Influence of Surfactants and Ammonium Sulfate on Glyphosate Phytotoxicity to Quackgrass (Elytrigia repens)

Abstract

Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of two cationic alkylamine surfactants, three nonionic surfactants, and ammonium sulfate on the performance of glyphosate (isopropylamine salt) against quackgrass. In the field experiments, the reinfestation of quackgrass in the year after treatment was zero or negligible in all plots that received the recommended rate of glyphosate (1.44 kg ae/ha). At one-fourth of the recommended rate (0.36 kg ae/ha) the glyphosate-adjuvant combinations also severely inhibited the reinfestation of quackgrass. At the low herbicide rate and without ammonium sulfate, lipophilic surfactants were less effective than more hydrophilic surfactants. In the greenhouse experiments, the glyphosate doses giving 50% response (ED50) were determined. Ranking of the surfactants according to the ED50for glyphosate demonstrated a similar result to that observed in the field experiment. Ammonium sulfate added to the glyphosate-surfactant combinations reduced the ED50for glyphosate 5-fold. The field and greenhouse experiments demonstrated that two hydrophilic nonionic surfactants enhance glyphosate efficacy against quackgrass to the same extent as the hydrophilic cationic tallowamine surfactant. These two nonionic surfactants have a relatively low toxicity to non-target organisms and may substitute the more toxic alkylamine surfactants.