TOLERANCE OF COFFEE CONILLON SEEDLINGS (Coffea canephora) TO HERBICIDES APPLIED IN POST-EMERGENCY

Abstract

There are few herbicides available to the coffee grower for the post-emergency application in plants of coffee in formation. The present work was accomplished with the objective of evaluating the coffee plant seedlings phytointoxication to herbicides application in post-emergency. The herbicides bentazon, oxyfluorfen, haloxyfop-methyl, imazethapyr, fomesafen and lactofen were applied on the coffee plants. Thirty five Coffea canephora cv. conillon seedlings were used, conditioned in plastic pots of 3,5 dm³, from 5 pairs of leaves stage and accomplished herbicides application straight on the seedlings. The evaluations were accomplished weekly until 49 days after application (DAA). Visual evaluations were made of herbicides toxicity to coffee plants, also height evaluations, number of leaves, stem diameter, green and dry mass from radicular system, besides length of radicular plants system. For all of the tested herbicides, pronounced phytointoxication symptoms considered light to moderate was observed, with visual plants recovery after 49 days of application. The herbicides that presented larger selectivity for application were haloxyfop-methyl and imazethapyr, as also, oxyfluorfen. There was no reduction of  roots dry mass and air part and nor plant height when it’s compared to the witness.