USE OF LIQUID FERTILIZER TO REDUCE THE PHYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF GLYPHOSATE ON EUCALYPTUS

ABSTRACT Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide used for weed control in eucalyptus forests. Glyphosate drifts are common and may cause serious damage to crops. An alternative to reduce such effects is to use antidotes capable of protecting eucalyptus. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of the application of liquid fertilizer on eucalyptus plants subjected to a glyphosate drift simulation. The treatments were arranged in a 5 x 5 factorial design. The first corresponding factor was liquid fertilizer (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 L c.p. ha -1 of Fertiactyl Pós®) and the second factor dose of glyphosate drift (0, 360, 720, 1,440, and 2,160 g e.a. ha -1). The products were applied together so that the spray did not reach the upper third of the plants. At 7, 28, and 49 days after application (DAA), the percentage of intoxication of eucalyptus was evaluated. At 56 days DAA, height, leaf area, leaf nutrient contents, and shoot and root dry matter were determined. Higher doses of glyphosate (1,440 and 2,160 g ha -1) caused intoxication levels above 90% at 28 and 49 DAA without using liquid fertilizer. The combination of 2,160 g ha -1 of glyphosate with 8.0 L ha -1 of liquid fertilizer resulted in an estimated eucalyptus dry matter 7% higher than in the control and 97% higher than using 2,160 g ha -1 of glyphosate without the liquid fertilizer. We conclude that the liquid fertilizer was effective in suppressing the harmful effects caused by glyphosate on eucalyptus plants.