The cassava response to herbicide application varies from complete selectivity to full production loss due to the poisoning caused. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the selectivity of herbicides applied at post-emergence in cassava. An experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, under greenhouse conditions, including 23 treatments (22 herbicides + control) and four replications. The herbicides were applied 60 days after cassava shooting, when the plants displayed 15 completely-expanded leaves. Intoxication of cassava plants was evaluated weekly and 35 days after the plants were harvested for dry matter determination. The best visible symptoms of cassava intoxication occurred 21 days after planting for most tested products. At the end of the evaluation period, the cassava plants presented visual signals of recovery from the damage caused by the herbicides. Ametryn, ametryn + trifloxysulfuron-sodium, atrazine, diuron + hexazinone andsulfentrazone caused the greatest reductions of dry matter and the worst visible damage. Contrarily, bentazon,fluazifop-p-butil, mesotrione, and tembotrione were the least toxic to the culture. Cassava presents different levels of selectivity to the herbicides, and bentazon,fluazifop-p-butyl, mesotrione, and tembotrione present a potential active principle for use in weed control management programs.
Manihot esculenta; visual intoxication; chemical control
