Management of Grass and Broadleaf Weeds in Processing Potatoes (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i> L.) with Clomazone, in the Argentinian Pampas

Abstract

Weed competition in the potato crop could cause up to a 95% yield reduction depending on the variety, the weed species and the competition period. In this work the effect of Clomazone (Command 36 CS &reg; ), when applied alone or in combination with Metribuzin (Sencorex &reg; 48) upon grass and broad-leaved weeds was assessed. The work was carried out under the environmental conditions of the Argentinian Pampas, where close to 50% of the potatoes produced in the country are grown. The field trial was performed during the spring-summer crop, season 2008/09, with cv. Innovator, in a completely randomized design of the following treatments: (a) control, without weed control; (b) Clomazone 1.6 l·ha -1 ; (c) Clomazone 2.0 l·ha -1 ; (d) Clomazone 1 l·ha -1 + Metribuzin 0.75 l·ha -1 ; (e) Clomazone 1.6 l·ha -1 + Metribuzin 0.5 l·ha -1 ; and (f) Metribuzin 1.35 l·ha -1 . Treatment effectiveness (TE), crop competition level (CCL) and weed suppression index (WSI) were assessed at 38, 53 and 72 days after planting (DAP), while yield and quality were also evaluated, following industry protocols. In those treatments were Clomazone was used alone, at 2 l·ha -1 , or combined (Clomazone 1 l·ha -1 + Metribuzin 0.75 l·ha -1 ), a higher yield was observed. Besides, a high correlation between TE, WSI and tuber yield was also achieved. Clomazone improved TE, CCL and WSI, which was not only reflected in higher tuber yields, but also on better tuber quality.