Selectivity and effectiveness of herbicides applied pre- or post-emergence in common bean and weed control

Inadequate weed management can cause significant yield losses in common bean crops. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the selectivity and effectiveness of herbicides applied to common bean. Two experiments were conducted in a randomized blocks design with four replicates. Pre-emergence treatments included the herbicides sulfentrazone and clomazone, while post-emergence treatments consisted of the formulated mixtures bentazon + imazamox and fluazifop + fomesafen, as well as the individual active ingredients imazamox and fomesafen. Two controls were included: one weedy and one weed-free-free. At the end of the crop cycle, yield components and grain yield were evaluated. All herbicides were selective to the common bean. The formulated mixture fluazifop + fomesafen applied post-emergence, either alone or following pre-emergence application of sulfentrazone or clomazone, provided the highest levels of alexandergrass control. The best control of arrowleaf sida was observed with post-emergence application of the bentazon + imazamox mixture, applied alone or following pre-emergence application of sulfentrazone. The sequential application of clomazone followed by bentazon + imazamox resulted in the greatest reductions in stomatal conductance, carboxylation efficiency and water use efficiency. Pre-emergence application of sulfentrazone and clomazone combined with post-emergence application of fluazifop + fomesafen resulted in the highest grain yield components and overall productivity.