Application of herbicides to potatoes against weeds
Weeds develop rapidly, drown out potato seedlings with intensive growth, and also contribute to the spread of insect pests and fungal spores. Potato herbicides are used to control weeds. Treatment of potato seedlings with herbicides allows you to save the crop both in a small personal plot and in industrial sown areas.
Application of herbicides to potatoes
Varieties of herbicides
All herbicides for the destruction of potato weeds are divided into 2 groups, depending on their effect.
Contact herbicidal agents
Such external preparations affect only the leafy part and stems of plants, where they get during the spraying process, causing the destruction of their aboveground part.
Contact herbicide preparations for potato crops are used to control annual and biennial weeds, for example, against shepherd's purse or wood lice with bindweed.
Herbicidal agents are used in the absence of precipitation. They show the best results if they were used in calm weather without drought and a sharp drop in temperature.
Among the most common contact herbicidal agents actively fighting field bindweed and woodlice are Titus, Tornado and Roundup. The working fluid with such preparations is prepared in a proportion of 40 to 120 ml of herbicidal agent per 10 liters of water. The leafy part of the plants must be sprayed in the morning and evening twice a day. After spraying, potato bushes are not watered or hilled for 3-5 days.
Systemic herbicides
Systemic herbicides for potatoes of internal action are effectively used against wheatgrass and thistle. Possessing the ability to penetrate into the vascular system of the plant and with free movement in the cells, such herbicidal agents lead to the death of both parts: both aboveground and underground.
The most well-known systemic herbicidal agents after germination include the drug "Titus", which penetrates the cells through the leaves treated with it, reaching the root system and the area of the shoots.
Herbicide exposure area
Depending on how much the potato herbicide is able to clear the area of weeds, continuous and selective herbicides are emitted.
Continuous herbicides
Herbicidal products of continuous action are capable of destroying all plants growing on the sown area, therefore, among agricultural technicians in industrial production, they are often referred to as general destruction.
A continuous herbicidal agent, for example, Zenkor, is capable of destroying the outer protective shell, causing the death of plants.
Herbicide preparations of continuous action are dangerous not only for weeds, but also for the cultivated plant itself, therefore, industrial agriculture uses this type of chemical agent with restrictions, using only when preparing the sown area before planting vegetables and, if necessary, completely clean it of all vegetation. It is not recommended to use continuous herbicidal products on personal plots. Provided they are used, it is advisable to process the beds at a strictly defined off-season time: in early spring, before planting a potato crop, or in the fall after the harvest.
Such strong herbicidal compositions are not used after potato emergence. Among the dangerous chemicals used only for the emergence of seedlings or during direct planting, Zenkor and Arsenal are distinguished, which can kill all vegetation.
Selective herbicides
Selective herbicides pose a hazard to a specific weed species with a selective spectrum. Among them are:
- broadly selective, capable of fighting a certain type of plant, for example, they destroy dicotyledons without affecting monocots;
- narrowly selective, affecting only selected varieties within one species, for example, the herbicidal chemical "Grodil" destroys the bedstraw in the family of cereals, but is completely safe for barley.
Herbicides can also kill potatoes
Selective herbicidal agents that destroy certain families of weeds can also be of continuous action when their concentration level of working solutions increases.
Zenkor and Lazurit are distinguished among the most common selective herbicidal agents.
Mode of application
According to the methods of application, soil and leaf herbicide preparations are distinguished.
Soil herbicides
Soil (pre-emergence) herbicidal agents are used by treating the soil until the emergence of potato shoots or before planting a vegetable crop in the soil.
The use of pre-emergence herbicidal agents is a toxic measure for weed seeds, preventing them from growing and developing. For potato root crops, the active substances of pre-emergence herbicides, which do not move in the soil, are not dangerous, but provide them with reliable protection.
A number of soil herbicide chemicals form a protective film on the surface of the soil layer, upon contact of the shoots with which the weed dies.
Usually, a pre-emergence herbicide is a granular agent applied to the soil to a depth of 5-10 cm. Among the most famous are chemical preparations for use in the destruction of weeds "Roundup", "Boxer" and "Centruion".
Leaf herbicides
Leafy (postemergence) herbicidal agents are applied to the plant by spraying and have an effect on the leaves and stems. The use of postemergence preparations is carried out after the emergence of potato shoots. It is recommended to use the herbicidal agents "Lazurit" and "Antiburian", which are processed at intervals of 10 days, but no more than 3 times during the gardening season.
Post-emergence treatment of potato crops from weeds occupies one of the leading positions among private gardeners.
Post-emergence treatment
Post-emergence treatment of potato bushes with leaf herbicides is one of the most common methods of weed control in vegetable growing. Postemergence herbicides against weeds on seedlings for potatoes are applied by spraying. In a backyard economy, these are sprayers.
When preparing liquids with herbicides, softened water and non-metallic containers are used so as not to provoke chemical reactions and reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
Working herbicide formulations are prepared before use. Their shelf life in a cool dark place in a plastic or glass container does not exceed 7 days.
When processing potatoes post-emergence, you should remember some simple rules:
- the earth embankment remaining after weeding must settle before spraying,
- the soil structure should contain small lumps, allow the herbicidal agent to be evenly distributed,
- the moisture indicator of the soil layer should be within 80%,
- good efficacy among the drugs for post-emergence treatment of potatoes are those that contain prosulfocarb or metribuzin, for example "Lazurit".
Treatment of potatoes with leaf herbicides is not carried out in relation to varieties that are sensitive to chemicals. To minimize the chemical content in them, it is recommended to choose the correct dosage of herbicides and alternate their application with manual weeding.