Express Gold herbicide effectiveness based on application methods in sunflower crops

One of the main challenges in sunflower cultivation is weed infestation, which significantly affects crop yield. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Express Gold herbicide under different application methods and rates in sunflower crops. The Suomi sunflower hybrid, adapted to the ExpressSun technology, was selected for the research. Various application rates and methods of Express Gold herbicide were examined, including ground spraying and drone application, with an assessment of their effectiveness. The experiments were conducted in the research field of LLC Ahross+, with trials carried out in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The experiment involved two application methods (ground and drone), three herbicide doses (half, optimal, and maximum), and four working solution application rates. A control plot (without the application of a post-emergence herbicide) was included for comparison. The two-year average results indicated that the herbicide performed effectively at both the half and optimal application rates across all plots. When applied at a rate of 20 g/ha, the herbicide demonstrated higher efficacy compared to treatments with working solution application rates of 50 L/ha and 100 L/ha. As the herbicide dose and working solution volume increased, no further differences were observed in herbicidal performance across plots, with comparable effectiveness at both 50 L/ha and 200 L/ha. It was established that drone application maintained a consistently high treatment quality, regardless of the herbicide dose applied per hectare