Biological activity of the new herbicide LGC-40863 {benzophenone O-[2,6-bis[(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)oxy]benzoyl]oxime}

Herbicidal characteristics of the experimental compound LGC-40863 (ISO proposed common name: pyribenzoxim) were investigated in greenhouse and field. In the greenhouse, LGC-40863 had strong post-emergent activity on various grass and broadleaf weeds including Echinochloa crus-galli L. Beauv., Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. and Polygonum hydropiper L., while it was safe in rice (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud; (a turf species). Among important rice weeds, E. crus-galli was controlled over a wide window from the one-leaf to the six-leaf stages. In the field, LGC-40863 provided excellent control of E. crus-galli (>95%) at 30 to 40 g ha(-1) when applied alone, or at 15 to 30 g ha(-1) when applied in combination with pendimethalin, while it did not cause injury to rice at up to 60 g ha(-1). These results suggest that LGC-40863 has potential as a new selective postemergent herbicide in rice.