Control of weed grass species constitutes a great problem in reduced tillage systems, requiring efficient herbicide application. In this sense, application parameters like spray volume, dropplet size, and herbicide concentration may exert great influence on activity of these products. The objective of this research was to investigate the interaction effects of herbicide rate,herbicide concentration, and diluent volume, on sulfosate efficiency, using rice as test plant. The experiment was conducted during the 1994/95 growing season at the IRGA Rice Experimental Station, in Cachoeirinha, RS, Brazil. Eighteen treatments were tested, performed by five sulfosate rates (1.7; 2.3; 3.0; 4.0; and 4.7 l/ha of formulated product), five diluent volumes (85; 115; 150; 200; and 235 l/ha), and five product concentrations in spray solution (1.2; 1.5; 2.0; 2.6; and 3.3 % v/v). In each condition, one of these parameters was fixed, whereas the other two varied. When maintained spray volume constant, there was no difference, at the last evaluation, among sulfosate rates of 3.0; 4.0; and 4.7 l/ha, when all these reached rice control around 90%. When herbicide concentration was maintained constant, the responses to herbicide rates were not significant.In the third condition, when herbicide rate was fixed, it was observed that sulfosate action increased at higher concentrations. Control levels around 90% were reached with herbicide concentration of 2% or higher. This demonstrates that application parameters of sulfosate may be modified in order to obtain greater efficiency in its action.
Herbicide rate; spray herbicide concentration; spray volume; dropplet size