Influence of glyphosate underdoses on the suppression of Panicum maximum cultivars

ABSTRACT: The use of herbicide underdoses allows minimizing the competition of grasses on annual crops, enabling simultaneous cultivation. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate glyphosate underdoses on the suppression of the initial growth of three Panicum maximum cultivars aiming at the integrated cultivation, in addition to the effects of forage species on the incidence and development of weeds. Three field experiments were conducted. The experimental design was a randomized block design with four replications and eight treatments consisting of increasing glyphosate doses (0, 54, 108, 270, 378, 540, 756, and 1,080 g a.e. ha−1). An atrazine dose of 1,200 g a.i. ha−1 was added to each treatment. Plant phytotoxicity assessments were performed at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after application. At 80 and 125 days after sowing, the assessments of total dry matter production, leaf dry matter, stem dry matter, and leaf to stem ratio were carried out, in addition to density and dry matter production of weed community. Glyphosate underdoses below 215, 65, and 90 g a.e. ha-1 have a potential to be investigated aiming at the management of P. maximum cv. Atlas, P. maximum cv. Mombasa, and P. maximum cv. Tanzania under intercropping. The three forage species are effective in suppressing weeds.