The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of the moment of rain on the activity of the herbicide glyphosate, applied alone and in combination with surfactants, on two growing seasons (winter and summer); at FCAV-UNESP Experimental Station, Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil,, during 2000/2001. The winter experiment was installed from June to August 2000 and the summer one from January to March 2001. The treatments were glyphosate SAqC (360 g e.a. ha-1), alone or in combination with urea (50 g L-1), vegetable oil (100 ml L-1) or ammonium sulfate (100 g L-1), and five periods of simulated rainfall (1, 2, 4, 6 or 48 hours after application) and a check treatment. The experimental design was set up in a randomized block factorial, 5 (herbicides) x 6 (moment of rain) + 1 (controls treatment), with four replications. The artificial rain was provided by a top irrigation system supplying 18-19 mm rain during one hour. The artificial rain reduced the glyphosate action, mainly in the earlier periods. The herbicide symptoms appeared sooner in the summer trial. The use of surfactants in the spray mixture did not improve the performance of glyphosate on weed control during the winter. The addition of urea (50 g L-1), is a good alternative for weed control during summer, when rainfall is expected after the application.
weed control; rainfastness; climate
