Efficacy of Pre‐ and Post‐Emergence Herbicides Against Weeds in Potato

Weeds are a significant threat to the yield and production of potato worldwide. Herbicides are commonly used for weed control due to their low cost, flexibility in application, and high efficiency. But the effectiveness of several herbicides is not well understood, and farmers are often limited to using similar herbicides each year, which can reduce their effectiveness over time. This 2‐year study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 10 different pre‐ and post‐emergence herbicides with five distinct modes of action against potato weeds. Data on weed density, weed growth, weed control efficacy (WCE), and potato growth and yield were recorded. Results showed that pre‐emergence herbicides provided the best weed management. Among the herbicide treatments, clomazone (0.72 kg a.i. ha −1 ), flufenacet + metribuzin (0.36 + 0.26 kg a.i. ha −1 ), and metribuzin (1.01 kg a.i. ha −1 ) were particularly effective with WCE of 74.5%, 74.2%, and 73.3%, and yields of 28.7, 27.9, and 27.2 t ha −1 potato tubers, respectively, when applied as pre‐emergence. Metribuzin as early post‐emergence also provided satisfactory results with an average WCE of 71.2% and a tuber yield of 26.2 t ha −1 . Overall, herbicides such as clomazone, metribuzin, and the mixture of flufenacet + metribuzin provided satisfactory results and can be recommended as effective herbicides for weed management in potato.