The dayflower (genus Commelina) is a problem weed in coffee plantations due to its capacity to survive in diversified conditions and tolerance to glyphosate herbicide. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of increasing doses of 2,4-D herbicide, applied alone or in mixture with glyphosate, in controlling Commelina benghalensis and Commelina diffusa. Thus, two experiments (one for each species) were conducted in pots, in a randomized complete design, with five replications, under greenhouse conditions. Ten treatments consisting the combination between five 2,4-D rates (0.0, 167.5, 335.0, 670.0 and 1,005.0 g ha-1) and two glyphosate rates (0.0 and 720.0 g ha-1) were compared. The efficacy of the treatments was evaluated through the percent of weed control, in five evaluation times, in relation to the control treatment (herbicide absence). In C. benghalensis, 2,4-D provided excellent control (> 91%) at 33 days after treatments (DAT), starting from 167.5 g ha-1 in the glyphosate presence and starting from 335 g ha-1 in glyphosate absence. In C. diffusa, 2,4-D provided excellent control at 33 DAT starting from 670 g ha-1 in the glyphosate presence and absence. However, only the mixture of 2,4-D + glyphosate at 1,005 + 720 g ha-1 provided 100% of control of that species, with the occurrence of plant growth in the other treatments. In the experimental conditions, C. benghalensis was more susceptible than C. diffusa to 2,4-D herbicide, applied alone or in mixture with glyphosate. Thus, identifiying dayflower species present in the area and understanding its biology can help to choose a better herbicide and the ideal rate to be applied, or even an adequate mixture, warranting better control and lower cost, with lower risks for the culture and the environment.
Commelina benghalensis; Commelina diffusa; COMBE; COMDI; chemical control
