Pre-harvest Application of Roundup and Fusilade Super as a Minimum Tillage Technique for Sugarcane

Ten field experiments, in which high rates of Roundup (glyphosate, 410g ailQ) and Fusilade Super (fluazifop-butyl, 125 g ailQ) were sprayed onto sugarcane cropsshortly before harvest, were carried out over a period of two years. Changes in cane quality were measured and regrowth of the subsequent ratoon was assessed. Treatment with Fusilade Superdid not result in an acceptable kill of the stool and treatment with Roundup resulted in an acceptable control only where a very poor crop of variety N8 growing on a light sandy soil was treated. High rates of Roundup did not improve plant kill, nor did the use of additives. In two experiments sugarcane quality remained unchanged when harvest was delayed more than II days after Roundup application, whilst the quality of unsprayed sugarcane improved.