Glyphosate as a growth regulator in Bermuda grass under different cultivation bases

Glyphosate may be an alternative to mechanical mowing management, which may reduce turfgrass growth without harming the development of plant, and associated with the use of the correct cultivation base, it may benefits the plant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of glyphosate as a growth regulator in Bermuda grass, in different cultivation bases. The hybrid Bermuda grass ‘Tifway 419’ carpets were planted in 8.46 L containers with different substrates and, after 60 days, the first application of glyphosate was performed, forming a 5 x 4 factorial scheme (substrates x glyphosate doses) with three replicates. The cultivation bases were: B1 - soil, B2 - sand, B3 - soil + sand (1:1), B4 - soil + sand + organic compost (1:1:1) and B5 - organic compost + sand (1:1) and glyphosate doses: 0, 200, 400 and 600 g a.i. (active ingredient) ha-1. Chemical analyses of the substrates, photosynthetic pigments, fresh and dry mass and leaf macronutrients were performed. Glyphosate has great potential to be used as a growth regulator in Bermuda grass Tifway 419, as there was an effect of the herbicide doses on lawn development, and the dose of 400 g a.i. ha-1 provided reduction in fresh and dry mass without major changes in macronutrients and photosynthetic pigments, mainly when grown in B4.