Sweet corn (Zea mays) cultivar tolerance to primisulfuron

Abstract

Nine sweet corn cultivars were evaluated to identify cultivar sensitivity to primisulfuron in four field studies, conducted over a 2-yr period. Response to primisulfuron varied, depending on cultivar and application dose. DelMonte 2038 was highly sensitive to primisulfuron resulting in very severe injury and, in most cases, the death of all plants at both locations, each year. At Exeter in 1998 and 1999, injury was slight with no plant height or yield reductions on other cultivars. At Simcoe in 1998 and 1999, five other cultivars showed visual injury of 10% or greater at 50 g ha–1 of primisulfuron. However, in most cases, this did not result in a significant plant height or yield reduction. SS Jubilee Bt showed a yield reduction but only in 1998 at Simcoe. Three cultivars, CNS 710, GH 2690 and Reveille, were classified as fully tolerant to field applications of primisulfuron at 25 g ai ha–1 with little or no risk of injury. Key words: Sensitivity, herbicide injury, cultivars, primisulfuron, Zea mays