REDUCED RATES OF POSTEMERGENCE HERBICIDES FOR WEED-CONTROL IN SWEET CORN (ZEA-MAYS)

The efficacy of reduced rates of POST herbicides for weed control in sweet corn was evaluated over a three-year period in field studies conducted at the Horticultural Experiment Station, Simcoe, Ontario, POST applications of metolachlor/cyanazine, cyanazine/atrazine and metolachlor/atrazine at 1/2X and 1/4X of labelled rates controlled broadleaf weeds comparable to that of standard labelled rates. Control exceeded 94% each year. Annual grass control was reduced with below-label rates, especially for cyanazine/atrazine and metolachlor/atrazine. A 1/2X application of nicosulfuron/rimsulfuron, following the 1/4X rate of cyanazine/atrazine, significantly improved grass control, compared to cyanazine/atrazine applied alone. Below-label rates did not result in decreased sweet corn yields.