Experiments with similar experimental design, soil, and planting date were conducted between 1975 and 1979 to evaluate the interference of jimsonweed on soybeans and cotton in Alabama (AL), Arkansas (AR), and Mississippi (MS). Jimsonweed densities were 0, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 plants 12 m−1 of row. Because of variation in rainfall patterns, geographic region influenced jimsonweed interference in cotton but not in soybeans. Even though jimsonweed interference was reduced by lack of rainfall, jimsonweed was more competitive in the less competitive cotton than in soybeans. Jimsonweed at 64 plants 12 m−1 of row was more competitive with cotton than soybeans, causing a 56 and 16% yield reduction, respectively. Position of jimsonweed to the soybean row did not influence competitiveness. Interspecific interference with soybeans caused one-third more reduction in jimsonweed fresh weight and capsules per plant than interspecific interference with cotton. The potential for jimsonweed to become a problem in southern soybeans is less than its potential in cotton because of the competitive ability of soybeans to reduce the growth and reproductive potential of jimsonweed.

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of dichlormid, R-29148, CGA-92194, flurazole, naphthalic anhydride, and MON-5500 as herbicide antidotes for triallate in wheat and to determine triallate antagonism by seed-applied fungicides and insecticides. Seed treatment of MON-5500 at 0.063% wt/wt was the most effective antidote for triallate in wheat in both greenhouse and field. Dichlormid and R-29148 at 0.5% wt/wt were more effective as antidotes for triallate in wheat than either CGA-92194 or naphthalic anhydride. Flurazole, as a seed treatment, did not reduce triallate injury to wheat Dichlormid or R-29148 at 2.2 kg ai ha–1 applied broadcast to soil and incorporated reduced injury to wheat from triallate at 1.1 kg ai ha–1 and also reduced injury to oats from 0.3 kg ha–1 triallate. Seed treatments of carboxin at 0.2% wt/wt or imazalil at 0.008% wt/wt antagonized triallate and decreased injury to wheat from triallate at 0.6 kg ha–1. Maneb plus lindane or mancozeb treatment of wheat seed increased injury from triallate.

Growth of perennial sowthistle was examined under different levels of soil pH, soil moisture content, light intensity, and temperature. Soil pH ranging from 5.2 to 7.2 had little effect on the number of leaves, rosette diameter, plant height, and number of capitula. However, total dry weight was 30% less in plants grown in soil of pH 5.2 compared to those grown at higher soil pH levels. Perennial sowthistle demonstrated a consistent positive growth response to increasing soil water including saturation. Severe reduction in vegetative and reproductive growth occurred in plants grown in soil below field capacity. Plants grown under full light (1015 μE m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density) developed a fourfold increase in the number of capitula per plant and a 50% increase in total dry weight compared to plants grown at 285 μE m−2 s−1. Initiation of reproduction was delayed 4 weeks for plants grown at 580 μE m−2 s−1 and 285 μE m−2 s−1. Plants grown under less than full light developed fewer but larger leaves. Plants grown under a day/night temperature of 20/15 C grew more rapidly than those under 30/25 C or 10/5 C. Plants at 30/25 C began to senesce 7 to 8 weeks after planting. Net carbon assimilation, leaf conductance, transpiration, and water use efficiency decreased as soil moisture and light intensity decreased. Plants at 30/25 C had the highest rate of transpiration and the lowest water use efficiency. The observed optimum for perennial sowthistle growth occurred at a soil pH of 6.2 or 7.2, water-saturated soil, high light intensity, and a temperature of 20/15 C, day/night.

Total weed density increased after 1 yr of no-tillage and after 2 yr of conventional tillage in a 4-yr experiment with repeated assignment of the same treatment to the same plots. Large crabgrass, goosegrass, and carpetweed densities were higher in the no-tillage compared with the conventional-tillage treatment in at least 1 yr whereas common lambsquarters density was greater in the conventional-tillage treatment the last year of the experiment. Within the no-tillage treatment, rye or hairy vetch residue reduced total weed density an average of 78% compared to the treatment without cover crop when cover crop biomass exceeded 300 g m–2 and when residue covered more than 90% of the soil. Goosegrass, stinkgrass, and carpetweed densities were reduced by cover crop residue in at least 1 yr whereas large crabgrass was unaffected. Common lambsquarters density increased where rye was grown as a cover crop prior to conventional tillage. Despite differences in weed density among treatments, weed biomass was equivalent in all treatments during the last 2 yr.

Dormant weed seeds are difficult to kill and, with the exception of soil sterilization methods, current weed control techniques are not effective against dormant weed seeds. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of temperature, light, soil moisture, burial depth, ethephon, and potassium nitrate (KNO3), and their interactions on the germination of false chamomile seeds under controlled conditions. False chamomile was photoblastic and thermophilic and germinated rapidly within the first 4 days of incubation under all conditions. Regression analysis indicated that ethephon and KNO3 had quadratic effects on false chamomile germination. Ethephon enhanced germination more than KNO3. There was a linear reduction in germination with increased storage time, and it is projected that zero germination should occur after 9 yr of storage at room temperature. Soil moisture had a positive linear effect and a positive interaction with ethephon on false chamomile germination. Very little germination occurred when seeds were buried 5 cm deep even with high soil moisture.

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine effects of light, water, and chlorsulfuron on growth of Canada thistle. In the greenhouse, shoot and root dry weight, leaf area, and number of inflorescences decreased as light and water levels decreased. In the field, shoot and root dry weight, leaf area, and number of Canada thistle inflorescences were positively correlated with light intensity from 1832 to 30 μmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). The greatest effect of light was on inflorescence production which was eliminated at 30 μmol m−2 s−1 (PPFD). The combined effect of water stress and chlorsulfuron decreased root and shoot growth but did not eliminate it.

The effect of tillage systems on depth of emergence and densities of giant and green foxtail under different environmental and cropping conditions were evaluated from 1985 to 1987 at Arlington, Hancock, and Janesville, WI. Mean emergence depths in no-till were the shallowest, followed by chisel plow and conventional tillage at each location. At least 40% of the giant and green foxtail plants emerged from the upper 1 cm of soil in no-till compared to about 25% in chisel plow and less than 15% in conventional tillage. As many as 25% of the plants emerged from greater than 4 cm in conventional tillage compared to about 10% in chisel plow and less than 5% in no-till. Seedlings emerged from greater depths in a loamy sand than in a silt loam soil regardless of tillage system. At Arlington, green foxtail was the dominant species in conventional tillage, while giant foxtail dominated in chisel plow and no-till. Foxtail densities were greater in chisel plow and no-till than in conventional tillage at all three locations.

Four field locations were used to compare environmental factors on efficacy of four postemergence grass herbicides in Kentucky bluegrass and bermudagrass turf. Imazaquin, BAS 514, and tridiphane were compared to fenoxaprop-ethyl, a registered herbicide, for postemergence control of large crabgrass. Best large crabgrass control was provided by BAS 514 and fenoxaprop-ethyl. Use of BAS 514 gave equal turf quality, phytotoxicity to the turf, large crabgrass control, and stand compared to fenoxaprop-ethyl. Imazaquin and tridiphane reduced turf quality and were phytotoxic to both turf types, and did not control large crabgrass adequately.

Controlled-environment experiments were conducted to determine the effects of soil temperatures of 5 to 20 C, seed depths of 0 to 6 cm, and above- or below-seed cyanazine placement on germination and seedling development of giant foxtail and velvetleaf. Giant foxtail did not germinate at 5 C and failed to emerge from 6 cm deep within 21 days at 10 C. Increasing soil temperature above 10 C increased giant foxtail germination and emergence. Velvetleaf germinated at 5 C but did not emerge within 21 days. Velvetleaf emerged within 21 days from soil depths of 2 to 6 cm at soil temperatures of 10, 15, and 20 C. Giant foxtail and velvetleaf seed germinated on a soil surface kept moist by mulch or frequent watering. Giant foxtail seedling survival was 100% after germination on the soil surface. Velvetleaf often failed to become established; only 28% of the velvetleaf that germinated at 20 C survived. Injury to giant foxtail by cyanazine increased with increasing soil temperatures and decreasing seed depths. Cyanazine placement above or below the seed did not have a consistent effect on giant foxtail injury. Cyanazine placed above the seed was more injurious to velvetleaf than placement below at 15 and 20 C. Differential responses of giant foxtail and velvetleaf seed germination and seedling survivability to initial seed depth appears to be a major factor in weed population shifts when tillage is reduced or eliminated.

Studies were undertaken to determine effects of scarification, temperature, stratification, pH, and osmotic potential on seed germination; to determine the effect of planting depth on emergence; to describe the emergence sequence; and to quantify seedling development of bigroot morningglory. Mechanical and chemical scarification caused increased germination but cool, moist stratification did not break dormancy. Optimum germination occurred at 20 and 25 C and with alternating temperatures of 20/10 and 30/20 C. The optimum pH range for germination was between 6 and 8.5. Increasing the solution osmotic potential decreased germination linearly from 90% at −0.08 MPa to 0% at −0.8 MPa. Plant establishment was best at 2 to 4 cm and decreased at greater seeding depths. Seedling emergence was observed and recorded and found not to fit the classical models of hypogeal or epigeal emergence. Only 3% of 5-day-old seedlings sprouted after being clipped to the root crown. When seedlings were 11 days old at clipping, over 85% of the plants sprouted. These results indicate that bigroot morningglory has the potential to successfully reproduce by seed and that the rapid development of the plant should be considered when designing control programs.

Emergence periodicity of common purslane, hemp sesbania, horse purslane, prickly sida, spurred anoda, and velvetleaf was determined from March to October during 5 yr at Stoneville, MS, in the absence of reseeding. In early March of each year prior to emergence determinations, plots were not tilled or tilled to depths of 0, 5, 10, or 15 cm. Yearly emergence periodicity of the six weed species was not affected by tillage. In each year, weeds of all species emerged in identifiable flushes and very few emerged at other times during the growing season. Velvetleaf emerged mainly during the early growing season from March through May. Peak periods of emergence for the other species varied slightly over the 5 yr, but conformed generally to the early or the midseason peak period (June, July, and August) or both. In most years, common purslane, horse purslane, hemp sesbania, prickly sida, and spurred anoda emerged during the midseason period. Annual patterns of temperature fluctuations were similar during the 5 yr, but relatively warm soil temperatures during the early growing season of 1977 may have caused earlier emergence of velvetleaf, prickly sida, and hemp sesbania. Weekly water balance (rainfall minus open-pan evaporation) varied during March through May of each year but was negative during each June, July, and August. Apparently the main effect of a positive water balance during most of the year was to cause merger of the early and midseason peak emergence periods in 1979. Early and midseason emergence peaks were possibly due to different populations of seeds able to germinate in cooler soil temperatures of the early season and warmer soil temperatures of the midseason, respectively.

Cultivation timings were used in conjunction with postemergence herbicides to determine their effect on sicklepod control in soybean. Treatments using cultivation alone resulted in less than 70% sicklepod control. A postemergence application of chlorimuron following metribuzin applied postemergence was usually more effective in controlling sicklepod with cultivation 7 days after application than with cultivation 3 days before or at application, or with no cultivation. Cultivation at any timing in conjunction with a postemergence application of imazaquin following imazaquin preemergence improved sicklepod control compared to imazaquin without cultivation. Sicklepod control with chlorimuron postemergence followed by cultivation 7 days after application was as good as or better than two sequential applications of chlorimuron with no cultivation. Imazaquin or metribuzin preemergence followed only by cultivation provided less than 80% control in two of three experiments.

Field studies were conducted in Louisiana to determine growth and yield effects resulting from the accidental application of the isopropylamine formulation of glyphosate to sugarcane. Glyphosate at 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 kg ae ha–1 was applied in water at 90 L ha–1 in May, June, and August. Sugar yields (kg ha–1) were reduced 44% when glyphosate was applied over the top of sugarcane at 0.2 kg ha–1 in June; similar reductions for the May and August applications required 0.4 kg ha–1. Reductions in sugar yield were primarily attributed to reductions in both cane yield and recoverable sugar in the crushed juice because stalk populations and stalk weights were lowered and immature stalks that survived contained less sugar. The recoverability of the subsequent ratoon crop was also affected, particularly when glyphosate was applied in May and June to the previous crop at rates of 0.4 kg ha–1 and higher.

Seed survival of jointed goatgrass over 2 yr was related to cyclical seasonal changes in ability to germinate, field emergence, and seasonal precipitation and air temperature. The ability of seed to germinate was studied by incubating spikelets under constant, defined incubation conditions after retrieving samples from the field every 2 weeks over 2 yr. Less than 8% of jointed goatgrass seed that were initially set outdoors survived beyond 2 yr when left undisturbed on the soil surface or buried 5 cm deep. Periods of greatest seed loss coincided with periods of peak emergence in fall (late September and October). The ability of seed to germinate also peaked in fall and preceded the period of greatest field emergence and greatest decreases in seed survival.

Field violet germination occurred during May to early July and again during September to November in Nova Scotia (N.S.), Canada. Germination occurred from October until early April in the North Carolina (NC) piedmont. Germination was stimulated by tillage. Seed collected in N.S. and in NC germinated optimally in the dark under a temperature regime of 15/5 C, on an 8/16 h thermoperiod. Germination at constant temperatures decreased with increasing temperatures, from 5 to 25 C. Seed collected in NC was capable of germinating at a higher constant temperature of 25 C than seed collected in N.S. Germination of seed collected in NC was partially inhibited by constant irradiance with a photosynthetic photon flux density of 100 μM m−2 s−1 (400 to 700 nm). Seed did not germinate when exposed to constant red or far-red irradiance.

The effects of quackgrass shoot populations shortly after emergence, and dry weight at harvest on yield of canola were determined in four field experiments conducted near Vegreville, Alberta in 1986 and 1988. A hyperbolic model described the data well in most cases and indicated little intraspecific quackgrass interference among quackgrass shoots until populations exceeded 200 shoots m−2. Magnitudes of predicted canola yield losses among experiments were close, even though quackgrass-free yields varied. A pooled hyperbolic equation, based on shoot density, predicted that an intermediate quackgrass infestation of 50 to 100 shoots m−2 would reduce canola yield by 18 to 32%. An economic threshold model based on the hyperbolic model provides a means of estimating when control of quackgrass with herbicides is economical.

Field trials were conducted in 1986 and 1987 to determine the effects of moisture on cinmethylin activity. The herbicide was applied preemergence at rates of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 kg ai ha−1 to both dry and moist sandy loam soil, followed by varying irrigation regimes. Plant species used in the study included soybean, snap bean, cotton, peanut, and cucumber. Peanut was the most tolerant to cinmethylin, followed by cotton, soybean, snap bean, and cucumber. When cinmethylin was applied to a moist soil, less crop injury resulted than when it was applied to a dry soil. If 7.6 cm of water was applied shortly after cinmethylin application to a dry soil, severe crop injury occurred. When 2.5 cm of irrigation was applied within 8 h or at 5 days after cinmethylin application to a dry soil, crop injury was reduced when compared to applying 7.6 cm irrigation.

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine the influence of herbicide rate, hybrid variability, and soil moisture on the effectiveness of CGA-154281 in protecting corn seedlings from metolachlor injury. High rates of metolachlor caused significant injury to seedlings of sensitive corn hybrids. However, with metolachlor plus CGA-154281, very few injury symptoms were observed, even with the 7.8 kg ha–1 rate and the most sensitive hybrid. Corn seedlings were not injured by metolachlor plus CGA-154281 at the highest soil moisture level evaluated, whereas those treated with metolachlor alone showed 70% injury. Metolachlor injury increased as soil moisture content increased. In the greenhouse, CGA-154281 did not protect any of the eight weed species tested against injury by 2.2 kg ha–1 metolachlor. In laboratory studies, CGA-154281 did not alter the absorption of 14C-metolachlor during an 8-h period. Qualitative comparison of the metabolism of metolachlor in the presence or absence of the protectant indicated that metolachlor was metabolized to a more polar metabolite, believed to be a glutathione conjugate. However, CGA-154281 significantly enhanced the rate of metabolism of metolachlor in three of the four hybrids tested. Metolachlor metabolism activity may already have been functioning at a maximum level in the unaffected hybrid.

Effects of wild proso millet interference with irrigated corn were evaluated in Nebraska and Colorado over a 2-yr period. Corn yield reductions ranged from 13 to 22% from a wild proso millet density of 10 plants m–2. As density increased, corn yield reduction could be predicted with a rectangular hyperbola regression model. Ten wild proso millet plants m–2 growing with corn produced 4200 to 6200 seed m–2. Corn yields were reduced 10% at one location if wild proso millet removal was delayed 2 weeks after corn planting. If removal was further delayed until 6 weeks after corn planting, corn yield reductions at the two locations ranged from 16 to 28%.

A 6-yr field study was conducted to determine the effect of herbicide rotations on enhanced biodegradation of EPTC applied with and without dietholate, and on long-term control of wild-proso millet in sweet corn. Alachlor plus pendimethalin plus cyanazine or cycloate plus cyanazine for 1 yr following previous EPTC plus cyanazine applications reduced enhanced EPTC biodegradation in 3 of 4 and 2 of 3 yr, respectively. Enhanced biodegradation of EPTC applied with dietholate was reduced in 1 of 2 yr when EPTC plus dietholate plus cyanazine treatments were followed for 1 yr by alachlor plus cyanazine, pendimethalin plus cyanazine, or cycloate plus cyanazine, but was not reduced in 2 of 3 yr when EPTC plus dietholate plus cyanazine treatments were followed for 1 yr by alachlor plus pendimethalin plus cyanazine. Dietholate biodegradation was enhanced in soils treated 1, 2, or 3 yr previously with one application of EPTC plus dietholate plus cyanazine. After 3 yr of repeated use, cycloate biodegradation was also enhanced. Continuous use of EPTC plus cyanazine and EPTC plus dietholate plus cyanazine over 6 yr provided an average of only 46 and 64% wild-proso millet control, respectively. When applied once every second, third, or fourth year in rotation with alachlor plus pendimethalin plus cyanazine or cycloate plus cyanazine, EPTC plus cyanazine provided 83, 86, and 95% wild-proso millet control, respectively. EPTC plus dietholate plus cyanazine applied every second, third, or fourth year in rotation with cycloate plus cyanazine, alachlor plus cyanazine, pendimethalin plus cyanazine, or alachlor plus by pendimethalin plus cyanazine provided 88, 91, and 95% wild-proso millet control, respectively.