Nota Científica - Effect of herbicides applied during grain ripening on quality and yield of wheat

Seven trials with spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Domo-INIA were carried out during the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 seasons, to evaluate the effect of diverse herbicides applied during grain ripening on yield and grain quality. A randomized complete block design with five treatments and four replications was used. The difference in the trials was the stage of maturity at the moment the herbicides were sprayed. The used herbicides were: 2,4-D, glyphosate, glyphosate + MCPA, and paraquat, plus a control treatment without herbicide. The evaluated parameters were: grain yield, hectoliter weight, 1000 grain weight, seed germination (%), sedimentation index and wet gluten. The experiments were located in an Andisoil soil at the Santa Rosa Experimental Station (36°31' S lat; 71°54' W long), Quilamapu Research Center, Chillán, Chile belonging to the National Agriculture Research Institute. The results indicated that the herbicide 2,4-D can be applied when grains have a milky consistency, as well, results obtained in one season indicated that 2,4-D also could be applied when the grain has a watery consistency. From the stage of semihard grain and on, any of the herbicides used in these trials can be applied , without affecting grain yield and germination, as well as hectoliter weight, sedimentation value and gluten content