The duration of the soil activity of an acetolactate synthase-(ALS) inhibiting herbicide which is currently under approval for sugar beet cultivation was determined in a field trial series in Germany in 2013 and 2014. The herbicide containing foramsulfuron (FSN; 50 g L^-1) and thiencarbazone-methyl (TCM; 30 g L^-1) was applied in different dosages (25 15, 37.5 22.5 and 50 30 g FSN TCM ha^-1) to the bare soil. Five weed species (rapeseed, common lambsquarters, wild chamomile, blackgrass, barnyardgrass) were sown at 5, 10, 15 and 20 d after application. The duration of the soil activity was assessed by determining percent weed control in the treated plots. The longest duration was observed after applying 50 30g FSN TCM ha^-1, but the influence of environment was much stronger than the dosage effect. The mean duration of soil activity was 10 to 15 d in 2013 and longer than 20 d in 2014. Differences among weed species in their response to the herbicide treatments were small.

Nomenclature: foramsulfuron, thiencarbazone, barnyardgrass, Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv., blackgrass, Alopecurus myosuroides Huds., common lambsquarters, Chenopodium album L., rapeseed, Brassica napus L., wild chamomile, Matricaria recutita L., sugar beet, Beta vulgaris L.