Pre-emergence herbicides mixture in soybeans: Amaranthus hybridus control and crop selectivity on cover crops soil

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides mixture applied to the soil with and without dead cover crops (Sorghum bicolor) for the control of Amaranthus hybridus L. (smooth pigweed) and its selectivity in soybeans. This study was structured in split plot (2 × 6 + 2), where factor A plots (with and without dead cover) and factor B six herbicides mixture: flumioxazin + S-metolachlor (50.4 + 1,008 g a.i. ha−1), flumioxazin + imazethapyr (60 + 127.2 g a.i. ha−1), pyroxasulfone + sulfentrazone (137.6 + 160 g a.i. ha−1), diuron + sulfentrazone (400 + 200 g a.i. ha−1), metribuzin + S-metolachlor (326.4 + 1,344 g a.i. ha−1) and sulfentrazone + imazethapyr (200 + 100 g a.i. ha−1) and two untreated control plots. As for the results, the herbicides flumioxazin + S-metolachlor, flumioxazin + imazethapyr and pyroxasulfone + sulfentrazone showed excellent control (97–99%) and were not influenced by the plot with and without dead cover. They also showed higher yield soybeans (<2,244 kg ha−1). All herbicides were selective to the soybeans. Overall, pre-emergence herbicides and cover crops were efficient methods for the control of A. hybridus, which farmers should use to avoid losses in yield soybeans due to weed competition.