TOLERANCE OF FLAX TO DICAMBA APPLIED TO THE FOLIAGE AND TO THE SOIL

Injury to flax was greater from root uptake than from foliage absorption of dicamba (2,3-dichloro-o-anisic acid) in greenhouse tests. Applications of 0.140 kg/ha (2 oz/acre) of dicamba to both foliage and soil in an overall spray, combined with leaching of the chemical to the root zone, injured the flax beyond recovery. On the other hand, an overall spray without subsequent leaching caused negligible injury. The data help explain the occasional severe injury to flax experienced in field operations.