Evaluation of new herbicides for use in capsicums and chillies

摘要

Effective weed management strategies are limited for capsicum and chilli producers. Current weed management practices include the use of plastic mulch, selective grass herbicides, handweeding or tillage. There are currently no herbicides registered for broadleaf weed control in capsicums or chillies. Potential new herbicides were screened and efficacy, crop safety and residue data were generated. A total of 13 trials were conducted over three seasons throughout major Australian production regions. The most effective herbicides identified from this work were pendimethalin, clomazone and oxadiargyl, which all gave best results when applied pre-crop transplanting. All three products provided effective pre-emergent control of a range of common broadleafand grass weeds across a number of sites. Clomazone, oxadiargyl and pendimethalin applied at double the proposed use rates, on soils with very low levels of organic carbon and clay, did not cause any crop phytotoxicity. Yield and quality of capsicum andchillies was also not affected by these herbicides.