Herbicide Performance in Flue-Cured Tobacco

Abstract

Weed control performance of several herbicides, their effects on tobacco(Nicotiana tabacumL.), and two methods of soil incorporation were studied in North Carolina in 1967 and 1968. Herbicides which gave acceptable weed control without injuring tobacco or lowering its quality were 4-(methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitro-N,Ndipropylaniline (nitralin),1,1,4-trimethyl-6-isopropyl-5-indanyl ethyl ketone (D-497), methyl ester of 3-amino-2,5-dichlorobenzoic acid (amiben),N-butyl-N-ethyl-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-p-toluidine (benefin),S-propyl butylethylthiocarbamate (pebulate),S-propyl dipropylthiiocarbamate (vernolate),N,N-dimethyl-2,2-diphenylacetamide (diphenamid), dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), 2,3,5-trichloro-4-pyridinol (pyriclor), and 2-(α-naphthoxy)-N,N-diethylpropionamide (R-7465). Soil incorporation of benefin, pebulate, and benefin + vernolate with a power-driven rotary cultivator gave superior weed control compared to incorporation by discing four times. Significant early-season stunting of tobacco plants was observed both years in plots where benefin (1.12 or 2.25 lb/A), benefin + vernolate (0.75 + 1.5 lb/A), or benefin + pebulate (1.12 + 4.0 lb/A) was incorporated by discing. No stunting was observed where incorporation was with the rotary cultivator except for benefin at 2.25 lb/A. Neither yield nor quality of the crop was reduced.