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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #81976
Title: SUGARCANE (SACCHARUM SPP. HYBRIDS) RESPONSE TO SULFOMETURON AND METRIBUZIN APPLIED PREPLANT IN-FURROW AND AFTER PLANTING

Author
item MILLER, DONNIE - DEPT PLANT PATH LSU
item Richard Jr, Edward
item GRIFFIN, JAMES - DEPT PLANT PATH LSU

Submitted to: Weed Technology Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/27/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: If registered, sulfometuron applied to the soil surface of fallowed and newly planted sugarcane fields offers the Louisiana Sugarcane Industry a means of controlling bermudagrass and johnsongrass emerging from vegetative propagules. Since sulfometuron inhibits cell division, the potential for crop injury from residues remaining after fallow-field applications must be edetermined. Sulfometuron applied in the planting furrow at rates as low a 13% of the anticipated fallow application rate of 131 g/ha inhibited the emergence of sugarcane shoots in the fall and spring, as well as sugarcane stalk development at the end of the plant-cane growing season, by at least 17% when compared to a standard application of metribuzin. Sugar yields were reduced by in-furrow applications of sulfometuron at 17 g/ha, but not by preemergence applications to the newly planted crop at 131 g/ha. Growers applying sulfometuron, especially in fallowed fields should be cognizant of the fact that extremely low residues of sulfometuron can reduce plant-cane yields by 20% or more and could affect the ratooning ability of the crop in subsequent years. To minimize the injury potential, sulfometuron should be applied early in the fallow period to allow for its degradation to nonphytotoxic levels.

Technical Abstract: In field studies conducted over two yr, fall and spring sugarcane shoot populations for metribuzin applied to the planting furrow prior to sugarcane stalk placement were equivalent to the no herbicide treatments, and greater at 1680 g ai/ha than 105 g/ha. For in-furrow applications of sulfometuron at 17 g ai/ha, shoot population in fall and spring was reduced dat least 18% compared with the no herbicide treatment. Slight differences in fall and spring sugarcane emergence were noted following standard, soil surface, after planting applications of metribuzin at 2020 g/ha and a mixture of pendimethalin plus atrazine each at 2240 g ai/ha, and sulfometuron at 131 g/ha. However, harvestable stalk counts at the end of the plant-cane growing season were reduced only when sulfometuron at 17 g/ha or higher was applied in the planting furrow. Sugarcane stalk height in August was reduced both years compared with metribuzin applied to the soil surface only when sulfometuron was applied in furrow at 66 and 131 g/ha or 131 g/ha in furrow followed by a soil-surface application at the same rate. Soil-surface application of sulfometuron at 131 g/ha did not reduce sugar yield compared with the metribuzin standard treatment, but in- furrow applications of sulfometuron at rates of 17 to 131 g/ha reduced yields 20 to 48%.