Eficiência de mesotriona associado a inibidores do fotossistema II

Abstract

Sourgrass (Digitaria insularis) is one of the primary weed species in agricultural systems due to its high dispersal capacity and persistence through rhizomes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the herbicide mesotrione, both alone and in association with diuron, on the biomass control and growth suppression of D. insularis. The experiment was conducted at the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of increasing doses of mesotrione (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 L/ha) and fixed associations with diuron (2 L/ha), applied in late post-emergence. The percentages of dry mass (DM) and fresh mass (FM) control were evaluated 21 days after application (DAA). Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were compared using Tukey’s test. The results demonstrated a dose-dependent response, with the 8 L/ha dose of mesotrione alone reaching the highest control level (58.75% for DM). The association with diuron showed synergistic effects, allowing lower doses of mesotrione (1 L/ha + diuron) to be statistically equiv alent to higher isolated doses. It is concluded that mesotrione, particularly when associated with diuron, is an effective tool for sourgrass management, promoting intense chlorosis and significant biomass reduction.