Comparison Herbicide Treatments for the Control of Grass and Cyperus Species

The results are presented of a series of herbicide experiments conducted on two soils in Natal; a heavy clay and a light sand respectively having high and low organic matter contents. The experiments were designed to evaluate preand post-emergent herbicide treatments on the specific weeds Panicum muximum, Cyperus rotundus, C. esculentus and annual grasses. Alachlor/2,4-D was the most successful herbicide mixture for pre-emergent grass control. No preemergent treatment effectively controlled the Cyperaceae. Post-emergent grass control was dependant upon the stage of growth when treatments were applied. Mixtures of ametryne/2,4-D and diuronl 2,4-D were highly satisfactory for the post-emergent control of grass and Cyperus species. The addition of a non-ionic surfactant was always beneficial.