Response of processing carrot to metribuzin on mineral soils in Nova Scotia

Abstract

Metribuzin was examined as an alternative to linuron and prometryn when prometryn-treated processed carrot in Atlantic Canada in the 1990s could not be exported to the United States, where prometryn was not registered for this crop. Field studies demonstrated that 280 g ha-1 metribuzin applied after the three-leaf crop stage resulted in only minor injury and no yield loss for both a metribuzin-tolerant (Caro-Choice) and -sensitive (Dominator) cultivar. Metribuzin applied either pre- or post-emergence controlled two Matricaria species, chickweed [Stellaria media (L.) Vill.] and shepherd’s-purse [Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.], equivalent to approved prometryn and linuron treatments. Controlled environment studies were conducted to examine the effect of crop growth stage, temperature and soil pH on metribuzin injury to carrot. Differential tolerance between the two cultivars occurred only up to the three-leaf stage. Under controlled environment conditions, carrot injury to metribuzin increased threefold as soil pH increased from 6.5 to 7.4. There was little injury when metribuzin was applied postemergence under cool temperatures (15/10°C), but injury increased from 25 to 85% under 20/15°C and 30/25°C regimes. Lower temperatures and naturally low pH soils contribute to carrot tolerance to metribuzin under Nova Scotia conditions. Based on this research, metribuzin at 280 g ha-1 applied after the three-leaf stage of carrot was approved for use in the Atlantic provinces. Key words: Daucus carota L., cultivar tolerance, soil pH effects, temperature effects, weed control