Metribuzin 70% WP Herbicide Uses

Metribuzin 70% WP is a selective, systemic herbicide registered for use in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968. It is absorbed by weeds mainly through their roots and to some extent through leaves, and is used across sugarcane, potato, tomato, wheat and soybean at different application timings depending on the crop. Metribuzin remains legally registered and sold in India; always confirm the current pack label before use. This page lists its mode of action, key benefits and the recommended crop-wise dosage as per manufacturer labels.

Which Weeds Does This Control? (Field Identification Guide)

Not sure which weed is troubling your field? This guide matches the common name farmers use to what herbicides target.

Mode of Action

Metribuzin is a triazinone herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis by blocking electron transport at Photosystem II inside the weed's chloroplasts, in a similar way to the triazine herbicides. This stops the target weed from converting light energy into usable chemical energy, halting its growth and eventually killing it. It is a systemic herbicide, taken up primarily through the roots from treated soil and, to a lesser extent, through leaves on post-emergence contact, and it moves within the plant to reach actively photosynthesising tissue. Depending on the crop, it is used as a pre-emergence, early post-emergence or post-transplant treatment, with no significant residual carryover effect on properly rotated subsequent crops when used at labelled rates.

Features & Benefits

• Broad crop label covering sugarcane, potato, tomato, wheat and soybean, with both pre-emergence and post-emergence use options depending on the crop.
• Systemic, root-and-leaf uptake gives reliable activity even under variable spray-coverage conditions.
• Effective against a wide range of grassy and broadleaf weeds including Phalaris minor, Cyperus rotundus, Chenopodium album and Echinochloa colonum.
• No significant residual carryover effect on properly rotated subsequent crops when used at labelled rates and timing.

Recommended Usage of Metribuzin 70% WP Herbicide

The table below gives the commonly recommended dose, water volume, application timing and waiting period per acre for each crop, as listed on manufacturer labels for this active ingredient. Always confirm against the current product label before use, since timing varies significantly by crop.

Doses above are the commonly listed formulation-label rates for Metribuzin 70% WP. Application timing and waiting periods vary considerably by crop; always confirm the current pack label/CIB registration and consult your local agricultural extension office for the latest guidance before use and before harvest.

How to Use

1. Identify your crop and confirm the correct dose, water volume and — most importantly — the correct application timing (pre-emergence, early post-emergence, or post-transplant) from the current product label, since timing differs by crop.
2. Make a thin paste of the required quantity in a small amount of water, then dilute this gradually into the full spray tank volume while stirring continuously so the wettable powder disperses evenly.
3. Spray using a knapsack or power sprayer fitted with a flood-jet or flat-fan nozzle, ensuring uniform coverage of the soil surface (for pre-emergence use) or of weed foliage (for post-emergence use).
4. Ensure adequate soil moisture at the time of application, as metribuzin's root uptake depends on moisture in the treated soil layer.
5. Avoid drift onto neighbouring sensitive crops, and follow any label guidance on crop rotation before planting a different, sensitive crop in the treated field.

Precautions & Safety

• Wear appropriate PPE — mask/respirator, gloves, goggles and full-sleeved clothing — while mixing and spraying, and avoid inhaling the wettable powder dust while opening the pack.
• Apply only in the labelled crop and at the correct growth stage and timing given in the table above; incorrect timing can injure the crop or reduce weed control.
• Store in the original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, food, feed and out of reach of children and livestock.
• Respect the waiting period (PHI) listed for each crop above before harvesting, and follow your local agricultural extension advice for the latest guidance.
• Metribuzin shares a single mode of action (Photosystem II inhibition) with several other herbicide groups; avoid repeated, back-to-back use of the same mode of action on the same field across seasons, and rotate herbicide groups as part of a resistance-management program.
• Wash hands, face and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after handling or spraying, and change out of contaminated clothing before eating, drinking or smoking.

Brand names mentioned on this page are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are mentioned here only for identification purposes; FarmMate is not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands. This page is for general information only — always consult your local agricultural extension office and confirm the current product label before use.