ASSOCIATION OF HERBICIDES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS IN CORN

Abstract

Corn is an important crop for agriculture, playing a fundamental role in animal and human feed and energy production. Therefore, the purpose of this study was evaluate the effectiveness, selectivity and effects on corn physiological and productive characteristics after herbicide application either isolated or in tank mix. The procedure adopted was randomized blocks design, with four replications each. The treatments, glyphosate, [atrazine + simazine], nicosulfuron, mesotrione, tembotrione, plus a weeded control were used alone or in a tank mixture. It was evaluated the herbicide phytotoxicity in AG 9025 PRO3 hybrid corn, as well as the weed control of alexander grass and crabgrass at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment (DAT). At 50 DAT, variables related to the grain physiological characteristics were also measured. Finally, during harvest, grain yield was determined. All evaluations showed that phytotoxicity caused by herbicides was not visually perceptible in AG 9025 PRO3 corn hybrid. The control was effective in treatments that presented in tank mix treatments glyphosate with nicosulfuron and tembotrione. The physiological characteristic affected after herbicide application was photosynthesis, which, when compared to other treatments, showed better results with nicosulfuron and mesotrione. Herbicides did not interfere in corn grain yield. Glyphosate associated with other herbicides used in corn crops shows to be a valuable practice to improve and accelerate the weed control studied with selectivity to the crop.