Herbicide selectivity in advanced sour passion fruit seedlings: implications for weed management

Herbicide use for weed control in passion fruit orchards is considered a more accessible and cost-effective alternative. However, the lack of agrochemicals registered for this crop, combined with the scarcity of studies on their phytotoxic effects, makes this issue one of the main limitations to production. Thus, this study evaluated the tolerance of advanced sour passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) seedlings to the application of different herbicides. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with seven treatments, four replications, and three plants per plot. The treatments consisted of a control without herbicide application, sulfentrazone, diuron, S-metolachlor, ammonium glufosinate, imazethapyr, and terbuthylazine. S-metolachlor caused the lowest levels of visual phytotoxicity, followed by imazethapyr and terbuthylazine, throughout the evaluation period. In contrast, ammonium glufosinate, sulfentrazone, and diuron caused greater phytotoxic effects and negatively affected plant development. Overall, herbicide tolerance in sour passion fruit seedlings varied significantly depending on the active ingredient.