Consecutive Annual Applications of Alachlor and Metolachlor to Continuous No-Till Corn (Zea mays)

Abstract

Consecutive annual applications of alachlor [2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide] and metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide] were made to continuous no-till corn (Zea maysL. ‘Pioneer 3184’ in 1982 and 1983, ‘Pioneer 3744’ in 1984, and ‘Pioneer 3378’ in 1985 to 1987). In a 5-yr study, control of the dominant annual grass species, large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis(L.) Scop. # DIGSA], by alachlor declined to less than 50% by the fifth year. Control of large crabgrass by metolachlor remained greater than 80% throughout the study but metolachlor allowed the establishment of a greater fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorumMichx. # PANDI) population in this and an additional 3-yr study than in chloroacetamide-free checks. In the 3-yr study in which giant foxtail (Setaria faberiHerrm. # SETFA) was dominant, annual applications of metolachlor and a microencapsulated formulation of alachlor provided better control in the second year than the emulsifiable concentrate formulation of alachlor, but formulation differences diminished in the third year.