g ha-1, isolated or associated to MSMA, bromacil+diuron, metsulfuron, carfentrazone and paraquat, was a viable alternative to control glyphosate-resistant biotypes.

Alternative Herbicides to Manage Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) Resistant to Glyphosate at Different Phenological Stages

Abstract During the growing season of 2002–2003, field and greenhouse experiments were conducted with the objective of evaluating the influence of Italian ryegrass phenological stages and management alternatives on the control of resistant biotypes to glyphosate. Three field experiments were conducted in Lagoa Vermelha, RS, Brazil and glyphosate was applied alone and in combinations with alternative herbicides. Two greenhouse experiments were also conducted at the Department of Crop Science, ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The Italian ryegrass resistant population was collected from Lagoa Vermelha, RS, Brazil. From the results it was possible to conclude that: (i) the more advanced the phenological stage of application, the more difficult the control of resistant Italian ryegrass by glyphosate, mainly by the rate of 960 g a.i. ha−1; however, this rate applied at earlier phenological stage (five tillers), the control was higher than 90%; (ii) with the increment of glyphosate rate, it significant response was observed on the control at all stages of application; (iii) the mixture of glyphosate + clethodim (1440 + 72 g a.i. ha−1), paraquat + diuron (500 + 250 g a.i. ha−1), at all stages of application and clethodim (96 g a.i. ha−1) and paraquat + diuron (300 + 150 g a.i. ha−1) at the initial stages until pre-flowering were excellent alternatives for management of these populations; and (iv) the response of control was much faster for the mixture of glyphosate + clethodim, independently of growth stage.During the growing season of 2002--2003, field and greenhouse experiments were conducted with the objective of evaluating the influence of Italian ryegrass phenological stages and management alternatives on the control of resistant biotypes to glyphosate. Three field experiments were conducted in Lagoa Vermelha, RS, Brazil and glyphosate was applied alone and in combinations with alternative herbicides. Two greenhouse experiments were also conducted at the Department of Crop Science, ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The Italian ryegrass resistant population was collected from Lagoa Vermelha, RS, Brazil. From the results it was possible to conclude that: (i) the more advanced the phenological stage of application, the more difficult the control of resistant Italian ryegrass by glyphosate, mainly by the rate of 960 g a.i. ha(-1); however, this rate applied at earlier phenological stage (five tillers), the control was higher than 90%; (ii) with the increment of glyphosate rate, it significant response was observed on the control at all stages of application; (iii) the mixture of glyphosate + clethodim (1440 + 72 g a.i. ha(-1)), paraquat + diuron (500 + 250 g a.i. ha(-1)), at all stages of application and clethodim (96 g a.i. ha(-1)) and paraquat + diuron (300 + 150 g a.i. ha(-1)) at the initial stages until pre-flowering were excellent alternatives for management of these populations; and (iv) the response of control was much faster for the mixture of glyphosate + clethodim, independently of growth stage.

Problemática da ocorrência de diferentes espécies de capim-colchão (Digitaria spp.) na cultura da cana-de-açúcar

Digitaria genus includes around 300 plant species, distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Thirteen described species occur in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, with visual differentiation being difficult to be made in the fields due to their great morphological similarity. The species Digitaria nuda, D. ciliaris, D. horizontalis and D.xa0bicornis, popularly known as crabgrass, are weeds commonly found in the sugar cane production fields in Sao Paulo. Cases of cab grass control failure have been reported by producers, likely related with weed community changes as a result of the selection of some crabgrass species tolerant to herbicides previously recommended for their control. It has been suspected that these selected populations are constituted by different crabgrass species, notably D. nuda, which has higher tolerance levels to some products. Understanding the dynamics of the weed species Digitaria genus (crabgrass) population and its mechanisms of tolerance to some herbicide groups will help outline management recommendations for these weeds, avoiding or delaying their manifestation. Identifying the species that occur in sugar cane producing areas will promote the correct herbicide choice, according to the infesting species, thus increasing the chances of successful control.

Suscetibilidade diferencial de plantas daninhas do gênero Amaranthus aos herbicidas trifloxysulfuron-sodium e chlorimuron-ethyl

This work aimed to evaluate the susceptibility of five Amaranthus genus weed species to herbicides applied post-emergence. The species evaluated were: A. deflexus, A. hybridus, A. retroflexus, A. spinosus and A. viridis. The work was divided into two phases. In the first phase, weed species were submitted to post-emergence application of 12 herbicide treatments. In the second phase, the herbicides trifloxysulfuron-sodium and chlorimuron-ethyl were evaluated using the methodology of dose-response curves, repeated twice. The herbicides were applied on plants with 5-6 leaves and the rates used in the second phase were: 16R, 4R, R, 1/4R, 1/16R, 1/64R and product absence, where R is the recommended rate for each herbicide. The rates used (R) were 3.75 and 7.5 g ha-1 for trifloxysulfuron and 12.5 e 17.5 g ha-1 for chlorimuron, in the first and second phase, respectively. In the first phase, percent control and dry mass of the pots at 20 days after application (DAA) were evaluated; in the second phase, percent control was evaluated at 20 DAA. The species of Amaranthus that were evaluated presented in this work presented differences of susceptibility to postemergence applied herbicides, principally to trifloxysulfuron and chlorimuron, with A. deflexus being the least susceptible species, followed by A. spinosus, A. viridis, A. hybridus and A. retroflexus.

Tolerância diferencial de variedades de cana-de-açúcar a estresse por herbicidas

This work was carried out with the objective of screening for tolerance response of SP and CTC sugarcane varieties to application of ten herbicides commonly recommended to weed management in this crop. Two trials were evaluated with factorial design between the sugarcane varieties and eleven herbicide treatments. In the first experiment, seven SP varieties were used (factorial 7 x 11): SP80-1842, SP80-3280, SP83-2847, SP87-344, SP87-396, SP89-1115 and SP90-3414. In the second experiment, six CTC varieties were evaluated (factorial 6 x 11): CTC1, CTC2, CTC3, CTC4, CTC5 and CTC6. The post-emergence-applied herbicide treatments were: ametryn, ametryn + trifloxysulfuron-sodium, clomazone, diuron + hexazinone, isoxaflutole, imazapic, 2,4-D, tebuthiuron, sulfentrazone, MSMA and check without application. The variables evaluated were: fresh mass, height, SPAD index and tillering: Valves here considered as relative percentage to the untreated control. Differential tolerance of sugarcane varieties was observed regarding to application of the tested herbicides. SP80-3280 and CTC2 were the most tolerant varieties to herbicide application, and might have this characteristic exploited by sugarcane breeding programs.

Crescimento, desenvolvimento e produção de sementes da planta daninha capim-branco (Chloris polydactyla)

ABSTRACT - This experiment aimed to characterize growth, development and seed production ofthe weed Chloris polydactyla . Sixteen periodic growth evaluations were carried out to quantifyphenology, leaf area and dry weight (total, shoot and roots) of the plants. Absolute (G) and relative(R) growth rates were also calculated. The number of floral racemes of 28 plants, the length of100 random racemes and the number of seeds present in 100 units of 10 mm of raceme werequantified after flowering. It was observed that C. polydactyla has slow initial development andgrowth, since it initiated flowering and seed production just at 112 days after seeding. It is aspecies with great final growth potential and seed production, since a single tiller and the wholeplant were able to produce more than 3,000 and 30,000 seeds, respectively. The initial slowgrowth of this plant does not favor the interspecific competition in agricultural fields, especiallysugarcane crops, where it is found more frequently colonizing carriers and adjacent areas. However,its great seed production suggests that this weed can become increasingly important in sugarcanecrops.