Reducing herbicide use for weed control in soybean (Glycine max) grown in two soil types in southwestern Ontario

Abstract

One cultivation combined with a herbicide application at reduced rates of metribuzin (eg 0.42 kg a.i. ha-1) not only provided effective weed control but also maintained reliable economic return over the years. When used alone, however, neither of them provided satisfactory results. The success of a given weed management system appeared to depend on temporal and spatial environmental variations. The success of a given weed management system appeared to depend on temporal and spatial environmental variations. In years of adequate rainfall, neither cultivation nor herbicide treatment significantly enhanced yield or economic return at Woodslee, despite greater weed control than with plots receiving no herbicide or cultivation. Thus, weed control is probably more critical in years of sub-favourable growth conditions than in years of favourable growth conditions. -from Authors