Variations in environmental conditions, such as the availability of light, can affect the efficacy of herbicides because they alter the biological characteristics of plants including those that are related to the plant’s sensitivity to herbicides. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the influence of environments with different light availabilities, and of the application of glyphosate and carfentrazone-ethyl (separately or in combination) on the morphophysiology and control of Macroptilium atropurpureum. An experimental design of randomized blocks with five replicates was used, with treatments arranged in a split-plot design. The plots were composed of three levels of shading (full sunlight, 50% shading, and 70% shading); within each plot there were sub-plots, one for each of the two herbicides (glyphosate and carfentrazone-ethyl), used either separately or in combination. The doses of glyphosate + carfentrazone-ethyl applied in the treatments were 0+40 g ha^-1 of carfentrazone-ethyl, 1.440+0 g ha^-1 of glyphosate, 1.080+30 g ha^-1 of glyphosate + carfentrazone-ethyl, and there was an additional treatment that did not include the application of an herbicide. Plants of M. atropurpureum cultivated under shading exhibited higher sensitivity to the herbicides, greater leaflet area, and lower photosynthetic rates than plants cultivated under full sunlight conditions. Under shading, both herbicides applied separately or in combination were effective in controlling M. atropurpureum, which indicates a greater susceptibility of this species to these herbicides in environments with light restriction. The species was tolerant to the two tested herbicides, used either alone or in combination, when grown under full sunlight conditions.

The fertilization with biofertilizer associated with the use of irrigation favors nutrient uptake by plants and soil chemical properties; however, these effects are little studied in Tithonia diversifolia in semiarid regions. This study evaluated the effect of doses of bovine biofertilizer and irrigation on accumulation of nutrients in the leaves of Tithonia diversifolia plants and on soil chemical attributes. The study was carried out from December 3, 2014 to November 28, 2015, and arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme, consisting of five doses of bovine biofertilizer (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 m³ ha^-1), combined with and without irrigation. The experiment was set in a randomized block design, using three replicates. Irrigation promoted increased accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and B in leaves of Tithonia diversifolia in the first cutting. However, the high bicarbonate concentration in the irrigation water and the occurrence of rainfall during the second crop increased the accumulation of Cu in the leaves of Tithonia diversifolia under rainfed condition, compared with irrigated plants. The increase in biofertilizer doses contributed to the increment of base saturation and the contents of organic matter, P and K in soil.

Shading interferes with the weed's biology, which can change their sensitivity to post-emergence herbicides. The objective was to evaluate the control of Merremia cissoides with glyphosate in full sunlight and shade conditions in two plant growth stages (30 and 73 days after sowing (DAS)). At 30 and 73 DAS, treatments were established in a 2 × 5 and 2 × 6 factorial scheme, respectively. In both experiments, the growth environments constituted the first factor, and the glyphosate doses the second factor. Shading promoted 50 and 40% reductions in glyphosate doses at 30 and 73 DAS, respectively. At 73 DAS, M. cissoides is 177.77 and 131.48% more tolerant to glyphosate than 30 DAS in shading and full sunlight, respectively. Due to the increase in glyphosate tolerance as the plant grows, the management of M. cissoides should be carried out until the stage of six fully expanded leaves. Increasing glyphosate doses reduced the quantum yield of photosystem II and electron transport rate (ETR) in both growth environments, with ETR data showing a high negative correlation with the control. The doses reductions promoted by shading and glyphosate application in the initial growth stage of M. cissoides reduces costs and the negative environmental impacts of this herbicide use.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of light and glyphosate doses in the Euphorbia heterophylla control. The experiment was conducted in a factorial scheme. The first factor consisted of plants under full sunlight and two shadings of 40% and 65%, and the second factor represented by doses 0 (control), 370, 740, 1110, 1480 and 1850 g a.e. ha⁻¹ of glyphosate. Shading increased E. heterophylla sensitivity to glyphosate compared to full sunlight. Under shading, the dose of 1110 g ha⁻¹ of glyphosate was efficient in the management of this species, with control higher than 90%. However, under full sunlight, the highest doses achieved control levels around 75%, considered unsatisfactory. The variables fresh weight, quantum yield of photosystem II and electron transport rate of E. heterophylla showed a strong negative correlation with the species control by glyphosate. The glyphosate recommendations for controlling E. heterophylla needs to consider the light conditions in the plant growth environment, as an economically and sustainable practice in the integrated management of the specie.

Knowledge about the residual effect of herbicides is important in order to increase agronomic efficacy and reduce environmental problems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of oxyfluorfen and linuron in three soils. Pots of 0.35 dm³ were filled with three Brazilian soils: Ultisol, Oxisol, and Inceptisol. Then, the herbicides were applied at different times at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 200 days and the bioindicator species of linuron and oxyfluorfen were sown. Then, the injury was evaluated at 7, 14, and 21 days after emergence (DAE) to find the half-life of the herbicide residue level (RL₅₀) and the dose of herbicide that provides a 50% reduction in dry matter (GR₅₀). In the soil with oxyfluorfen application, the RL₅₀ at 21 DAE was 59, 57, and 51 days and GR₅₀ was 49, 47, and 31 days for Ultisol, Oxisol, and Inceptisol, respectively. Soils with linuron application had RL₅₀ of 75, 92, and 149 days and GR₅₀ of 52, 48, and 120 days for Ultisol, Oxisol, and Inceptisol, respectively. The higher organic matter and clay content of Ultisol compared to Oxisol and Inceptisol resulted in a lower residual effect of linuron. There was little difference between soil type and the residual effect of oxyfluorfen, which may be related to the physicochemical characteristics of the molecule.