Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC: A Selective Herbicide with Residual Action

Introduction

Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC is a potent herbicide renowned for its selective weed control capabilities and lasting residual effects. With its active ingredient being oxyfluorfen, this herbicide is widely used in agriculture to manage a range of weeds in various crops. Its distinct mode of action, application methods, and benefits make it a valuable tool in integrated weed management strategies.

Quick Facts

Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC boasts several key attributes that contribute to its effectiveness in weed control:

• Crop Compatibility: This herbicide is suitable for use in crops such as Rice, Onion, Tea, Potato, and Groundnut.
• Weed Targets: It effectively controls significant weeds in the mentioned crops, including specific species like Echinochloa colonum, Digitaria arginata, Amaranthus, Chenopodium, Cyperus, Haliotropium, Trianthema, Cyperus iria, Eclipta alba, Borreria hispida, and Imperata paspalum.
• Application Timing: Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC is ideally applied as a pre-emergence herbicide, preventing the growth of weeds before they even sprout.
• Broad-Spectrum Control: The herbicide’s effectiveness extends to both grasses and broad-leaved weeds (BLW).

Crops and Targets

The efficacy of Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC is notable across various crops and against specific weed species:

Groundnut

• Weed Targets: Echinochloa colonum and Digitaria arginata.
• Impact: The herbicide helps prevent the growth of these weeds, ensuring healthier groundnut plants and optimal yield.

Onion

• Weed Targets: Amaranthus and Chenopodium.
• Advantages: Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC curbs the proliferation of these unwanted plants, safeguarding the growth and quality of onion crops.

Potato

• Weed Targets: Chenopodium, Coronopus, Cyperus, Haliotropium, and Trianthema.
• Significance: By inhibiting the growth of these weed species, the herbicide promotes strong and unhindered potato growth.

Rice (Direct Seeded Rice – DSR)

• Weed Targets: Cyperus iria, Eclipta alba, and various Echinochloa species.
• Role: The herbicide prevents the establishment of these weeds, ensuring optimal conditions for rice plants to thrive in direct-seeded rice systems.

Tea

• Weed Targets: Borreria hispida, Digitaria species, and Imperata paspalum.
• Importance: Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC maintains tea plantations free from the negative effects of these weeds, promoting healthy tea growth.

Mode of Action

Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC operates as a protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitor. This means that it disrupts the normal functioning of the PPO enzyme, which is essential for the biosynthesis of chlorophyll. As a result, targeted weeds experience impaired chlorophyll production, leading to a disruption of photosynthesis and eventual death. The herbicide’s mode of action ensures its effectiveness against a broad range of weed species, including both grasses and broad-leaved weeds.

Application

To maximize its efficacy, Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC is applied as a pre-emergence herbicide. This means that it is applied to the soil before weed seeds start germinating. This preventive approach ensures that weeds are stopped at an early stage of growth, preventing them from competing with the desired crops for nutrients, water, and light. By targeting weeds in their initial growth phases, the herbicide minimizes their impact on crop yield.

Benefits

The application of Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC brings forth several significant benefits:

• Selective Action: The herbicide specifically targets weeds, leaving the desired crops unharmed.
• Residual Effect: Oxyfluorfen’s residual action remains in the soil for an extended period, providing ongoing weed control even after application.
• Comprehensive Control: Its effectiveness against both grasses and broad-leaved weeds ensures a comprehensive approach to weed management.
• Enhanced Crop Growth: By curbing weed competition, the herbicide fosters optimal crop growth and yield.
• Sustainability: Integrated weed management strategies that include Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC contribute to sustainable agricultural practices by reducing the reliance on excessive herbicide application.

In conclusion, Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC stands as a valuable selective herbicide with residual action, effectively controlling a wide spectrum of weeds in crops like Rice, Onion, Tea, Potato, and Groundnut. Its mode of action as a PPO inhibitor, application as a pre-emergence herbicide, and range of benefits contribute to its significance in modern weed management strategies, promoting healthy crop growth and sustainable agricultural practices.