Pendimethalin Uses: Which Weeds It Controls, Which Crops, and When to Apply It

Pendimethalin uses centre on one job: stopping weeds before they emerge, so the crop gets the first weeks of the season without competition for water, nutrients and light. It is a pre-emergence, selective herbicide, not a spray for weeds you can already see. This guide covers how it works, which weeds it controls, which crops it is used on, and when to apply it, using only the crops, weeds and doses given on Spraykaro's Pendimethalin 30% EC product pages.

How pendimethalin works

Pendimethalin is a dinitroaniline herbicide. It inhibits cell division in the roots and shoots of germinating weed seeds, so the seedling dies before it emerges. Sprayed on the soil surface, it forms a chemical barrier. Crop seeds planted deeper in the soil stay below that barrier, which is how selectivity works for the crops listed on each label, provided the dose and timing are followed. That barrier is also why application technique matters: too little water, dry soil, or soil disturbed soon after spraying all create gaps, and weeds grow through gaps.

Which weeds does Pendimethalin 30 EC control?

Across the six Spraykaro brands, the weeds named include annual grasses and broadleaf weeds: Phalaris minor (Canary Grass, Mandusi), Chenopodium album (Bathua), Echinochloa colona and Echinochloa crusgalli, Amaranthus viridis, Portulaca oleracea, Trianthema species, Euphorbia species, Digitaria sanguinalis, Eleusine indica, Cyperus difformis, Melilotus, Anagallis, Fumaria and Poa annua. In wheat, the key targets are Phalaris minor and Chenopodium album, with Echinochloa and broadleaf weeds also listed. In paddy, the lists include Echinochloa, Cyperus species, Ludwigia, Marsilea and Eclipta. No brand page claims control of weeds that have already emerged, and pendimethalin should not be bought for that job.

Which crops is Pendimethalin 30 EC used on?

Crop	Brands listing it
Wheat	Pendamil, Pendifix, Pendistar, Dost, Gadar, SWAL Pendi
Rice / Paddy	Pendamil, Pendifix, Pendistar, Dost, SWAL Pendi
Cotton	Pendamil, Pendifix, Pendistar, Dost, Gadar, SWAL Pendi
Soybean	Pendamil, Pendifix, Pendistar, Dost, Gadar, SWAL Pendi
Groundnut, Pigeon Pea, Sugarcane, Chilli, Onion, Mustard, Potato, Maize	Listed by individual brands, see each product page for its crop list and dose

Wheat is the common crop for all six brands, which is why wheat dose is the comparison used across Spraykaro's pendimethalin guides. For other crops, always use the dose on that brand's product page, because doses differ by crop as well as by brand.

When to apply Pendimethalin 30 EC

Apply within 0 to 3 days after sowing or transplanting, before weed seeds germinate, on moist soil. For wheat, that means immediately after sowing, before the first irrigation where the label says so, as Dost's page states. Soil must be moist at application: apply after pre-sowing irrigation, or give a light irrigation within 24 to 48 hours if the soil is dry. Do not disturb the soil for at least 10 days after application, and walk backwards while spraying, so the barrier is not broken. Use 200 litres of water per acre for wheat where the product page gives that figure, with a flat fan or flood jet nozzle, for uniform coverage.

Safety and limits to know before you spray

• Pre-emergence only: it will not kill emerged weeds.
• Pendimethalin EC stains skin and clothes yellow or orange. Wear gloves, mask, goggles and long sleeves, and wash thoroughly after use.
• Pendimethalin is toxic to fish and aquatic life. Do not use near fish ponds or water bodies, as Gadar's product page warns.
• Keep away from children, food and animal feed, and store in a cool, dry, shaded place.
• Observe the pre-harvest interval for the crop: for example, Pendamil lists 150 days for cotton, 110 days for soybean and 120 days for groundnut.
• Do not exceed the label dose. A higher dose does not make up for late timing, and it risks crop injury and residues.

Pendimethalin 30 EC, 38.7% CS and mixes: do not confuse them

Pendimethalin 30% EC is a liquid emulsifiable concentrate. Pendimethalin 38.7% CS is a capsule suspension, a different formulation with a different dose and release pattern, sold as products such as IIL Pendamil Super. Pendimethalin 30% plus Imazethapyr 2% EC is a mixture, sold as products such as HPM Penpyr-32 and Parabond 32, for a different weed spectrum, notably in soybean. If you need the 30% EC dose in this guide, buy a 30% EC product, not a CS product or a mix, by mistake.

Pendimethalin 30 EC dose: same for every brand

Dose does not change by brand. Every Pendimethalin 30% EC product is the same technical at the same concentration, so dose changes by crop and soil only. For wheat, the technical dose is 1300 ml per acre in light soil, 1700 ml in medium soil and 2000 ml in heavy soil, in 200 to 280 litres of water per acre. For cotton it is 1000 to 1700 ml per acre, for paddy 1300 to 2000 ml per acre, and for soybean 1000 to 1300 ml per acre. SWAL Pendi gives the same wheat dose as active ingredient, 1.0 kg, 1.25 kg and 1.5 kg per hectare, which converts to 3.3, 4.2 and 5.0 litres of formulation per hectare, or 1300, 1700 and 2000 ml per acre. Full conversion is in Pendimethalin 30 EC dose per acre for wheat.

For wheat dose in full, see Pendimethalin 30 EC dose per acre for wheat. For prices by brand and pack, see Pendimethalin 30 EC price and brand comparison in India. The technical listing, with all six brands, is at Pendimethalin 30% EC.