A field experiment was carried outon Dusky Red Latosol at the Ribeirão Preto Experiment Station, in 1987/88, to study the effect of post-emergence herbicides upon grasses and broadleaves weeds, their phytotoxicity and soil persistence upon peanut, Arachis hypogeea L, cultivar Tatu. At sowing time, part of the seeds were inoculated with a mixture of Bradyrhizobim sp. strains (SMS-319, SMS-400 and SMS-561). The seeds inoculated and an untreated check (factor A) were assigned at random to the each plots within each of four blocks. The following herbicides: fomesafen (250g/ha), lactofen (192g/ha), fluazifop-p-butyl (187g/ha) e haloxyfopmethyl (240g/ha) and fomesafen + fluazifop-p-butyl (250g/ha + 187g/ha) (factor B) were assigned at random within each plot. Composite the soil samples were taken on the subplots at random at three different periods to study the persistence of the herbicides. The effects of the herbicides upon the weeds were evaluated in the 10th and 20th day after the treatment (DAT); the soil persistence at 0, 28 and 56 DAT; the stand and grain yield at harvest. Seed inoculation did not affect the weed control. On the 20th day, grasses were fully controlled (100%) by fluazifop-p-butyl and haloxyfop-methyl. Fomesafen and lactofen were efficient to control Alternanthera ficoidea and regular to Sida spp. The mixture fomesafen + fluazifop-p-butyl did not present any advantage on the control of A. ficoidea, Sida spp., Cenchrus echinatus and Eleusine indica. Fluazifop-p-butyl and haloxyfop-methyl, at 28 DAT, did not cause phytotoxicity to the test-plant, showing a soil persistence lesser than 28 days. In the non-inoculated treatment, fomesafen and lactofen still persisted at 28 days. None of the herbicides used persisted for period over 56 days.
peanuts; herbicides; soil persistence; weed control