An experiment was conducted at five locations in North Carolina to compare management systems utilizing glufosinate applied postemergence (POST) in glufosinate-resistant corn with standard systems of metolachlor plus atrazine preemergence (PRE) or nicosulfuron plus atrazine POST Glufosinate alone and both standard systems controlled common ragweed and prickly sida at least 98%, whereas sicklepod control was < 20% late in the season. Late-season control of common lambsquarters, smooth pigweed, pitted morningglory, and tall morningglory was generally less with glufosinate alone than with the standard systems. However, late-season control of common lambsquarters, smooth pigweed, pitted morningglory, tall morningglory, and sicklepod by mixtures of glufosinate plus atrazine was at least 99, 100, 89, 93, and 81%, respectively, and was equal to or greater than control by either standard. Broadleaf signalgrass, large crabgrass, and fall panicum were controlled similarly by glufosinate and the standards. Goosegrass control by glufosinate was similar to control by nicosulfuron plus atrazine, but it was less than control by metolachlor plus atrazine. Metolachlor applied PRE or atrazine mixed with glufosinate increased goosegrass control to that achieved with metolachlor plus atrazine. Mixing atrazine with glufosinate did not affect fall panicum control, but metolachlor PRE followed by glufosinate controlled fall panicum as well as the standards. Cultivation or ametryn applied at layby increased control when PRE or POST herbicides alone controlled weeds less than about 90%. Ametryn was generally more effective than cultivation. Glufosinate POST followed by ametryn at layby controlled sicklepod > 90% and other species > 95% late in the season. Corn yield and net returns were similar in the glufosinate and standard systems.

Certain salts in the spray carrier can antagonize sethoxydim, while other salts overcome the antagonism or increase the herbicide's efficacy. Sethoxydim responses to salts have not been consistent, and the inconsistency is not completely understood. Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine sethoxydim phytotoxicity to oat as influenced by salts in the spray carrier and by air temperature at and immediately after application as they alter the spray deposit characteristics. Thick amorphous spray deposits were related to ineffective sethoxydim-petroleum oil adjuvant treatments applied alone at 10 C or with bentazon at 10 or 25 C. Also, thin deposits with salt residues were related to ineffective sethoxydim treatments, as when sodium bicarbonate was present. Ammonium sulfate reduced or overcame antagonism of sethoxydim phytotoxicity caused by low temperature, bentazon, and sodium bicarbonate and gave thin deposits having close contact with the leaf epicuticular surface but without obvious salt deposits. UV light antagonism of sethoxydim phytotoxicity was different depending on temperature at and shortly after application and depending on salts in the spray mixture. The results indicate that salts in a bentazon spray carrier are in part antagonistic because of their effect on final spray deposit.

The dissipation of four commonly used soil-applied herbicides was examined in a standardized field experiment in three southern states (Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee). Averaged over the three soils and 2 yr, the relative order of increasing half-life defined as time for 50% disappearance in days (DT50) was acetochlor (6.3 d) = alachlor (6.3 d) = SAN 582 (7.3 d) < metolachlor (13.7 d). Metolachlor was the most persistent in the soil surface, and this could potentially translate into greater duration of weed control into the growing season. All examined herbicides had a DT50 that averaged less than 14 d in all states in both years, so full-season weed control of susceptible species would not be expected. Rapid herbicide degradation was encouraged in these field sites by adequate to excessive soil moisture and warm temperatures throughout the sampling interval. The soils also were light textured, and the lower adsorption of the herbicide allowed for degradation ease and perhaps leaching below the sampling depth.

A 4-yr field experiment was conducted to determine the merits of combining cultural and chemical controls to manage foxtail barley in reduced-tillage systems. Factors studied were crop row spacing, seeding rate, and application rate and timing of glyphosate within a spring wheat-flax cropping sequence. Glyphosate applied preseeding at 400 or 800 g/ha killed foxtail barley seedlings but only suppressed established perennial plants. Glyphosate applied postharvest at 800 g/ha killed 60 to 70% of established plants. Combinations of preseeding and postharvest glyphosate gave the greatest reductions in foxtail barley biomass and seed production and resulted in the greatest increases in crop yield. Including flax in the rotation allowed use of grass herbicides such as quizalofop or sethoxydim that effectively controlled foxtail barley seedlings and provided some suppression of perennial plants. An increase in wheat seeding rate from 75 to 115 kg/ha reduced foxtail barley growth and increased wheat yield in 3 of 4 yr. Increasing the flax seeding rate from 40 to 80 kg/ha or reducing wheat and flax row spacing from 30 to 20 cm provided little benefit in managing foxtail barley or increasing crop yield. A multiyear approach combining agronomic practices and timely use of herbicides should allow growers to effectively manage foxtail barley in annual cropping systems using conservation tillage.

Field experiments were conducted in 1995 and 1996 at DeKalb and Urbana, IL, to evaluate weed management systems in glyphosate-resistant soybean planted in rows 76 cm wide. These experiments compared weed control using preemergence (PRE) herbicides followed by glyphosate or postemergence (POST) tank-mix combinations of glyphosate and acetolactate-synthase-inhibiting herbicides with glyphosate applied alone at 0.63 kg ae/ha in single or sequential applications. Overall, the use of a tank-mix partner or a PRE herbicide followed by glyphosate improved weed control compared to a single application of glyphosate. However, weed control with these treatments was not better than with sequential applications of glyphosate. Control of giant foxtail exceeded 90% for single applications of glyphosate except at DeKalb in 1995 when late emergence of giant foxtail occurred after POST applications had been made. A PRE grass herbicide or a late postemergence (LPOST) application of glyphosate was necessary for season-long control of late-emerging giant foxtail. Tank-mixing glyphosate with imazethapyr, cloransulammethyl, and CGA-277476 or applying glyphosate LPOST following these herbicides improved giant foxtail control compared with these herbicides applied alone. A single application of glyphosate controlled common lambsquarters 88% or greater in two of three trials. At Urbana in 1995, a single application of glyphosate controlled common lambsquarters 78% compared to 88 to 96% control with PRE herbicides followed by glyphosate or sequential applications of glyphosate. Velvetleaf control with a single application of glyphosate ranged from 55 to 78%. A PRE application of chlorimuron + metribuzin, cloransulammethyl, or sulfentrazone followed by glyphosate POST, as well as sequential applications of glyphosate, consistently improved velvetleaf control compared to a single application of glyphosate. In some cases, adding glyphosate to a POST application of imazethapyr or CGA-277476 improved control of velvetleaf but decreased velvetleaf control when added to cloransulammethyl.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate potential interactions among glyphosate mixtures with five acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides (chlorimuron, imazamox, imazaquin, MON 12,000, or pyrithiobac) for the control of purple nutsedge and sicklepod at two growth stages. Herbicides were tested alone at 0.5X and 1X rates (1X being suggested use rate for these herbicides) and in combination with glyphosate at 560 (0.5X) and 1,120 (1X) g ai/ha on 3-wk-old plants and at 1,120 g/ha on 6-wk-old plants. Glyphosate alone at 1,120 g/ha gave complete control of purple nutsedge and at least 78% control of sicklepod regardless of growth stage. In 3-wk-old purple nutsedge plants, three of the 20 herbicide combinations were antagonistic and 17 combinations were additive, whereas all five combinations were additive in 6-wk-old plants. In sicklepod, eight combinations were antagonistic and 12 combinations were additive in 3-wk-old plants, and all five combinations were antagonistic in 6-wk-old plants. In 3-wk-old plants, the glyphosate (0.5X) plus imazaquin (0.5X) combination resulted in highest antagonism in purple nutsedge control (79%), and the combination of glyphosate (0.5X) plus imazamox (0.5X) resulted in highest antagonism in sicklepod control (54%). These results indicate that mixing chlorimuron, imazamox, imazaquin, MON 12,000, or pyrithiobac with glyphosate does not increase glyphosate efficacy on purple nutsedge or sicklepod.

Johnsongrass, a tall, coarse, perennial grass, is the second most common and troublesome weed in field corn in Texas. Field experiments were conducted in 1996 to 1998 to evaluate an integrated johnsongrass management program in bedded and irrigated field corn. Nicosulfuron at 26.3 g ai/ha applied banded over the row to 50% of the planted area plus one cultivation resulted in johnsongrass control of aboveground and rhizome biomass and in corn yield comparable to the labeled rate (35 g ai/ha) when applied two consecutive years in the same plots. This treatment reduced cost 27% and reduced herbicide input 62% compared to nicosulfuron applied broadcast at labeled rate without cultivation. Economic benefits of this johnsongrass management program are promising for field corn producers.

A 3-yr study was conducted in eastern Wyoming from 1995 to 1997 to evaluate the effect of fertilizer placement on jointed goatgrass competitiveness with winter wheat. Fertilizer placement methods consisted of applying 45 kg/ha of nitrogen (50% as urea and 50% as ammonium nitrate) in a deep band 5 cm below and 2.5 cm to the side of the wheat row, broadcasting on the soil surface, or injecting fertilizer by spoke wheel 10 cm deep and 5 cm to the side of the wheat row. Neither fertilizer placement nor jointed goatgrass presence affected winter wheat stand. Wheat yield reductions from jointed goatgrass competition were 7 and 10% higher with the broadcast than deep-band or spoke-wheel injection methods, respectively. Wheat spikes/plant, seeds/spike, 200-seed weight, and plant height were not influenced by fertilizer placement; however, the presence of 35 jointed goatgrass plants/m2 reduced spikes/plant 21%, seeds/spike 12%, and 200-seed weight 6%. Jointed goatgrass populations were not influenced by fertilizer placement method; however, the number of spikes/plant was reduced 8 and 10%, joints/spike 3%, and biomass 15 and 21% by deep band or spoke wheel fertilizer placement.

Field trials evaluated sequential applications of plant growth retardants (PGRs) to bahiagrass for a 3-yr period at two Florida locations: Newberry (north Florida) and Okeechobee (south Florida). Seven PGRs from various chemical families were used: glyphosate, fluazifop, sethoxydim, maleic hydrazide, trinexapac-ethyl, imazapic, and imazaquin. In 1991 and 1992, PGRs reduced turf color for 2 to 4 wk after treatment (WAT) at the Newberry location but remained above acceptable levels (> 5.0) and recovered by 6 WAT. In 1993, glyphosate, fluazifop, and maleic hydrazide reduced turf color below acceptable levels (< 5.0) 4 WAT, but turf color was acceptable by 6 WAT. Turf color was slightly reduced following single and sequential imazapic applications in Okeechobee; however, turf recovered by 8 WAT. Cumulative seedhead suppression at both locations increased during the 3 yr resulting in at least a 60% reduction in seedhead numbers. Seedhead production each year was 10 to 50% less at 12 WAT in treated plots than in the previous year. Single applications of imazapic and imazapic + imazaquin provided 85 to 100% seedhead suppression for 12 WAT and 100% suppression for up to 16 wk following sequential applications made 8 wk after the initial application (WAI). Single applications of glyphosate, fluazifop, and maleic hydrazide provided ≥ 70% seedhead suppression for 4 to 8 WAT. Sequential applications of fluazifop made 8 WAI provided > 70% control of seedheads through 8 to 16 WAI for 3 yr.

A commercial fertilizer (40-0-0, N-P-K) was screened into seven particle size fractions (23, 58, 165, 465, 1,310, 3,728, or 10,606 particles/g) and coated with dithiopyr (0.345%, wt/wt), prodiamine (0.689%), oryzalin (3.28%), or oxadiazon (2.76%). Dithiopyr and oryzalin provided best southern crabgrass control with a fertilizer size of 465 particles/g or greater, whereas prodiamine controlled southern crabgrass greatest using a size fraction at least 165 particles/g. Southern crabgrass control with oxadiazon was not as dependent on particle size, with all fraction sizes of 58 or 165 particles/g or greater controlling southern crabgrass equally in 1995 or 1996, respectively.

Clomazone was applied preplant incorporated, preemergence, delayed preemergence, or postemergence and compared to pendimethalin, quinclorac, and thiobencarb for control of barnyardgrass in rice. Seven days after the clomazone postemergence application, all clomazone treatments except those applied postemergence controlled barnyardgrass ≥ 86%. At 49 d after the postemergence application, control of barnyardgrass with 0.56 and 0.67 kg/ha clomazone postemergence improved to 92 and 93%, respectively. Clomazone and quinclorac applied delayed preemergence generally controlled barnyardgrass less than 70%. Visible injury to rice was ≤ 18% 7 d after emergence and had declined to less than 10% when evaluated 7 d after postemergence treatments. Rice yields were higher with all treatments compared to the nontreated control.

Control of natural infestations of common lambsquarters and giant foxtail in 1993, 1994, and 1995 and of velvetleaf in 1994 and 1995 by postemergence application of glyphosate to glyphosate-resistant soybean planted in narrow (20 cm) and wide (76 cm) rows was evaluated. Planting glyphosate-resistant soybean in narrow rows and applying reduced rates of glyphosate when common lambsquarters, giant foxtail, and velvetleaf were at their actively growing stage 3 to 18 cm, 5 to 28 cm, and 3 to 20 cm tall, respectively, resulted in > 90% control. The effect of time of herbicide application was greater than the rate of herbicide application, especially within the wide-row soybean plantings. Applying imazethapyr in combination with glyphosate did not improve weed control or soybean yield compared with glyphosate alone.

Paraquat, cultivation, or cultivation plus oat interseeding (56 or 84 kg/ha) into established alfalfa were evaluated for their effect on weeds, forage yield, and forage composition at Santa Ynez, Lancaster, and Stockton, CA. Treatments were applied during the winter to dormant alfalfa and evaluated in the subsequent harvest season. Paraquat reduced first harvest total forage yields 20 to 33% compared to untreated alfalfa, whereas oat interseeding increased total forage yields 16 to 36%. Cultivation reduced total forage yield in the first cutting by 26% at Lancaster but did not affect forage yield at the other sites. Total or component forage yields were not affected by any treatment in the second and subsequent harvests, with the exception of weeds. Paraquat reduced weed biomass in the first harvest by 45 and 49% at Lancaster and Stockton. Oat interseeding reduced first harvest weed biomass by 80% at Lancaster but did not affect weed biomass at Stockton or Santa Ynez. Oat interseeding or paraquat treatment reduced weed biomass in the second harvest at Stockton, but did not affect weeds in any other harvest at any of the sites. Oat interseeding was comparable to paraquat treatment for weed control, with the advantage of also increasing first harvest forage yield.

Field experiments were conducted over 3 yr at two locations in northwest Kansas to evaluate the efficacy and crop tolerance of EXP 31130A alone and with other herbicides in corn. EXP 31130A alone and in combination with acetochlor, atrazine, or metolachlor controlled kochia and redroot pigweed 93% or greater regardless of location, year, or tillage system. Green foxtail control in 1997 and 1998 was > 90% with EXP 31130A in combination with chloroacetamide herbicides but varied among experiments with EXP 31130A alone. Control of puncturevine with EXP 31130A alone or in tank mixtures was 75% or greater at five of six sites. EXP 31130A alone and in combinations caused minor, early-season, corn leaf bleaching and/or stunting under conventional tillage. However, no injury was detected in no-till systems. In 1996, no-till corn receiving EXP 31130A treatments yielded similarly or up to 29% more than hand-weeded corn. Yields did not differ among treated, untreated, and hand-weeded corn in 1996 under conventional tillage, where weed interference was not as intense as under no-till conditions. Conventional-tillage corn receiving EXP 31130A alone or in tank mixtures in 1997 yielded similarly to hand-weeded corn. Averaged over experiments, corn yield in 1998 increased by 10 to 18% with applications of EXP 31130A alone or in combinations compared to untreated corn.

Weed management systems were compared in bromoxynil-resistant, glyphosate-resistant, and nontransgenic cotton. A standard system of pendimethalin preplant incorporated (PPI), fluometuron preemergence (PRE), fluometuron plus MSMA early postemergence-directed (POST-DIR), and cyanazine plus MSMA late POST-DIR in combination with cultivation controlled broadleaf signalgrass, large crabgrass, common lambsquarters, jimsonweed, pitted morningglory, prickly sida, sicklepod, and smooth pigweed 98 to 100% late season. Weed control, cotton yield, and net returns were similar when pyrithiobac or bromoxynil plus MSMA postemergence (POST) replaced fluometuron plus MSMA POST-DIR. Fluometuron PRE had little to no effect in bromoxynil systems. Glyphosate POST to three- to four-leaf-stage cotton followed by cyanazine plus MSMA late POST-DIR and cultivation controlled weeds 96 to 100%. Glyphosate POST followed by glyphosate POST-DIR and cultivation controlled pitted morningglory and large crabgrass 89 to 90% and other species at least 94%. Yields and net returns at one location were similar for glyphosate applied twice or glyphosate POST followed by cyanazine plus MSMA POST-DIR and the standard system. Pendimethalin plus fluometuron in glyphosate systems did not increase yield or net returns. At a location severely infested with large crabgrass, pendimethalin plus fluometuron in glyphosate systems increased yield 37 to 44% and net returns 85 to 108%, respectively, when glyphosate was applied to cotton at the three-to four-leaf stage, but not if glyphosate was applied to cotton at the one-leaf stage. Yield and net returns were similar when bromoxynil-resistant, glyphosate-resistant, and nontransgenic cotton were treated using the standard system.

Large crabgrass is a problem weed in horticultural crops, particularly in turfgrass in the southeastern United States. If growth of large crabgrass could be suppressed via soil pH or calcium levels, control of this weed in turfgrass might be improved while minimizing herbicide usage. To determine the effect of soil calcium and pH on germination and growth of large crabgrass, seeds were sown in a loamy sand soil amended with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) that established a range of soil pH from 4.8 to 7.8. Seeds were also sown in soil amended similarly with calcium sulfate (CaSO4), which does not affect pH, that established a range of exchangeable Ca levels corresponding to the Ca range in CaCO3 from pH 4.8 to 7.8. Seed germination of large crabgrass was unaffected by pH when soil was amended with CaCO3, whereas seed germination decreased with increasing pH when soil was amended with MgCO3. Crabgrass germination was not affected by Ca (CaSO4) independent of pH changes. Increasing soil pH reduced shoot and root dry weights of seedlings regardless of material used to raise pH. Maximum shoot dry weights occurred at pH 4.8 in the unamended soil, whereas maximum root dry weights occurred at ranges from pH 5.8 to 6.3 for CaCO3 and pH 5.3 to 5.8 for MgCO3. Shoot and root dry weights were not affected by Ca when soil was amended with CaSO4. By raising soil pH levels, the growth of large crabgrass and its ability to compete with turfgrass may be reduced. Raising exchangeable Ca does not appear to be an effective management tool for control of this weed species.

Herbicides from several chemical families were evaluated in the greenhouse for preemergence control of perennial weed species emerging from seeds. Weed species were bermudagrass, johnsongrass, Canada thistle, common milkweed, common pokeweed, hemp dogbane, and horsenettle. Atrazine, cloransulam, chlorimuron, clomazone, flumetsulam, imazaquin, linuron, metolachlor, metribuzin, pendimethalin, and sulfentrazone were used representing common preemergence herbicide families used in the mid-Atlantic region for corn and soybean in a sandy loam soil. Hemp dogbane and common pokeweed were controlled (greater than 85%) by eight of the 11 herbicides in this study, indicating they may be the two most susceptible species in the trial. Metolachlor and pendimethalin provided control of only bermudagrass, and linuron controlled only Canada thistle. Cloransulam controlled all species except bermudagrass. Clomazone provided greater than 80% control of all species except horsenettle. Metribuzin alone or in combination with chlorimuron provided the broadest spectrum and highest level of control. Metribuzin provided greater than 85% control of all species except johnsongrass. Soil-applied herbicides can limit the establishment of perennial species from seeds.