Study of the possibility of tank mix application of nicosulfuron+rimsulfuron (Ultima) with bromoxynil+MCPA (Bromicid MA) for weed control in maize

To investigate the possibility of tank-mix application of two herbicides; nicosulfuron+ rimsulfuron (Ultima) and bromoxynil+MCPA (Bromicide MA) for controlling of narrow and broadleaf weeds in maize an experiment was carried out in 2010 in Karaj, Jiroft, and Moghan Agricultural Research Centers of Iran. The experiment was conducted as factorial arrangement inrandomized complete block design with two-factors and four replications. The first factor was nicofulfuron+rimsulfuron dosage at four levels; 0, 125, 150 and 175 g.ha-1 and the second factor wasbromoxynil +MCPA at 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 l.ha-1. A hand weeded control was also added to treatments. Results showed that the best combination of tank-mix application of the above mentioned herbicides, considering weed control efficiency, maize grainyield increase (%) and minimal environmental risk, was 0.5 to 1.0 l.ha-1of bromoxynil+MCPA and 125 to 150 g.ha-1 of nicosulfuron+foramsulfuron. These treatments had the best control of weeds and could be used for weed management in maize. The nicosulfuron+rimsulfuronis an ALS-inhibitor herbicide and combination of the two aforementioned herbicides would delay broad leaf weed resistance to both herbicides in maize.