Effects of Increasing Air Temperatures and CO2 Concentrations on Herbicide Efficacy of Acalypha australis and Phytotoxicity of Soybean Crops§

The purpose of this study was to improve weed management systems under varying carbon dioxide concentrations and temperatures by evaluating the growth of Acalypha australis and observing the efficacy of four foliar and four soil herbicides, as well as measuring phytotoxicity in soybean crops treated with these herbicides. In both growth chamber and greenhouse conditions, plant height and shoot fresh weight of Acalypha australis increased as temperature increased. The variable to maximum fluorescence ratio (Fv/Fm), relative electron transport rate (ETR), plant height, leaf area, and shoot fresh weight of Acalypha australis were higher at carbon dioxide concentrations of 800 ppm than at 400 ppm. The efficacy of a foliar herbicide, glufosinate, on Acalypha australis was lower at 30°C than at 20°C and 25°C in the growth chamber condition and was also lower at 29°C than at 21°C and 25°C in greenhouse conditions. In contrast, mecoprop efficacy on Acalypha australis was lower at 20°C and 25°C than at 30°C in growth chamber conditions and lower at 21°C and 25°C than at 29°C in greenhouse conditions. Glyphosate efficacy was lower at 21°C than at 25°C and 29°C under greenhouse conditions. With soil herbicides, metolachlor and ethalfluraline, efficacies were higher at relatively high temperatures under both growth chamber and greenhouse conditions. However, in the case of linuron, the difference in efficacy was not observed under varying temperatures in both growth chamber and greenhouse conditions. When ¼ of the recommended glyphosate rates were applied to Acalypha australis, efficacy was lower under 800 ppm carbon dioxide concentrations than under 400 ppm. In contrast, when ¼ of the recommended rate of bentazone was applied to Acalypha australis, efficacy was higher under 800 ppm carbon dioxide concentrations than under 400 ppm. Despite application rates, glufosinate efficacy differed insignificantly under different carbon dioxide concentrations. When applied at ¼ of the recommended rate, the efficacy of ethalfuralin was higher under 800 ppm carbon dioxide concentrations than under 400 ppm. However, efficacies of other herbicides were not different despite varying carbon dioxide concentrations. Soybean phytotoxicity in crops treated with the recommended rate and twice the recommended rate of soil herbicides was not significantly different regardless of temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations. Overall, weed efficacy of some herbicides decreased in response to different temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations. Therefore, new weed management methods are required to ensure high rates of weed control in conditions affected by climate change.