What Is MCPA?
MCPA is a selective herbicide for agricultural use.
It contains 19.5% MCPA sodium salt, which has herbicidal properties. It is a brown water-soluble liquid that is diluted in water. Herbicides can be classified as either agricultural or nonagricultural, selective or non-selective.
The difference between herbicides for agricultural and nonagricultural use is that herbicides that are registered for use on agricultural land where crops are grown are for agricultural use, and those that are not are for nonagricultural use. The difference between selective and non-selective herbicides is that selective herbicides are effective only on certain families of plants (such as grasses and cucurbits) and selectively kill them, while non-selective herbicides are effective on all plants that are exposed to herbicides and can kill them.
MCPA is also used in agricultural fields and can selectively kill plants.
Uses of MCPA
MCPA are used to eliminate weeds in agricultural fields, gardens, parking lots, and other areas. MCPA is applied to rice, wheat, Japanese turf, Western turf, corn, paddy crops such as mulberry and lotus, trees, etc., and is registered for use on annual broadleaf weeds, perennial broadleaf weeds, and perennial broadleaf weeds. The registered applicable weeds are annual broadleaf weeds, perennial broadleaf weeds, pine needles, osmanthus, Japanese parsley, horsetail, and others.
MCPA is highly selective for paddy rice and wheat, and has also been shown to suppress branching and prevent tillering, and is applied before and during the late juvenile ear formation stage.
It is also used to remove perennial weeds such as pine needles by spraying immediately after the rice harvest, thereby suppressing the occurrence of perennial weeds in the following year and preparing for the rice crop next year.
Principle of MCPA
MCPA disrupts a plant hormone called auxin, which causes plant growth inhibition and kills the grass. Therefore, it is considered a hormonal herbicide. Auxin is a hormone that promotes plant growth.
MCPA is a synthetic compound with an auxin-type action, similar to natural auxin, that disrupts the hormone balance in the plant and causes the plant to die.
Selective herbicides also take advantage of the structural differences between the vascular bundles of monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Dicotyledonous vascular bundles have a structure that allows the herbicide to move freely, making the herbicide more effective, while monocotyledonous vascular bundles have a structure that does not allow the herbicide to move easily, making the herbicide less effective. This difference is what makes it possible to kill plants selectively.
Other Information About MCPA
1. Advantages of MCPA
- It can efficiently kill annual and perennial broadleaf weeds.
- Because it is a selective herbicide, it can be applied at the same time to crops that you do not want to kill if they are registered crops, without having to separate the applications.
- Since it is registered for buckwheat, it can be used for weed control in garden lawns.
2. Disadvantages of MCPA
- The cost of the chemical and sprayer is high. It is necessary to consider whether the effectiveness of the product is worth the cost before introducing it.
- When spraying in non-farming areas, such as parking lots and parks, it is necessary to mow the weeds before spraying because it is not effective for weeds over 30 cm in height.
3. How to Use MCPA
To use MCPA, dilute the chemical with water and spray it on weeds with a sprayer. The amount of chemical used and the amount of water used for dilution are different for each crop, so it is necessary to check the application chart for use.
In addition, when using on farmland with crops, the time of use (2-5 leaf stage, etc.) and conditions of use (falling water in rice paddies, etc.) are specified, so spray during these periods and conditions.
4. Precautions for Use
- Wear gloves and masks when spraying to avoid contact with the eyes, nose, and skin.
- If the spray is applied to mulberry, tea, or fruit trees, it may cause chemical damage.
- Spraying should be done in good weather conditions, as the effect will be reduced if the chemical is washed away immediately after spraying due to rain, etc.