Selectivity of herbicides applied to Brazilian tree species at post-emergence

ABSTRACT

The presence of weeds in silvicultural systems has been considered one of the main obstacles to the success of projects designed to recover degraded areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the selectivity of herbicides applied at post-emergence in the initial growth of seedlings of capixingui (Croton floribundus), açoita-cavalo (Luehea divaricata), and guaritá (Astronium graveolens), in the municipalities of Jaboticabal and Junqueirópolis, state of São Paulo. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications, and the treatments consisted of herbicides (g a.i.·ha-1) clethodim + phenoxaprop-p-ethyl (50 + 50), sethoxydim (184), quizalofop-p-ethyl (75), nicosulfuron (50), fluazifop-p-butyl (125), fomesafen (225), haloxyfop-methyl (48), bentazon (720), chlorimuron-ethyl (15), in addition to control without herbicide. The characteristics analyzed were plant height increase and visual phytointoxication at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 days after herbicide application. At the end of the experiment, the shoots of the plants were removed to assess shoot dry matter. The herbicides clethodim + fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, fluazifop-p-butyl, and quizalofop-p-ethyl showed selective potential for the species capixingui, açoita-cavalo, and guaritá. The herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl caused mild intoxication symptoms when applied to seedlings of capixingui and açoita-cavalo; also, it was not selective for the guaritá species grown in Jaboticabal. All species showed selectivity to the herbicides sethoxydim, fomesafen, haloxyfop-methyl, and nicosulfuron, as their growth and initial development were not influenced. The herbicide bentazon caused high percentages of injury to açoita-cavalo plants in both cultivation places, but it did not influence the growth and development of the species.