Herbicides for potatoes: Lazurit, Titus, Gerbitox, Ekran KS

It's amazing how, in the struggle for survival, humans once invented the vegetable garden and to this day stockpile harvests in case of economic or financial cataclysms. Meanwhile, vegetable fields face their own battle, where ubiquitous weeds try to outcompete the crops each season.

However, in this war, the "grassy villains" have a better chance of winning due to their high survival rate. Therefore, those who have mastered the agricultural industry are forced to invent ever new ways to combat these hostile plants. While gardeners once had to exhaust themselves with manual weeding, now the most effective method of weed control is chemical attack or herbicides. So, which of these are these helpers of harvest seasons, and which potato weed killers are considered the most effective?

Herbicides for potatoes: general characteristics

We decided to use potatoes as an example to illustrate the effectiveness of herbicides, as they are truly considered our second bread. Stocking up on potatoes for the winter means you won't have to worry about your own food supply or the food supply of the population, especially if you're growing potatoes for commercial purposes.

While we still try to cultivate small gardens mechanically, it's impossible to manage weeds manually in large plantings. By the time you reach the end of the first bed, harmful weeds will have appeared at the beginning. Therefore, don't experiment with your harvest; it's time to embrace a modern, proven method of chemical weeding: herbicides.

According to their effect on plants, herbicides are in turn divided into:

• drugs continuous action, when the chemical composition destroys vegetation indiscriminately;
• selective herbicides, aimed at destroying a specific type of weed.

In the first case, chemical treatment is used in industrial areas, as well as near airfields, highways, railways, or forest clearings. Therefore, such herbicides are not suitable for potato fields.

A selective herbicide for potatoes is a "smart" chemical that identifies the enemy by sight and fights it specifically, rather than all vegetation combined.

However, since the problem of weed infestation in harvested fields has not yet been resolved, manufacturers are offering more and more varieties of chemical weed control products every year.

Selective herbicides and their varieties

Well, as in any war, defeating the enemy requires strategy. A well-planned system of destruction always yields the best results. In our case, a strategic plan might involve the use of contact or systemic agents. What's the difference?

• Contact herbicides – This is a type of chemical weed control that works by burning the stems and leaves of weeds. This type of herbicide kills the tops of the plant without reaching the root system. However, because the weed roots lose the products of photosynthesis, they can no longer survive on their own and eventually die.

This method is considered very effective for plants that have survived one or two seasons. For example, for sow thistle, bindweed, shepherd's purse, and chickweed.

• And there are other drugs systemic action, which kill the weed's vascular structure. This means the chemical composition of the preparation reaches the plant's roots, blocks growth points, and prevents cell division. This ability allows it to kill perennial weeds such as couch grass or horsetail, whose root systems are already quite robust.

Furthermore, herbicides are divided into soil-applied and foliar-applied. In the former case, the chemicals are applied to the soil in granular form or through irrigation to a depth of 5-10 cm. This procedure is performed before planting potatoes or a few days after.

Accordingly, foliar herbicides affect the top part of the vegetation.

If you're an agricultural professional, you've likely already learned how to select and use herbicides for potato weed control. However, beginners often have a whole list of questions. Which herbicide should I use after emergence? Which "before"? Is mechanical weeding necessary after chemical weeding? How do herbicides affect potatoes? Finally, which products have proven themselves to be the best?

Chemical weeding of potatoes: preparations

So, let's move from theory to action and identify the most effective and popular herbicides among the numerous choices of modern preparations.

Selective herbicide "Zenkor"

This product is the most effective in controlling annual dicotyledonous plants. It is used both for soil treatment of garden beds and for surface application through the weed's leaves. Its mode of action acts as a nutrient, water, and sunlight blocker for weeds. Zenkor is considered most effective against fumitory, field mustard, chamomile, blue cornflower, amaranth, chickweed, and sow thistle. It is also a highly effective herbicide against bindweed on potatoes.

For the product to be most effective, experts recommend using it at temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. This applies when potato sprouts have not yet emerged from the soil surface, but weeds have already emerged.

The active ingredient in this product is metribuzin, formulated into water-soluble granules. The manufacturer offers 20- and 100-gram packages, but you should purchase them after determining your soil type. For light soil, the recommended application rate is 5 grams per 100 square meters. For medium soil, double the dosage is required, and for complex, heavy soil, at least 15 grams per 100 square meters is used.

Selective action drug "Gerbitox"

When wondering what to spray on potatoes to control weeds, you might want to consider Herbitox. Like its predecessor, this herbicide is most effective against annual dicotyledonous plants. It works by applying the herbicide above ground to weed shoots, blocking photosynthesis. This herbicide is particularly effective against weeds such as field mustard, common ragweed, common rhizome, field cabbage, stinging nettle, sedge, wild radish, dandelion, amaranth, orach, common chrysanthemum, and others.

The most favorable conditions for the herbicide's activity are warm weather conditions with temperatures between 18 and 30 degrees Celsius and no precipitation. Weather forecasts should be checked a week before the scheduled weeding, as the bed should remain dry for six days after treatment.

Gerbitox, a herbicide whose instructions for potatoes state that it works well with other chemical weed control products and is used to control weeds on potatoes or grain crops, contains an acidic active ingredient consisting of dimethylamine, potassium, and sodium salts.

The manufacturer packages the product in 10-liter canisters containing a concentrate, which is then used to prepare a working solution. Its approximate application rate is 200 to 300 liters per hectare.

Selective herbicide "Titus"

Titus is a herbicide used on potatoes that has received numerous positive reviews. Experts recommend using both of the above-mentioned products before potato seedlings emerge. However, Titus herbicide can be used for post-emergence weed control. This chemical weed control product is used against annual and perennial broadleaf weeds.

Based on its mode of action, the active ingredient in this herbicide is classified as a systemic herbicide, disrupting cell division and blocking the growth point of annual weeds once they reach the root system. "Titus" is most effective against plants such as red root potato weed, common barnyard grass, foxtail, creeping couch grass, amaranth, field mint, chamomile, mustard, rhododendron, common thyme, buttercup, timothy grass, foxtail, wild poppy, common sunflower, and others.

The active ingredient, rimsulfuron, is released into water-soluble granules through the plant leaves to kill weeds. This allows for above-ground application. The effectiveness of this treatment is completely unaffected by soil moisture.

Post-emergence treatment of potatoes with Titus should occur when the sprouts have reached a length of 5 to 20 cm. The working solution for treating potato fields is prepared at a rate of 50 grams of the chemical per 1 hectare of area.

Titus is a herbicide whose potato instructions advise against using it after rainfall or early in the morning when the dew hasn't cleared. However, it works well alongside soil-applied herbicides if prolonged dry weather has rendered the latter ineffective.

Roundal potato weed killer

This is another fairly popular product, similar in effect to the previous one. Roundal potato herbicide is highly effective against both annual weeds and perennial plants with extensive root systems.

The active ingredient in this product, glyphosate isopropylamine, is considered one of the safest. Its effect on vegetation is to inhibit weed growth before it can damage potato beds. It is applied aboveground, affecting not only the leaves and stems but also the roots of the weeds.

It is recommended to dilute 20–40 ml of this herbicide in 4 liters of water, which is quite enough to treat 100 square meters of land.

Roundal is best sprayed in dry, windless weather, several hours before the expected precipitation (at least six hours). The optimal air temperature for treating garden beds is between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius.

This weed killer for potatoes should not come into contact with the leaves of cultivated plants, as it can destroy the expected harvest or, at least, significantly reduce it.

Lazurite for potatoes

Lazurit, a product used to combat potato weeds, deserves special attention. Like Roundal, Lazurit is considered a safe and highly effective product, but it was developed specifically for potatoes. However, it has since been successfully used in tomato fields as well.

The active ingredient of the drug is metribuzin, concentrated in a solution at a rate of 0.7 g per 1 kg.

Thanks to the herbicide's unique composition, its active ingredients quickly penetrate the weed through its leaves and root system. The product's versatility also lies in the fact that it can be used on potatoes both before and after the plant sprouts emerge.

Lazurite should be used with caution on potatoes. The maximum dosage is only recommended for heavy soils. In other cases, it's best to use the minimum amount. There are a few other guidelines for successful weeding:

Lazurite for potatoes: instructions for use.

According to the manufacturer's recommendations, the solution is not recommended for use on dry or overly wet soil. It will also be ineffective on sandy soils.

If potato beds are enriched with peat or humus, then it is better to use Lazurit after weeds appear.

The duration of the product's effect depends on weather conditions. If the soil remains dry for 60 days, no additional treatment is necessary. However, in cases of heavy rainfall, Lazurit herbicide should be applied to potatoes 30 days after the first treatment. The pest shoots should be approximately 5 cm long.

If the substance is used in a small garden area, then its use is permissible after other tried methods have failed.

Weed control on potatoes using this product should be done after thoroughly loosening and moistening the soil. It's best if rain is forecast for that day.

The maximum concentration of "Lazurit" in the spray container should not exceed 5%. In this case, the product dissolved in water is applied at a rate of 2.5 liters per 100 square meters of land.

The estimated consumption of Lazurit for a single application is 1.7 to 1.4 kg per hectare. For a double application, the consumption is 0.5 to 1 kg per hectare.

Spraying should be carried out at a temperature of 15-20 degrees.

Treating potatoes with lazurite against weeds – when should it not be used?

Avoid using the product if potatoes were planted too early and their seedlings were damaged by frost. Furthermore, it's important to carefully follow the application instructions if potato beds are planted near other crops that may be highly sensitive to the product.

Spraying herbicides in the immediate vicinity of protected areas or fisheries is prohibited. Using aircraft is strictly prohibited.

We do not recommend using herbicides if potato seedlings have been infested with pests, or if the crop's shoots are weak or diseased.

Phytotoxic Lazurite Safety Rules

Like other potato weed killers, Lazurit should be used with caution by apiary owners. Bees are intolerant to the active ingredient, so they should not come into contact with treated plants for four hours.

Lazurite for potato weeds, the instructions for which state that this substance may pose a danger to surrounding plants or living creatures in windy weather.

To ensure maximum protection from herbicide exposure, use special protective equipment. Specifically:

• a respirator or a mask with separate mesh;
• special waterproof suit;
• high rubber boots and household gloves.

To be fair, it should be noted that the use of Lazurit is only justified when other methods have failed, as the product is classified as hazard class 3. After working in the field, it's best to remove all such clothing and take a shower.

Due to the chemical composition, as well as for safety reasons, eating and smoking are prohibited during spraying.

How to prepare a weed control product for potatoes?

Convenient and detailed instructions on how to prepare the working solution are included with the product packaging. Therefore, it is best to refer to this information before using Lazurit.

However, we will once again provide approximate calculations that you can use as a guide when preparing the solution:

• The herbicide is applied at a rate of 1.7 to 1.4 kg per hectare for a single application. For a double application, the rate is 0.5 to 1 kg per hectare.
• If you convert this amount into liters of working solution, you get 200-300 liters per hectare. But be careful – this rule only applies when treating potatoes with Lazurite, a video of which you can watch on our website. For tomatoes, the ratio will be different.
• It is recommended to use the preparation in minimal quantities, unless it concerns heavy soils and perennial, neglected weeds.

Finally, all herbicides for potatoes after emergence are used in lower concentrations than before.

Lazurit for potato weed control: reviews

Quite often, after trying numerous herbicides and weed control methods and failing to find an answer to the question of how to get rid of weeds on potatoes, agricultural workers find salvation in Lazurit.

Both ordinary people and professionals agree that after using this product, potatoes have no off-flavors or odors. Laboratory tests also reveal no harmful substances in the crops. Overall, Lazurit herbicide for potato seedlings has received only positive reviews. Therefore, most users return to using it each new season.

Well, the question of how to treat potato fields for weeds has been answered. But it's important to remember that the pests we've discussed, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, are highly persistent. Therefore, even the highest-quality and most beloved potato herbicides may gradually lose their effectiveness against weeds after emergence. This is due to the possibility of plants becoming accustomed to chemical weed control, so periodic changes to the herbicides will be necessary.