Background

[0001] The sugar beet crop is a widely grown row crop with 4 million hectares planted in

European countries. Since 2019 ALS-herbicide-tolerant sugar beet varieties (e.g., CONVISO® SMART seeds, available from KWS seed company) have entered the European sugar beet market with a growing presence in sugar-beet-producing European countries.

[0002] CONVISO SMART varieties allow the control of weeds in sugar beet by the application of a product named “Conviso® One” that contains two ALS inhibitor herbicides (floramsulfuron 50g/l + thiecarbozone 30g/l) formulated as an oil dispersible formulation (OD). Conviso® One provides control of many broadleaf and grass weeds but. has limited control of one very important, weed in sugar beet: Chenopodium album (CHEAL).

[0003] Additionally, there is a somewhat narrow period for application of Conviso® One. Experiments have shown that sufficient control of CHEAT., is achieved only when Conviso® One is applied at the 2-leaf growth stage of the weed. However, it is well known that CHEAL emerges in sugar beet at several different times from March to June, which means that control of this weed during the cycle of the sugar beet crop is insufficient.

[0004] The flexibility of herbicide product application is limited with Conviso® One. The Conviso® One herbicide label recommendation for the control of CHEAL indicates either a single application at 1 L/ha or two applications at 0.5 I ./ha to be applied no later than the 2-leaf growth stage of CHEAL.

[0005] As provided herein, florpyrauxifen-benzyl (e.g., RINSKOR® active ingredient) is an auxin-mimic herbicide which provides excellent control of CHEAL,. Florpyrauxifen- benzyl may be applied up to four times and is effective against CHEAL from 2-leaf to 6-8 leaf stages of growth. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl provides excellent control of CHEAL along with application timing flexibility and application dosage flexibility allowing effective control of CHEAL in CONVISO® SMART sugar beets.

Detailed Description

[0006] Florpyrauxifen-benzyl has been tested in field trials on conventional sugar beets and on CONVISO® SMART ALS-resistant sugar beets. Surprisingly, fiorpyraxuifen- benzyl demonstrated selectivity on CONVISO® SMART sugar beets, even though the florpyraxuifen-benzyl mode-of- action (auxin mimic) is unrelated to ALS. Flor- pyrauxifen-benzyl was safe on certain conventional sugar beet crop varieties and damaged other varieties. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl was safe on CONVISO® SMART sugar beets at doses from 0.5 g ae/ha to 4 g ae/ha under field conditions.

[0007] As used herein “sugar beet” refers to a plant of the species Beta vulgaris subspecies vulgaris var. Altissima whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose. Sugar beet plants and crops may be species, and/or hybrids, and/or genetically modified.

[0008] As used herein, the terms “comprises.” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0009] As used herein “DAA” refers to Days After treatment Application.

[0010] As used herein ‘'weed” or “weeds” refers to any unwanted vegetation that may interfere with the growth and/or harvesting of a desired crop. Weeds are known to compete for nutrients with crops such as sugarcane, lowering yields. In addition, weeds may interfere with mechanized harvesting machines, lowering harvesting efficiency. Weeds include, but are not limited to, the following: CHEAL {Chenopodium album. Common lambsquarters), STEME (Stellaria media, Common chickweed), LAMAM ( Lamium ample. xicaule, Henbit), FUMOF (Fumaria officinalis. Common fumitory), POLCO (Polygonum convolvulus, Wild buckwheat), V1OAR (viola arvensis. Field violet), and MERAN {Mercurialis annua).

[0011] As used herein “ml pr/ha or 1 pr/ha or g pr/ha” refers to the amount of herbicide formulation liquid (nil pr/ha or 1 pr/ha) or herbicide formulation solid (g pr/ha) applied.

[0012] As used herein “g ai/ha” and “g ae/ha” refer to the amount of an active ingredient (ai) or the amount of an acid equivalent (ae) applied.

[0013] As used herein, a “herbicidally effective amount” or “vegetation controlling amount” or “weed controlling amount” is an amount of active ingredient(s) which causes an adversely modifying effect to the vegetation, such as a weed, causing deviations from natural development, killing, effecting regulation, causing desiccation, causing retardation, and the like. These terms may be used interchangeably.

[0014] As used herein, “controlling” undesirable vegetation or weeds means preventing, reducing, killing, or otherwise adversely modifying the development of plants and vegetation. Described herein are methods of controlling undesirable vegetation through the applica tion of certain herbicide combina tions or compositions. Methods of application include, but are not limited to applications to the vegetation or locus thereof, e.g., application to the area adjacent to the vegetation, as well as pre-emergence, postemergence, foliar (broadcast, directed, banded, spot, mechanical, over-the-top, or rescue), via hand, backpack, machine, tractor, or aerial (airplane and helicopter) ap- plication methods.

[0015] As used herein, “plants” and “vegetation” and “weeds” include, but are not limited to, germinant seeds, emerging seedlings, plants emerging from vegetative propagules, immature vegetation and established vegetation.

[0016] As used herein, “BBCH” refers to the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and CHemische Industrie scale of plant development.

[0017] It has been surprisingly found that florpyrauxifen-benzyl provides an effective method of controlling weeds in sugar beet which comprises contacting the vegetation or the locus thereof with or applying to the soil to control the emergence or growth of weeds a herbicidally effective amount of florpyrauxifen-benzyl to a crop of sugar beet in need of weed control. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl may be applied at a rate from 0.5 g ai/ ha to 4 g ai/ha. Florpyrauxifen may also be applied as part of a composition comprising other ingredients. For example, florpyrauxifen-benzyl may be applied with etho- fumesate at a rate of 125g ai/ha and metamitron at a rate of 350g ai/ha and lenacil at a rate of 80g ai/ha and methylated canola oil at a rate of 0.51 pr/ha, as shown in the examples below.

Experimental

[0018] Table 1 . Compositions Applied to ALS-Resistant Sugar Beet

[0019] Crop: Sugar Beet BEAVA, Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. altissima Biotype: ALS RES (Conviso® Sugar Beet)

[0020] Treated at growth stage: BBCH 14-18

[0021] [Table 1]

[0022] Table 2. Damage to Damage to ALS-Resistant Sugar Beet

[0023] [Table 2]

[0024] Application of Rinskor® to Non-ALS-Resistant Sugar Beets

Trial 01

[0025] Beta Vulgaris Vulgaris var. altissima var. KWS MILLENIA

[0026] Treatment Composition

[0027] TRAM AT® F Ethofumesate 125g ai/ha

[0028] GOLTIX® ULTRADISPERSIBLE Metamitron 350g ai/ha

[0029] VENZAR® Lenacil 80g ai/ha

[0030] Actirob B® Methylated Canola oil 0.51 pr/ha

[0031] Rinskor® Florpyrauxifen- benzyl 0.5g ai/ha, 1g ai/ha, 2g ai/ha, 4g ai/ha =

[0032] 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 1/ha

[0033] Trial 01 Results

[0034] At 39 days after application, Rinskor® applied at a rate of 2 and 4 g ai/ha caused stem and leaf deformations, and petiole elongation from 53.3 to 63.3 visual percent. Very good control of MERAN and CHEAL was observed and 10% to 40% visual control of VIOAR was observed.

Trial 02 [0035] BEAVA - Beta Vulgaris Vulgaris var. altissima var. LIBELEE

[0036] Treatment Composition

[0037] TRAMAT® F Elhofumesate 125g ai/ha

[0038] GOLTIX® ULTRADIS PERSIBLE Metamitron 350g ai/ha

[0039] VENZAR® Lenacil 80g ai/ha

[0040] Actirob B® Methylated Canola oil 0.51 pr/ha

[0041] Rinskor® Florpyrauxifen-benzyl 0.5g ai/ha, 1g ai/ha, 2g ai/ha, 4g ai/ha - [0042] 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 1/ha

[0043] Trial 02 Results

[0044] No lasting damage to BEAVA was observed, with a maximum of 5 visual % damage, with slight discoloration. Very good control of CHEAL (Chenopodium album, Common lambsquarters), STEME (Stellaria media, Common chickweed), LAMAM (Lamium amplexica ule, Henbit), FUMOF (Fumaria officinalis, Common fumitory), POLCO (Polygonum convolvulus, Wild buckwheat), VIOAR (viola arvensis, Field violet) was observed. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl demonstrated satisfactory control of CHEAL at the dose of 2 g ae/ha (40ml, ha).

[0045] The use of florpyrauxifen-benzyl for the control of CHEAL, and its selectivity on CONVISO® SMART sugar beets, provides a new flexible method for the control of CHEAL in sugar beets. CHEAL may be controlled from the 2-leaf to the 6-8 leaf stages of growth. In addition, since florpyrauxifen-benzyl may be applied up to four times the farmer has the application timing and application dosage flexibility to effectively control CHEAL in CONVISO® SMART sugar beets. The method also provides effective and flexible control of this key weed for the sugar beet farmers employing certain conventional sugar beet varieties.