Control of grass weeds in industrial crop sowings with Galoshans herbicide

Harmfulness of grass weeds in crops: when it is time for treatment

Grass weeds actively compete with crop seedlings for light, soil moisture, and nutrients. In sugar beet, sunflower, and spring rape fields, the most frequently encountered are barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.), annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.), yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. et Schult.), couch grass (Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski), loose silky-bent (Apera spica-venti (L.) Beauv.), and wild oat (Avena fatua L. s. l.). In rape crops, volunteer cereal crops also create a serious problem. At the same time, the spread of couch grass in fields was reduced to 1.1–1.7% of the total weed volume due to the large-scale application of glyphosate-based herbicides.

The degree of harm caused by weeds depends directly on their population. For example, the presence of barnyard grass in sugar beet crops varied in different years from 0.3 plants/m² in 2020–2021 to 7.9 plants/m² in 2006. Even a minimal number of weeds per square meter can sharply reduce the crop yield of beets.

Infestation with barnyard grass, plants/m²	Reduction in sugar beet yield, %
3 (biological damage threshold)	11.1
5	26.1
10	40.6
15	62.0
68 (natural infestation)	91.7

For sunflowers, the critical weed biomass threshold is higher. The presence of fewer than 5 grass weeds per square meter does not harm the crop, and at 10 weeds, the yield reduction is insignificant. However, further increases in infestation sharply hit the productivity of hybrids and cultivars.

Number of weeds, plants/m²	Yield reduction of Signal hybrid	Yield reduction of Lider cultivar
less than 5	no harmful effect	no harmful effect
10	no mathematically proven reduction	no mathematically proven reduction
20	0.49 t/ha (16.8%)	0.39 t/ha (14.0%)
30	0.82 t/ha (28.1%)	0.63 t/ha (22.6%)

Spring rape is most sensitive to weeds at the beginning of the growing season. Fast-growing grass species force the rape to push its growth point excessively above the soil surface and interfere with the development of its root system. This reduces the overall viability of the crop and hinders subsequent machine harvesting.

Haloshans herbicide: application regulations and test results

The market for anti-wild oat and anti-grass herbicides is diverse, but more than half of the assortment (57.2%) is occupied by preparations based on the active ingredients quizalofop-P-ethyl — 28.6% and haloxyfop-P-methyl — 28.6%. Clethodim accounts for 14.3%, quizalofop-P-tefuryl — 12.2%, and other active ingredients (fluazifop-P-butyl, propaquizafop, clethodim + haloxyfop-P-methyl, cycloxydim) — 16.3%. There are 24 preparations registered for sugar beet crops, of which 7 (29.2%) contain the active ingredient quizalofop-P-ethyl and 6 (25.0%) contain the active ingredient haloxyfop-P-methyl. For spring rape, 21 preparations are authorized, 6 (28.6%) of which account for these same active ingredients, and only 4 graminicides are registered for sunflower protection, with half of them (50.0%) containing haloxyfop-P-methyl.

For the protection of industrial crops against grass weeds, the systemic herbicide Haloshans, EC (haloxyfop-P-methyl, 104 g/l) is used. The preparation is quickly absorbed by the leaves and transported to the weed growth points, halting their development. It is suitable for treating sugar beet, sunflower, and spring rape crops.

• Biological damage threshold of barnyard grass on sugar beet — 3 plants/m²
• Biological damage threshold of grasses on spring rape — 20 plants/m²
• Herbicide penetration time into plant tissues — 1 hour
• Death period of grass weeds — 10–15 days
• Working solution consumption rate during spraying — 200–300 l/ha

The efficacy of the herbicide was evaluated in small-plot field experiments in 2022–2023 on sod-podzolic light and medium loam soils, as well as loose sandy loam soils. The area of the experimental plots was 15.0–18.9 m², with four-fold replication of experiments and sequential plot arrangement. Weed infestation was assessed before spraying and 30 days after the application of the preparation, and harvesting was performed per plot followed by an analysis of the technological quality of the sugar beet root crops.

In field trials, the Haloshans herbicide, EC (haloxyfop-P-methyl, 104 g/l) at an application rate of 0.5 l/ha showed high efficiency, keeping the infestation of sugar beet crops at the level of the world standard. The preparation reliably controls annual grass weeds, reducing their population and vegetative mass by 92.5–98.0%. Such protection allowed for obtaining a significant yield increase of root crops and increasing sugar output.

• Preparation application rate — 0.5 l/ha
• Beet yield increase — 352–383 c/ha
• Increase in sugar output — 58.0–68.5 c/ha
• Maximum mass reduction of barnyard grass — 98.0%
• Maximum mass reduction of annual bluegrass — 97.8%

Biological efficacy and impact on yield

The application of the herbicide Galoshans, EC at an application rate of 0.5 l/ha provides reliable control of grass weeds and allows for the full realization of the sugar beet yield potential. According to field trial data, the effective elimination of barnyard grass and annual bluegrass made it possible to obtain an additional harvest of root crops ranging from 352 to 383 c/ha. In all variants of the product application, a reliably preserved harvest was obtained, and due to the high-quality control of weed vegetation, the sugar output per hectare increased by 58.0–68.5 c/ha.

In the first year of testing, before treatment, the weed infestation with barnyard grass was 35.0 units/m², and with annual bluegrass — 3.5 units/m². Just one month after spraying, Galoshans, EC reduced the amount of barnyard grass by 93.6% and its vegetative mass by 97.4%, surpassing the reference product in this indicator. Efficacy against bluegrass reached 97.8%. Without herbicide protection, weeds quickly outgrew the crop: in the control variant, the number of barnyard grass increased to 47 units/m² (accumulated mass — 3414 g/m²), and bluegrass — to 5.0 units/m² (mass — 45 g/m²).

In the second year of research, with an initial weed infestation of 31.0 units/m² of barnyard grass and 3.5 units/m² of annual bluegrass, the product showed even higher results. One month after treatment, the number of barnyard grass decreased by 97.4%, and its green mass — by 98.0%. Bluegrass control ranged from 92.5% to 97.4%, which fully corresponds to the reference level. In untreated plots, weed infestation with barnyard grass rose to 77.0 units/m² (mass — 305 g/m²), and with bluegrass — to 4.0 units/m² (mass — 39 g/m²).

Biological efficacy of the herbicide Galoshans, EC against annual grass weeds in sugar beet crops (based on field trial data)

Variant	Number		Vegetative mass
	units/m²	Biological efficacy, %	g/m²	Biological efficacy, %
2022 Trials
Barnyard grass
Without herbicide application	47.0	0	3414.0	0
Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) — reference	3.0	93.6	131.0	96.2
Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	3.0	93.6	90.0	97.4
Annual bluegrass
Without herbicide application	5.0	0	45.0	0
Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) — reference	0.2	96.0	2.0	95.6
Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	0.2	96.0	1.0	97.8
2023 Trials
Barnyard grass
Without herbicide application	77.0	0	305	0
Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) — reference	2.5	96.8	7	97.7
Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	2.0	97.4	6	98.0
Annual bluegrass
Without herbicide application	4.0	0	39	0
Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) — reference	0.3	92.5	1	97.4
Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	0.3	92.5	1	97.4

Optimal conditions and weather impact on the result

The result of herbicide treatment directly depends on weather conditions during spraying and the developmental stage of the crop. During the years of testing, the weather contributed to the rapid penetration of active ingredients. In the first year, crops were treated on June 23 at sugar beet developmental stage BBCH 19. For the entire preceding week, the weather remained moderately warm (daytime +19…+26 °С, nighttime +9…+16 °С), and the rains brought 20.4 mm of precipitation, ensuring a sufficient moisture supply.

On the day of spraying, the air temperature was +18 °С with a humidity of 69%, wind speed of 3.8 m/s, and a low UV index. Over the next 7 days, no precipitation was recorded, and the average daily air temperature remained within the range of +21…+25 °С with daytime peaks of up to +27…+32 °С (June 27–28) and nighttime temperatures of +14…+18 °С.

In the second year, the treatment was carried out earlier — on May 30 at stage BBCH 14. A week before this, there was no precipitation; the average daily air temperature was in the range of +15.6…+18.9 °С (with warm days on May 23–26 at the level of +17.5…+18.9 °С and cooling on May 27–28 down to +12.8 °С). The soil temperature at the time of application was +18.8 °С. The treatment was performed at an air temperature of +18 °С, 57% humidity, and a wind of 2.6 m/s. During the week after that, there was no precipitation, and the daytime temperature fluctuated from +14.7 to +24.8 °С, dropping to +14.7…+16.5 °С on cold days on June 2–3.

Doubling the root crop harvest: control of annual grasses

Timely protection of sugar beet from grass weeds directly determines the final harvest and the quality of the raw material. During two-year field trials, the effect of the herbicide Galoshans, EC at an application rate of 0.5 l/ha was evaluated on crops infested with annual grass weeds. The use of the product allowed for almost doubling the harvest of root crops compared to control plots where chemical weeding was not performed. The obtained indicators of harvest and quality of root crops are fully comparable to the results of the reference herbicide Malibu 104, EC.

No.	Variant	Root crop harvest, c/ha	Calculated sugar output, %	Sugar yield, c/ha
2022
1	Without herbicide application	335	16.94	56.7
2	Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) – reference	711	17.46	124.1
3	Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	718	17.44	125.2
2023
1	Without herbicide application	386	16.08	54.9
2	Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) – reference	738	17.28	112.9
3	Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	743	17.30	113.8

Control of creeping bentgrass and the influence of weather conditions

To eliminate the persistent perennial weed — creeping bentgrass — an increased dosage of herbicide is required. Galoshans, EC was tested at an application rate of 1.0 l/ha on plots with high initial weed infestation, reaching 54.0 stems/m². The product showed excellent biological efficacy, having cleared the field almost completely within the first month after application. Eliminating the bentgrass helped remove competition for nutrients and moisture, which allowed for the preservation of the beet harvest and obtaining a significant increase in sugar yield.

• Application rate for bentgrass — 1.0 l/ha
• Reduction of bentgrass infestation — 93.1–98.0%
• Additional beet harvest — 198–343 centners/ha
• Increase in sugar yield — 35.9–56.0 centners/ha

One month after spraying, the number of weeds decreased by 93.1–96.4%, and their vegetative mass was reduced by 95.9–98.0%. In the control variants without treatment, the bentgrass developed actively, forming a stand density of up to 291–309 stems/m² and accumulating green mass of up to 640–916 g/m². In all experimental variants using the Galoshans, EC herbicide, a reliably preserved harvest was obtained, corresponding to the indicators of the reference standard. Detailed dynamics of the reduction in infestation are shown in the table.

No.	Variant	Population		Vegetative mass
		stems/m²	BE, %	g/m²	BE, %
2022
1	Without herbicide application	309.0	0	916.0	0
2	Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) – reference standard	9.0	97.1	7.0	99.2
3	Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha)	11.0	96.4	18.0	98.0
2023
1	Without herbicide application	291	0	640	0
2	Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) – reference standard	20	93.1	24	96.3
3	Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha)	20	93.1	26	95.9

The efficacy of chemical treatment depends directly on external factors, so it is important to consider weather conditions during the spraying period. In the experiments, treatments were conducted strictly during the BBCH 12 stage of sugar beet under various weather conditions. The features of climatic conditions during the years of testing are given below:

• In 2022, spraying was carried out on June 8 at a temperature of +18…+19 °C, air humidity of 58%, wind of 1.7 m/s, and a very low UV index. On the eve of the treatment (June 1–7), nighttime temperatures were +7…+11 °C, and daytime temperatures were +23…+26 °C (it was variable and sunny, with occasional rain). Over the following 7 days, the average daily temperature fluctuated within +13…+24 °C with daytime peaks from +16 to +29…+31 °C and nighttime peaks from +10 to +15…+17 °C with 21.6 mm of precipitation.
• In 2023, the application of the product was carried out on May 26 at a temperature of +21.0 °C, humidity of 53%, wind of 2.9 m/s, and a low UV index. In the preceding period (May 19–25), the average daily air temperature was +14.9…+18.9 °C, and the daytime temperature was +20.5…+25.5 °C. Over the following 7 days, the average daily temperature was maintained within +14.9…+17.7 °C, dropping to +10.2…+12.8 °C on May 27–28 and June 2 (daytime maximums fluctuated from +16.5 to +22.5…+24.9 °C), and no precipitation was recorded.

Efficiency of application on sugar beet

To evaluate the impact of the herbicide on crop productivity, two-year field trials were conducted. The application of Galoshans, EC at a rate of 1.0 l/ha was compared with the reference standard and control plots without treatment. The results of yield accounting, sugar content, and calculated sugar yield show stable harvest preservation at the level of the reference standard. Detailed data for two seasons with contrasting weather conditions are presented in the table.

Impact of herbicides on sugar beet productivity

Experimental variant	Root yield, centners/ha	Root sugar content, %	Calculated sugar yield, centners/ha
2022
1. Without herbicide application	263	16.86	44.3
2. Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) — reference standard	466	17.22	80.2
3. Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha)	461	17.42	80.3
2023
1. Without herbicide application	377	14.49	48.4
2. Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) — reference standard	716	16.64	105.4
3. Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha)	720	16.38	104.4

Protection of sunflower and the influence of weather conditions

On sunflower crops, Galoshans, EC was tested against barnyard grass and annual bluegrass. In the first year, with an initial infestation of 25.0 pcs/m² of barnyard grass and 8.0 pcs/m² of bluegrass on untreated plots, the weed population grew to 58.0 and 32.0 pcs/m², respectively, by the 30th day. In the second year, the weed pressure was critical: the initial population of barnyard grass was 86.0 pcs/m², and after one month on the control, it grew to 167.0 pcs/m² with a vegetative mass of 1726 g/m². The use of the herbicide at a dosage of 0.5 l/ha allowed for reliably protecting the crop from competition.

The application of Galoshans, EC saved from 3.4 to 3.6 centners/ha of sunflower oilseeds (14.2–19.1% of the harvest) with a yield on the control without treatment of 18.8–23.9 centners/ha. Under the same conditions, the reference standard product helped save only 2.5–2.9 centners/ha, which accounted for 12.1–13.3%. The biological efficacy of Galoshans, EC in reducing the vegetative mass of grassy weeds reached 93.4–96.3%, which surpassed the results of the reference standard. The key indicators of the products' application on both crops are provided below.

• Application rate for beet — 1.0 L/ha
• Application rate for sunflower — 0.5 L/ha
• Sunflower oilseed yield saved — 3.4–3.6 dt/ha (14.2–19.1 %)
• Reduction in fresh mass of barnyard grass — up to 94.4 %
• Reduction in fresh mass of annual bluegrass — up to 96.3 %

The trials were conducted under contrasting weather conditions, which made it possible to test the reliability of the herbicide in stress situations. In the first year, before application, the average daily temperature was +15.9…+22.3 °C (7 mm of precipitation fell). On the day of spraying, the average air temperature was +23.9 °C with no precipitation at a wind speed of 3 m/s, and on the 4th–7th day after application, the temperature dropped to +12.7…+18.2 °C and 22 mm of precipitation fell. In the second year, there was no precipitation, the temperature at the time of application was +18.3 °C (wind 4.1 m/s), and in the following days, the temperature dropped to +11.5…+13.6 °C.

Results of field trials on sunflower, 2022

Weed species	Trial variant	Number of weeds, pcs/m²	Efficacy by quantity, %	Fresh mass of weeds, g/m²	Efficacy by mass, %
Barnyard grass	1. Without herbicide application	58.0	0	427	0
	2. Malibu 104, EC (0.5 L/ha) — standard	4.0	93.1	36	91.6
	3. Galoshans, EC (0.5 L/ha)	3.0	94.8	28	93.4
Annual bluegrass	1. Without herbicide application	32.0	0	214	0
	2. Malibu 104, EC (0.5 L/ha) — standard	3.0	90.6	21	90.2
	3. Galoshans, EC (0.5 L/ha)	1.0	96.9	8	96.3

Results of field trials on barnyard grass control in sunflower, 2023

Trial variant	Number of weeds, pcs/m²	Biological efficacy by quantity, %	Fresh mass of weeds, g/m²	Biological efficacy by mass, %
1. Without herbicide application	167.0	0	1726	0
2. Malibu 104, EC (0.5 L/ha) — standard	12.0	92.8	114	93.4
3. Galoshans, EC (0.5 L/ha)	11.0	93.4	97	94.4

For reliable control of perennial grass weeds in sunflower crops, it is important to correctly select the dosage of the preparation. In field trials, the effect of the Galoshans, EC herbicide against couch grass was evaluated on plots with high initial infestation — from 27 to 41 stems/m². Application of the preparation at a rate of 1.0 L/ha allowed for a reduction in the number and vegetative mass of the weed by 95.7–96.7% in just one month. For comparison, the standard herbicide Malibu 104, EC at the same dosage reduced infestation by 89.5–95.7%, while on untreated plots the weed continued to develop, reaching a density of 70–86 stems/m² with a green mass of 486–652 g/m².

• Dosage against annual grasses — 0.5 L/ha
• Dosage against couch grass — 1.0 L/ha
• Reduction in mass of couch grass — up to 96.7 %
• Saved sunflower harvest — up to 3.8 dt/ha
• Reduction in infestation of rapeseed — up to 98.2 %

Effective clearing of fields from couch grass helped to save a significant part of the sunflower harvest. With a herbicide application rate of 1.0 L/ha, the increase in oilseeds amounted to 2.3–3.8 dt/ha (12.7–18.8%) with a yield on control plots without treatment in the range of 18.1–23.9 dt/ha. When reducing the preparation dosage to 0.5 L/ha, Galoshans, EC also surpassed the standard in the amount of saved harvest. Detailed results of field trials evaluating the economic and biological efficacy of the herbicides are presented in the tables below.

No.	Variant	Yield, dt/ha	Saved harvest, dt/ha	Saved harvest, %
2022
1	Without herbicide application	18.8	0	0
2	Malibu 104, EC (0.5 L/ha) – standard	21.3	2.5	13.3
3	Galoshans, EC (0.5 L/ha)	22.4	3.6	19.1
2023
1	Without herbicide application	23.9	0	0
2	Malibu 104, EC (0.5 L/ha) – standard	26.8	2.9	12.1
3	Galoshans, EC (0.5 L/ha)	27.3	3.4	14.2

Variant	Number, stems/m²	Efficacy by number, %	Vegetative mass, g/m²	Efficacy by vegetative mass, %
2022
1. Without herbicide application	86	0	652	0
2. Malibu 104, EC (1.0 L/ha) – standard	9	89.5	52	92.0
3. Galoshans, EC (1.0 L/ha)	3	96.5	28	95.7
2023
1. Without herbicide application	70	0	486	0
2. Malibu 104, EC (1.0 L/ha) – standard	4	94.3	21	95.7
3. Galoshans, EC (1.0 L/ha)	3	95.7	16	96.7

No.	Variant	Yield, dt/ha	Saved harvest, dt/ha	Saved harvest, %
2022
1	Without herbicide application	18.1	0	0
2	Malibu 104, EC (1.0 L/ha) – standard	20.4	2.3	12.7
3	Galoshans, EC (1.0 L/ha)	21.5	3.4	18.8
2023
1	Without herbicide application	23.9	0	0
2	Malibu 104, EC (1.0 L/ha) – standard	27.5	3.6	15.1
3	Galoshans, EC (1.0 L/ha)	27.7	3.8	15.9

Influence of weather conditions on graminicide performance

The efficacy of graminicide application is significantly influenced by the weather conditions of the growing season. Trials of the herbicide on spring rapeseed crops were held under the contrasting conditions of 2022 and 2023. The preparation demonstrated its most pronounced effect in 2022. That season, the air temperature during application corresponded to the long-term average or slightly exceeded it, and an adequate level of soil moisture created optimal conditions for the active growth of both spring rapeseed and weed grasses.

Before beginning the treatments, 63.0 plants/m² of barnyard grass and 2.0 plants/m² of annual bluegrass were recorded at the experimental site. A month later, in the plots without herbicide protection, the weed population increased sharply: barnyard grass counts reached 120.0 plants/m² (with a fresh mass of 270.4 g/m²), and annual bluegrass reached 5.0 plants/m² (mass — 26.2 g/m²).

Under these conditions, the application of the herbicide Galoshans, EC at an application rate of 0.5 l/ha allowed for reliable crop protection. The biological effectiveness in reducing weed density and mass was 92.8–98.2%, which is on par with the standard Malibu 104, EC at a dose of 0.5 l/ha (94.0–97.2%).

Warm weather and good soil moisture levels enhance the effect of the graminicide, as weeds are actively growing under these conditions and absorb the active ingredient of the product more quickly.

Biological effectiveness of the herbicide Galoshans, EC against annual grass weeds in spring rapeseed crops (field trials)

No.	Variant	Biological effectiveness in reducing density, %		Biological effectiveness in reducing mass, %
		2022	2023	2022	2023
Barnyard grass
1	Without herbicide application, plants/m2, g/m2	120.0	80.0	270.4	63.0
2	Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) – standard	94.0	82.5	97.2	84.1
3	Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	92.8	87.0	95.0	92.1
Annual bluegrass
1	Without herbicide application, plants/m2, g/m2	5.0	4.5	26.2	16.8
2	Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) – standard	94.0	84.4	96.8	88.7
3	Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha)	98.2	88.9	98.0	90.5

In 2023, unfavorable agrometeorological conditions during the treatment period (increased temperature regime and lack of precipitation) had a negative impact on the growth and development of both spring rapeseed and weeds, and also slightly reduced the effectiveness of the studied products. Before the application of herbicides in the crop fields, there were 65.7 plants/m2 of barnyard grass and 2.3 plants/m2 of annual bluegrass.

Thirty days after treatment in the variant without herbicide application, the count of barnyard grass was 80.0 plants/m2, vegetative mass – 63.0 g/m2; for annual bluegrass – 4.5 plants/m2 and 16.8 g/m2, respectively. Under the influence of the herbicide Galoshans, EC, the population of barnyard grass and annual bluegrass decreased by 87.0–88.9%, and their mass by 90.5–92.1%; in the standard, these indicators were 82.5–84.4% and 84.1–88.7%.

The reliably saved yield in the variant with the application of the herbicide Galoshans, EC was 1.1–1.4 centner/ha (12.5–21.1%), and in the standard (Malibu 104, EC) – 0.9–1.2 centner/ha (10.2–18.2%). Table 10 – Economic efficiency of the herbicide Galoshans, EC in spring rapeseed crops (field trials, RUE "Institute of Plant Protection")

Yield, Saved yield No. Variant centner/ha centner/ha %

2022 1. Without herbicide application 6.6 0 0 2. Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) – standard 7.8 1.2 18.2 3. Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha) 8.0 1.4 21.2

2023 1. Without herbicide application 8.8 0 0 2. Malibu 104, EC (0.5 l/ha) – standard 9.7 0.9 10.2 3. Galoshans, EC (0.5 l/ha) 9.9 1.1 12.5

The population of couch grass varied significantly by year. For instance, initial weed infestation in 2022 was 133.0 stems/m2, and in 2023 – 19.0 stems/m2. Thirty days later in the variant without herbicide application in 2022, there were 171.0 stems/m2 of couch grass with a vegetative mass of 302.0 g/m2. In the variant with the application of the herbicide Galoshans, EC at an application rate of 1.0 l/ha, the mortality of this species was 91.7%, and vegetative mass decreased by 90.6%; in the standard variant (Malibu 104, EC at the same application rate), the effectiveness in reducing the couch grass population was 95.2%, and mass – 88.5%. In 2023, 30 days after treatment in the variant without herbicide application, there were 79.0 stems/m2 with a vegetative mass of 42.0 g/m2. The biological effectiveness in reducing weed density and mass in the studied variant and the standard was practically identical and amounted to 86.6–95.2%.

The reduction in couch grass infestation in spring rapeseed crops through the use of herbicides ensured a saved yield of 1.7–1.9 (2023) to 2.6–2.9 centner/ha (2022) compared to the variant without herbicide application.

Table 11 – Biological effectiveness of the herbicide Galoshans, EC against couch grass in spring rapeseed crops (field trials RUE "Institute of Plant Protection")

No.	Variant	Biological effectiveness in reducing density, %		Biological effectiveness in reducing mass, %
		2022	2023	2022	2023
1.	Without herbicide application, stems/m2, g/m2	171.0	79.0	302.0	42.0
2.	Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) – standard	95.2	88.1	88.5	90.2
3.	Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha)	91.7	86.6	90.6	92.9

Table 12 – Economic efficiency of the herbicide Galoshans, EC in spring rapeseed crops (field trials RUE "Institute of Plant Protection")

Yield, Saved yield No. Variant centner/ha centner/ha %

2022 1. Without herbicide application 14.6 0 0 2. Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) – standard 17.5 2.9 19.9 3. Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha) 17.2 2.6 17.8

2023 1. Without herbicide application 8.2 0 0 2. Malibu 104, EC (1.0 l/ha) – standard 9.9 1.7 20.7 3. Galoshans, EC (1.0 l/ha) 10.1 1.9 23.2

Thus, the application of the herbicide Galoshans, EC (haloxyfop-R-methyl) in sugar beet, spring rapeseed, and sunflower crops allows for effective protection of crops from annual grass weeds and couch grass: the biological effectiveness in reducing their density is 92.5–98.0%, and in reducing vegetative mass – 93.1–98.0%. In all experimental variants using the herbicide Galoshans, EC, a reliably saved yield was obtained. No negative effects on crop growth and development were identified. Based on the research results, the herbicide has passed state registration and is approved for use.

Annotation. The results of studies on the regulation of the number of annual grass weeds and Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski in beet, sunflower and spring rapeseed crops using graminicide Galoshans, CE (haloxyphop-R-methyl, 104 g/l) are presented. The use of the herbicide a month after application made it possible to reduce the infestation of crops with Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv. and Poa annua L. by 87.0–98.0 %, with E. repens (L.) Nevski by 86.6–99.2 %, preserve the harvest and additionally obtain up to 357–383 c/ha of beet, 3.4–3.8 c/ha of sunflower seed and 1.1–2.6 c/ha of spring rapeseed. There was no negative impact on the growth and development of crops.

Key words: beet, sunflower, spring rape, annual grass weeds, Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski, graminicide, biological and economic efficiency.