The botanical similarity of the invasive weed Eragrostis plana Nees (South African lovegrass) difficult its selective control in natural pastures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the association between herbicides and safeners on the control of E. plana and on the selectivity to the natural pastures. Two experiments were conducted at field conditions in area of natural grassland of the Biome Pampa where several herbicides were evaluated in pre and post-emergence. A third experiment was carried out in greenhouse evaluating the herbicides glufosinate-ammonium and imazethapyr and the species E. plana and Paspalum notatum. In both experiments, the herbicides were evaluated isolated and in association with the safeners anhydride naphtalic, dietholate and fluxofenim. The field experiments indicated that the evaluated safeners did not increase E. plana control and native grassland selectively. The greenhouse experiment indicated the occurrence of synergism on E. plana for the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium in mixture with the safeners anhydride naphtalic, dietholate and fluxofenim. The different results in the field and greenhouse experiments are related to the plant stage and density. The use of herbicides in association with safeners indicated a potentiality for selective control of E. plana when applied to plants in the early stages of development.
glufosinate-ammonium; Eragrostis plana; imazethapyr; Paspalum notatum; synergism
