Oxyfluorfen tolerance and weed control in young papaya1

Abstract

Abstract Six field experiments were conducted to determine the tolerance of young papaya to oxyfluorfen weed control in young papaya. Papaya trees tolerated oxyfluorfen at rates of up to 4.5 kg/ha if the trees were at least 120 cm tall when oxyfluorfen was first applied; applications to shorter papaya trees often caused injury or death. Papaya trees recovered from oxyfluorfen injury if the initial injury was not too severe. Papaya trees recovered even if oxyfluorfen was reapplied approximately every 4 months, and no yield or trunk growth reduction occurred in four experiments where these parameters were measured. Oxyfluorfen at 1–1 kg/ha provided control of most weeds in papaya. Oxyfluorfen did not provide complete control of the weed Bidens pilosa L. (Compositae), and oryzalin‐oxyfluorfen combinations provided better control of B. pilosa than either herbicide by itself.