POSSIBILITIES OF WEED CONTROL IN SUGAR BEET WITHOUT DESMEDIPHAM ACTIVE SUBSTANCE

The EU will have to change its approach to weed management in sugar beet after the ban of desmedipham herbicide. Although it is possible to substitute desmedipham by other herbicides (especially by triflusulfuron), some troublesome weeds cannot be sufficiently controlled in specific weather conditions. Lower sensitivity to conventional herbicide mixtures is expected in dry conditions, where barriers on leaf surface are stronger. In these situations, the effect of adjuvant on efficacy and selectivity of herbicide treatment is usually significant. Oil adjuvants can increase penetration of herbicide into weed leaves, but at the same time, they reduce selectivity of herbicide in cold and rainy conditions. A new possibility of management of weeds in sugar beet is the Conviso Smart technology. Conviso Smart varieties are tolerant to ALS inhibitors (foramsulfuron + thiencarbazone) and they can be treated by Conviso One herbicide. This herbicide controls the most important weeds in sugar beet including Abutilon theophrasti, especially when split application is used. Important benefit of this technology is its high efficacy on weed beet. However, it is necessary to monitor the Conviso Smart sugar beet stands and remove bolting/ flowering weed beets to avoid enriching of soil seed bank.