Efficacy of Reduced Rates of Soil-Applied Dimethenamid-P and Pendimethalin Mixture Followed by Postemergence Herbicides in Maize

Abstract

Field trials were conducted with preemergence dimethanamid-P + pendimethalin (D + P; 850 + 1000 g·ha−1) and reduced rates (637.5 + 750 g·ha−1 and 452 + 500 g·ha−1, 75% and 50% of label rate), followed by strongly reduced rates of postemergence herbicides nicosulfuron + rimsulfuron + dicamba (N + R + D; 4 + 15.6 + 93.5 g·ha−1, 50%), tembotrione (T; 33 g·ha−1, 50%), mesotrione + nicosulfuron (M + N; 37.5 + 15 g·ha−1, 50%), foramsulfuron + iodosulfuron (F + J; 7.5 + 0.25 g·ha−1, 20%), and nikosulfuron (N; 15 g·ha−1, 33%) applied with methylated seed oil (MSO; 1.0 L·ha−1) and ammonium nitrate (AMN; 2 kg·ha−1) on 3–5 leaves of maize to assess weed control, grain yield, and economic net return. Reduced rate of soil-applied herbicide followed by reduced rates of any postemergence herbicides applied with adjuvants was the most efficacious weed control program, provided the highest grain yield of maize and similar or higher economic net return, despite 44 to 48% lower herbicide input than the program based on soil-applied herbicide mixture only. It brings not only notable economic benefits but also less negative impact on the environment.