Impact of Multifunctional Adjuvants on Efficacy of Sulfonylurea Herbicide Applied in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

To reduce the cost of intensive herbicide application and environment pollution and enhance biological effectiveness, effective multifunction adjuvants should be used. A field study was conducted in 2017–2019 in midwestern Poland in order to assess the effects of new adjuvant formulations on the activity of herbicides. Treatments included the herbicide nicosulfuron at recommended (40 g ha−1) and reduced rates (28 g ha−1) alone and with the addition of tested MSO 1, MSO 2, and MSO 3 (differing in the type and amount of surfactants), as well as standard (MSO 4 and NIS) adjuvants. Nicosulfuron was applied once during the 3–5 leaf stage of maize. Results indicate that nicosulfuron with the tested adjuvants provided satisfactory weed control equivalent to that provided by standard MSO 4 and better than that provided by NIS. Nicosulfuron applied with the tested adjuvants led to a similar grain yield of maize as that achieved with standard adjuvant treatments and much higher than that measured in untreated crops.