Efficacy and selectivity of alternative herbicides to glyphosate on maize

ABSTRACT The aim was to evaluate the selectivity and weed control of herbicides atrazine, nicosulfuron, mesotrione and tembotrione, applied alone and associated, in post-emergence of maize. Were carried out two experiments, one in the field in a randomized complete block design with four replications and eleven treatments, the second in greenhouse in a completely randomized design, with four replications and ten treatments. The treatments were composed of isolated and associated herbicides. Treatments were applied V4 stage of plants. For first experiment, crop injury and control evaluations were performed, as well as variables related to agronomic performance (plant height, ear insertion height, prolificacy index, yield and mass of 1,000 grains) and mass of weeds. For second experiment, evaluations of crop injury, height, diameter and dry mass of plants were performed. The lower yield for experiment one was verified in the treatment where only mesotrione was applied, which was attributed to the lower control of monocotyledons weeds. Crop injury were observed at 21 DAA in both experiments, but not exceeding 7.5%. All treatments were considered selective to maize. The herbicides atrazine, nicosulfuron, mesotrione and tembotrione, at associations, were effective in the weed control, except the association atrazine + mesotrione.