Impact of a new herbicide molecule on weed communities and soybean ecosystem services

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of various herbicide combinations in controlling weeds in soybean. The dominant weed species observed throughout the crop growth period were Echinochloa colonum, Cyperus iria, Alternanthera triantra, Euphorbia geniculata, Celosia argentea, Physalis minima, Convolvulus arvensis, Commelina benghalensis, and Digera arvensis. The treatment consisting of sodium aceflourofen at 165 g ha-1 + Clodinafop Propargyl at 100 g ha-1 (T7) resulted in the lowest weed density and dry matter production, followed by hand weeding twice. In contrast, the weedy check treatment had the highest weed density, dry matter production, and weed index. The weed control efficiency was highest in T7 and lowest in the weedy check. The results indicate that the combination of sodium aceflourofen and Clodinafop Propargyl is an effective strategy for managing weeds in soybean, reducing weed competition and improving crop productivity. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore other integrated weed management approaches.