DIFFERENTIAL TOLERANCE OF SUGARCANE CULTIVARS TO CLOMAZONE

ABSTRACT Weed control is one of the most relevant costs of sugarcane production. If weeds are not controlled at the right time, the productivity and longevity of sugarcane plantations are reduced. In this crop, chemical control is the most used method, since it is efficient and it has a lower cost. Differentiated tolerance of sugarcane cultivars to the herbicide clomazone has been observed in the fields. However, there is no scientific evidence of this effect on the productivity of crops. This study evaluated the effects of clomazone on three sugarcane cultivars (RB966928, RB93579 and RB867515). Herbicide application was performed 40 days after the emergence of sugarcane plants and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after the application, the toxicity caused by the herbicide in the culture was evaluated through grades ranging from 0 (no toxicity) to 100 (plant death). The harvest was performed 580 days after the herbicide application. On this occasion, the length and diameter of the stem, number of tillers, tons of stems per hectare, total soluble solids of the juice, sucrose of the juice, apparent purity of the juice, sugarcane fiber, reducing sugars and total recoverable sugars were evaluated. The differential tolerance among sugarcane cultivars in response to clomazone application in the early stages of crop development was confirmed. Nevertheless, in all cultivars, the symptoms of intoxication disappeared over time and did not reflect on crop productivity. It was concluded that plant control in the sugarcane crop with clomazone, following the recommendation of the manufacturer, does not interfere negatively in the growth, development and productivity of the crop.