The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of herbicides in controlling the submerged aquatic weeds Egeria densa and Egeria najas. The study was carried out in three consecutive stages: in the laboratory, in tanks and in a small pond without water flow. In the first stage, the efficacy of 23 herbicides used in agriculture and available in Brazil was evaluated. Results showed that none of the herbicides could be used to control these species, if applied just once. In the tank experiment the effect of increasing rates of fluridone (in two formulations: liquid and pellet), on the control of the species Egeria densa and Egeria najas was evaluated. Concentrations of 10, 20, 40, 80 and 150 ppb of the liquid formulation and 20, 40, 80 and 150 ppb of pellet formulations were used. After a single application, results showed that fluridone, at 80 and 150 ppb of both liquid and pellet formulations, was efficient in controlling both species. In the small pond experiment, the effect of keeping fluridone concentrations for an extended period of time on the control of Egeria najas was evaluated. A 1,980 m² pond was treated seven times to keep herbicide concentrations in water between 10 and 20 ppb. Results showed that control was higher than 99%. No meaningful change in water quality was found during the experiment.
Egeria densa; Egeria najas; fluridone; aquatic plant
