Response of dry beans to tiafenacil applied preemergence

Abstract

Abstract Tiafenacil is a new nonselective, protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase–inhibiting pyrimidinedione herbicide that is under consideration for registration to control grass and broadleaf weeds in corn, soybean, wheat, cotton, and other crops prior to crop emergence. The sensitivity of dry beans to tiafenacil is not known. Four field experiments were completed at Exeter and Ridgetown, ON, Canada, during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons, to determine the sensitivity of azuki, kidney, small red, and white beans to tiafenacil applied preemergence (PRE) at 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 g ai ha−1. Tiafenacil applied at 100 g ai ha−1 caused 5% or less injury to azuki, kidney, small red, and white beans: 0% to 3% injury to azuki bean; 1% to 5% injury to kidney bean; and 1% to 4% injury to both small red bean and white bean. Tiafenacil applied PRE at 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 g ai ha−1 caused up to 1%, 4%, 4%, and 5% visible dry bean injury, respectively, but had no negative effect on other measured growth parameters including seed yield. Crop injury was generally greatest when tiafenacil was appled at the 100 g ai ha−1 rate in dry beans. Generally, kidney, small red, and white bean were more sensitive to tiafenacil than azuki bean. Dry bean injury was persistent and increased with time with the greatest injury observed 8 wk after emergence. Tiafenacil applied PRE can be a useful addition to the current strategies to control grass and broadleaf weeds, especially glyphosate-resistant horseweed and amaranth species prior to bean emergence.