Tolerance of pearl millet cultivar ADR-300 to atrazine herbicide

Abstract

The aim of this study was evaluate the selectivity of the herbicide atrazine to the culture of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). The test was implemented in units of 10 dm^-3 of soil under conditions of a greenhouse in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme 5 x 3 with four replicates, corresponding to five dose of atrazine: 0; 0.5; 1.5; 2.5 and (4.0 kg i.a. ha^-1), applied in three stages of growth of pearl millet (two, four and eight expanded leave), cultivar ADR-300. We evaluated the levels of phytotoxicity at 7; 14 and 21 days after application, plant height, dry mass and mass of spike. The major symptoms of phytotoxicity, reducing the number of tillers and dry biomass were obtained from applications made in the early stages of culture and intensified with increasing dose of atrazine. With respect to the mass of spike, doses below 1.5 kg ha^-1 of atrazine showed greater flexibility in the application stage and can be used safely view the management of weeds in ADR-300.