THE EFFECT OF POST-EMERGENCE HERBICIDES ON THE VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE GROWTH OF CENTROSEMA FUBESCENS BENTH. IN QUEENSLAND

Summary. 2,4-D-amine, 2,4-D ethyl ester, 2.4-DB-potassium. MCPA-sodium, diquat and a 1:1 mixture of 2,4,5-T butyl ester and 2,4-D ethyl ester were applied to the tropical pasture legume Centrosema pubescens Benth. (centro) grown either alone or with Panicum maximum Jacq. (guinea grass). Even at 0.5 Ib/ac (total) the 2,4,5-T/2,4-D mixture caused severe damage to seedling and mature centro. 2,4-D-amine, 2,4-D ethyl ester and 2,4-DB-potassium were less damaging and there were only slight differences in response to these. Diquat at 0.25 Ib/ac desiccated centro seedlings, but most plants survived and grew satisfactorily. There was some evidence that the growth of mature centro was depressed least when the herbicides were applied during vegetative quiescence.
Application just after the start of flowering altered the flowering pattern but did not reduce seed yields significantly. 2,4-D-amine at 0.75 and 1–5 lb/ac and 2,4-D ethyl ester at 1.5 Ib/ac decreased the percentage germination of abraded seed. Diquat 0.25 Ib/ac applied at the start of flowering caused significant increases in top growth and seed pod numbers, possibly the result of modification of the normal flowering pattern.