Weed competition in southern Brazil is one of the main limiting factors for Oryza sativa L. (flooded rice) yield. Echinochloa spp. (barnyardgrass) occurs at a high frequency. Although the potential for weed interference in this cereal is well known, there is little information available about the impact of nutrient competition on rice. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the increase of the barnyardgrass population and the development and nutrition of flooded rice plants at different stages of development. The treatments consisted of growing populations of barnyardgrass competing with the crop from stage V4, which were: 0, 1, 6, 13, 100 and 200 plants · m−2. The experimental design was randomized blocks with two replications, and the experimental units were plots 1.53 m wide by 5 m long. Plant biomass, nutrient uptake and loss of productivity were determined with three replications. An increase in the barnyardgrass population reduced the dry mass of rice leaves and stems, regardless of the evaluation period and the vegetative or reproductive period. Barnyardgrass plants had a significant impact on the reduced grain yield of a flooded rice crop, mainly due to high nutrient competitiveness, especially N in the vegetative period and K in the reproductive period. Barnyardgrass caused a loss of yield by unit · m−2 of 1.13%. The competition for N between rice and barnyardgrass plants was higher in the vegetative period, while for K, Ca and Mg the highest competition occurred in the reproductive period.

The study of herbicide dynamics in the soil and their interaction with the components of the environment makes it possible to ensure the selectivity of crops and the agronomical efficiency. The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of soil physicochemical properties on the emergence and growth of soybean, with pre-emergence application of various saflufenacil rates. An experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with a completely randomized design, testing different soil types containing “Erechim”, “Santa Maria” and “Eldorado do Sul”, at different saflufenacil rates: 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 g a.i. · ha–1. The application was performed 1 day after soybean sowing, and analyzed variables were: the phytotoxicity emergence of seedlings, dry mass and height of the soybean. The saflufenacil effective dose of 50% response in soybean (ED50) and the characteristics of the soils showed that the soil contained clay and sand which were the components most related to the saflufenacil availability to the plants. A lower ED50 by phytotoxicity to the soybean was found in soil with lower and greater content of clay and sand, respectively. The physicochemical properties of soil influenced the saflufenacil activity, having greater potential of injury to soybean in the soil from Eldorado do Sul, due to its clay and sand content.