Description

Sodium chlorate is used as a non-selective herbicide. It is considered phytotoxic to all green plant parts. It can also kill through root absorption.

Sodium chlorate may be used to control: morning glory, Canada thistle, johnsongrass, bamboo, ragwort, and St John’s wort. The herbicide is mainly used on non-cropland for spot treatment and for total vegetation control on roadsides, fence ways, ditches, and suchlike. Sodium chlorate is also used as a defoliant and desiccant for cotton, safflower, corn, flax, peppers, soybeans, grain sorghum, southern peas, dry beans, rice, and sunflowers. If used in combination with atrazine, it increases the persistence of the effect. If used in combination with 2,4-D, it improves the performance of the material. Sodium chlorate has a soil-sterilant effect. Mixing with other herbicides in an aqueous solution is possible to some extent, so long as they are not susceptible to oxidation.

Trade names

The active ingredient sodium chlorate is found in a variety of commercial herbicides. Some trade names for products containing sodium chlorate include Atlacide, Defol, De-Fol-Ate, Drop-Leaf, Fall, Harvest-Aid, Kusatol, Leafs, and Tumbleaf. The compound may be used in combination with other herbicides such as atrazine, 2,4-D, bromacil, diuron, and sodium metaborate.