Weed Management: Popular Herbicides, How To Use Them
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Weed Management: Popular Herbicides, How To Use Them

Herbicides for weed management…

We are all practicing agriculture in different fields, be it crop, animal, fisheries, forestry etc. We have various definitions of weeds. For the sake of this article, we will just define weeds as unwanted plants growing within an economic crop. When we say weed management, it means ways to minimize or eradicate the growth of weeds in our economy crops.

There are many people who plant vegetables, fruits, annual crops; maize, cassava, perennial tree crops but during the growing stages of these crops, weeds always grow with them. We are not the ones responsible for their presence in the soil.

How do we then control these unwanted plants?

 

In agriculture, we have three major weeds in different forms;

1. Narrow leaves grasses

Narrow Leaves Weed Management

2. Broad leaves grasses

Broad Leaves Weed Management

3. Sedges.

Sedges Leaves Weed Management

They grow in different parts of our plantation. We need to apply weed management techniques in minimizing them so that we can make profits from our farm. We have different methods of battling these weeds in weed management.

To eradicate them, we have several chemicals. Some are called pre-emergence agrochemicals – they prevent weeds from growing in our plantation. Pre-emergence means before what we planted emerge, we spray chemicals that will prevent weed seeds on our farm because the weed seeds are always on the ground. Even when we don’t plant them, they will still come up because they are readily available in the soil.

The common Active Ingredients of pre-emegence agrochemicals are Atrazine, Metolachlor, Butachlor, Oxyfluorfen, Diuron etc. If you don’t wish to plough, harrow or cut grasses on your farmland, use Paraquat, Glufosinate and Glyphosate.

Post emergence means what we planted have started growing. As we have many pre-emergence agrochemicals for different crops, we also have many for post emergence. The common active ingredients are Nicosulfuron, Metsulfuron-Methyl, 2.4 D, Amine, Bispyribac Sodium, Pretilachlor, Imazetapril, Bentazone, Fluazifop-p-butyl, Haloxyfop-methyl, etc.

They are mostly selective. For instance, Nicosulfuron and 2.4 D is use in maize, they will kill the broad leaves weeds and spare narrow leaves weeds. Fluazifop-p-butyl and Haloxyfop-methyl will kill narrow leaves weeds and spare broad leaves weeds. Bentazone for sedges, rice farmers can go for Pretilachlor etc.

Different companies have their brand names but what you should be interested in is the Active Ingredients to use with different crop at different stages.

Note: Never use any post emergence herbicide on your farmland when your crops are about to flower. The reason is , they will destroy the flowers on the plants. Always use before flowering.

 

Popular Agrochemicals, Active Ingredients And How To Use Them;

GUARD FORCE
It’s a post-emergence, broad-spectrum and systemic selective herbicide that controls a wide range of maize weeds, both annual and perennial weeds. It’s packaged in 1 Litre with 12 bottles in a carton.

Mode of Action: Controls most annual, some perennial grasses and broadleaf weeds in maize crop. Active Ingredient and Formulation: Nicosulfuron 40g/L OD

Dosage per 15 Litres Sprayer is 50ml. This means that for every 15 litres knapsack sprayer, you need 50ml of guard force. Rate of Use per hectare: 1-1.5 Litre. You need one and half litres for an hectare.

 

FORCE UP
It’s a non-selective systemic, pre-planting foliar-applied agricultural herbicide. For controlling of stubborn annual, perennial grasses and brad-leaved weeds. It may be slow acting because it acts from deep within the roots of weeds till it dries it up completely.

It’s packaged in about 3 different quantities – one in 500ml with 20 bottles in a carton, another is 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton and 5 litres with 4 bottles in a carton. Mode of Action: Controls weeds during the land preparation stage.

Active Ingredient and Formulation: Glyphosate 48% WV- IPA SALT SL. Dosage per 15 litre Sprayer: You will need 120 -150 ml of force up. Rate of Use per hectare is 3 to 4 litres.

The granular form (FORCE UP GRANULAR) is packaged in 3 quantities. One is 50g with 100 pieces in a carton, another is 100g also with 100 pieces in a carton and 260g with 50 sachets in a carton. The active ingredient and formulation is Glyphosate 75% SG.

You will need 1.5kg to apply on a hectare of land with 50g mix with water for 15 litres of knapsack sprayer.

 

AMINO FORCE
AminoForce is a selective systematic post emergent herbicide. It is in liquid form and does not require long time for stirring. It is fully soluble in all proportions and therefore its well adopted to low gallonage spray equipment, even at high rates of application.

Some are packaged in 1 litre with 12 bottles per carton and some in 5 litres with 4 bottles in a carton. It controls broad leaved weeds in rice. Active Ingredient and Formulation: 2.4 D Amine 720g/L SL.

You will need 120ml mixed with water for a 15 litre Knapsack sprayer at the rate of 1-3 litres per hectare.

 

PARAEFORCE
Paraeforce (paraquats) is a non-selective contact herbicide for the control of stubborn, brad-leaved weeds, annual and perennial grasses. It kills weeds instantly while undergoing operation.

It’s packaged in 1 litre having 12 bottles in a carton and another packaged in 5 litres with 4 bottles in a carton. It mode of action is for the control of broad leaves and grasses at the pre planting stage. Active Ingredient and Formulation is Paraquat 20% SL.

How to apply paraeforce: Use 80-160ml mix with water for a 15 litre sprayer at the rate of 2 – 4 litres in a hectare.

 

Click to order for GuardForce, ForceUp, AminoForce and ParaeForce.

 

ATRA FORCE
Atraforce is a selective and systemic herbicide containing 80% Atrazine WP for the powder form and 50% Atrazine SC for the liquid type. It is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world.

Farmers and gardeners use atrazine (which is the active ingredient of Atraforce) to prevent broadleaf weeds from growing amongst target crops before they emerge from the ground and to kill weeds that have emerged.

The liquid form is always packaged in 1 litre per bottle and 12 in a carton. Its mode of action is selective systemic, pre and early post-emergence herbicide specially for maize, sorghum, sugarcane. Active Ingredient and Formulation: Atrazine 50% SC.

How to use: Mix 150ml with water in a 15 litre sprayer. Spray at 2-3 litres for one hectare of farmland.

The ATRA FORCE Powder has an active ingrident of 80% Atrazine. Some packages are in 500g with 20 pieces in a carton and some 1kg, 10 pieces per carton.

How to use: Mix 100g with water in a 15 litres knapsack sprayer and spray 2kg of powdered Atra force over a hectare of land.

 

FORCETOP
It’s a pre-emergence herbicide to control the weeds in different crops eg cereals, corn, soybeans, rice, potato, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts as well as lawns and ornamental plants. Take control of most annual grasses and many annual broad-leaved weeds on your land. Active ingredient is Pendemethalin 33% EC.

It usually packaged in 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton. How to use forcetop: Mix 150ml in a 15 litre sprayer and use 4 litres to spray a hectare of your farm.

 

BUTAFORCE
It is used as a selective pre-emergent herbicide to control weeds in rice. Also, used for pre-emergence control of annual grasses and some broad-leaved weeds.

It’s packaged in 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton. The Active Ingredient is Butachlor 50% EC.

How to use butaforce: Mix 120ml of Butaforce with water in a 15 litre of sprayer and apply 2-4 Litres on a hectare of farmland.

 

LEGUME FORCE
This is a selective systemic post-emergence herbicide for the control of most annual and some perennial grasses and broadleaf weeds in beans, soybeans, cowpea, peanut. It is usually packaged in 500ml with 20 bottles in a carton and 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton.

Its active ingredient is Imazethapyr 10%. How to apply legume force is by mixing 50ml with water in 15 litre knapsack sprayer and apply 1 litre to a hectare of farmland.

The powdery form (Legume Force Granular) has Imazethapyr 70% WDG as the active ingredient. Usually packaged in 10g Sachet with 15 pieces in pack and 20 packs in carton, total: 300 pieces per carton.

How to use: Mix 10g of it with water in a 15 litre sprayer and apply 200g per hectare.

 

Click to order for AtraForce, Forcetop, Butaforce and LegumeForce.

 

STARFORCE
This is a post emergence herbicide to control the grasses in broadleaf crops such as cowpeas, beans, vegetables, groundnuts, yam, and cassava. It has an active ingredient of Fluazifop-P-butyl 150g/L EC. Packaged in 250ml with 40 bottles in a carton and 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton.

How to apply this herbicide is to mix 100ml with water in a 15 litre knapsack sprayer and apply 1.5 litre in a hectare of land.

 

FORCE-URON
It’s a pre-emergence herbicide to control the weeds in yam, cassava, ginger, pineapple. Some are in liquid form and some powdery packs. Active ingredient is Diuron 50% SC. The liquid form is packaged in 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton. How to use liquid force-uron is by mixing 120ml with water in a 15 litre knapsack sprayer and apply 3-4 litres in a hectare.

Force-uron powder has Diuron 80% WP as the active ingredient. It is packaged in 5 packs – some are in 100g with 100 pieces in a carton, some 200g with 50 sachets in a carton, some 250g with 40 per carton, some 500g with 20 pieces per carton and some 1kg with 10 sachets in a carton.

How to apply: In a hectare of farmland, mix 80-120g with water in a 15 litre of knapsack sprayer and apply 2kg per hectare.

 

XTRAFORCE
A selective pre-emergence and early post emergence herbicide to control annual grasses and broad leaved weeds in maize, sorghum, cassava and yam. Active ingredients of Atrazine 25% + Metolachlor 25% SC. It’s packaged in 1 litre with 12 bottles per carton.

How to use Xtraforce is by mixing 150ml with water in a 15 litre sprayer and apply 4 litres in a hectare of farmland.

 

METAFORCE
It’s a selective pre-emergence herbicide against annual grasses and some broad-leaf weeds in Soyabeans, Cowpeas, Beans, Groundnuts, Maize, Sorghum, Millet, Cotton, Cassava, Yam, vegetable, and Irish Potatoes. Active ingredient is S-Metolachlor 960 g/ L EC.

It’s packaged in 500ml with 20 bottles in a carton and another 1 litre with 12 bottles in a carton.

How to apply metaforce is by mixing 80-120ml with water in a 15 litres knapsack sprayer and spray 2 litres on a hectare of farmland.

 

Click to order for Starforce, Force-Uron, Xtraforce and Metaforce.

 

Irrespective of your location in Nigeria, you can order for any agrochemical at affordable prices and get it delivered to you at farmsquare.ng.

Also check other Herbicides HERE.

 

 

1 Comment

  1. hey.samanthaanderson July 14, 2023

    Thanks for Sharing this blog

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