Herbicides for potatoes - the last argument against weeds

The increase in the potato crop in agro-farms implies, among other things, a tense struggle with weeds. Weeds are much more unpretentious to growth factors than cultivated plants, so potatoes without human help will always lose to them struggle for living space, nutrients, water and light.

However, serious hindrances to harvesting crops, reducing the commodity and seed qualities of potato tubers do not end with trouble for farmers. Many of the weeds form a kind of incubator, where insect pests and all sorts of plant pathogens feel at ease. And the fact that the clogged planting of potatoes are poorly ventilated, repeatedly increases the danger of its defeat by the scourge of all Solanaceae - late blight. Therefore, where potatoes are not treated with herbicides, its losses can reach three-fourths of the planned harvest.

Opponents of the use of chemical agents as an argument result in the fact that potatoes are a row crop, which means that we can apply repeated intensive mechanical treatment against weeds. However, its reverse side is a constant risk to damage the tops and root system of the potato, the transfer of a viral infection, the drying out of the soil.

From this it follows that the optimal way in the fight against weeds is herbicides for potatoes, combined with machine treatment of the soil.

The dose of herbicides used depends on the mechanical composition of the soil and the content of humus in it. Heavy soil binds some of the drugs, so their dose approaches the maximum permissible. In the lightest soils, it is recommended to make doses, a quarter less than optimal ones.

The peculiarity of the development of perennial weed plants lies in the fact that, with the onset of autumn, the nutrients in them move from the leaves to the root system. As a consequence, they become more susceptible to herbicides, which penetrate into plant tissues through the stomata of the leaves.

Herbicides for potatoes are applied at a temperature of +15 ... +25 degrees. The effectiveness of the preparations reduces the lower temperature or dropped after 4-8 hours after treatment of the precipitate. After 2-3 weeks after spraying, complete loss of weed plants occurs.

When using herbicides, it is necessary that:

- the tubers were planted in the ridges to the optimum depth, so that the soil preparations did not reach the zone of potato sprouts;

- crests well settled;

- the soil had a loose, lumpy structure and was moist, so that the herbicides were evenly distributed and effectively "earned".

The use of herbicides on potatoes is not recommended if the tubers are finely planted, affected by frost, disease, pests, and if these potato varieties show high sensitivity to herbicides, reacting to them with a delay in growth and development, abnormalities in the leaf apparatus and tubers.

Herbicides for potatoes are mainly distributed on sown areas with the help of sprayers mounted on ground trailers or on aircraft of agricultural aviation. Most of these drugs are classified as medium- and low-toxic chemicals, however, when working with herbicides, the same safety rules should be observed as with pesticides.

In conclusion, it should be emphasized that herbicides for potatoes are a chemical method for weeding weed control, the application of which is justified if other methods have not reduced the contamination of crops to a safe level.