Reduced rates of residual and post-emergence herbicides for weed control in vineyards

In 1997 and 1998, five field studies were conducted at four Portuguese wine-growing regions in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the chemical control of vineyard weeds under Mediterranean conditions using either reduced doses of residual herbicides or only foliar herbicides. Amitrole (3440 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole + glyphosate mono-ammonium salt (1720 + 900 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole (3400 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole + diuron (2580 + 1500 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole + simazine (2580 + 1500 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole + terbuthylazine (2580 + 1500 g a.i. ha(-1)) and amitrole + diuron + simazine (2580 + 1300 + 1400 g a.i. ha(-1)) were assayed and compared with the following reference herbicides: glyphosate isopropylamine salt (1800 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole + diuron (2520 + 1680 g a.i. ha(-1)), diuron + glyphosate + terbuthylazine (1275 + 900 + 1425 g a.i. ha(-1)), amitrole + simazine (1900 + 3900 g a.i. ha(-1)) and glyphosate + simazine (800 + 2200 g a.i. ha(-1)). The herbicides were applied during late winter. The results indicated that good control was achieved by the application of foliar herbicides alone or of reduced rates of a mixture of residual herbicides with foliar herbicides for at least 2 months. Three months after application, the efficacy of post-emergence herbicides and lower rates of residual herbicides decreased significantly in clay soils and under heavy rainfall conditions. Convolvulus arvensis- a weed that is becoming increasingly significant in Portuguese vineyards - was poorly controlled, even when glyphosate was used. Despite this, it can be assumed that in those regions in which the trials were conducted, it is possible to employ weed control strategies that entail the elimination or a reduction in the rate of residual herbicides.