Field studies determined the influence of developmental stage on mow-killing of winter wheat and rye. Both crops were clipped at either three or four different growth stages in 1992 and 1993. When mowed at first node, wheat biomass was 4350 and 1970 kg/ha in 1992 and 1993, respectively. At this stage, primary tiller apices were below 10 cm and regrowth was vigorous. Mowing prior to 75% heading consistently yielded more than 1000 kg/ha regrowth 8 wk later. Wheat cut after flowering produced 15 460 and 9160 kg/ha dry matter in 1992 and 1993, respectively, but less than 30 kg/ha total regrowth. At first and second node, rye produced 4440 and 1800 kg/ha biomass in 1992 and 1993. When mowed belore boot, more than 50% of the total rye biomass was due to regrowth. Rye mowed at boot yielded 6940 and 3740 kg/ha in 1992 and 1993 respectively, and regrowth measured 780 and 910 kg/ha 8 wk later. Mowing after flowering resulted in no measurable regrowth. Soil temperature and PAR were affected by mow-kill date and biomass. Biomass at first mowings (first and second node) in both wheat and rye reduced seasonal soil temperatures 3.5 C compared to bare soil temperatures; while biomass at kernal-filling lowered temperatures 6.0 C. Measured 8 wk after mowing, first node mowings absorbed between 55% and 70% PAR, while plants mowed at kernal-filling absorbed less than 5%.

Imazethapyr was evaluated PRE and POST in five lettuce types and chicory under Florida field conditions. The relative sensitivity of leafy crop vigor (most sensitive to most tolerant) to imazethapyr PRE, based on 20% inhibition determined using regression analysis, was as follows: Boston > bibb > crisphead > romaine > leaf > escarole > endive. Leafy crop injury increased as the rate of imazethapyr applied POST increased, with all leafy crops responding in a similar manner. Surfactant addition increased imazethapyr phytotoxicity. Imazethapyr PRE treatments at 0.067 kg ai/ha provided greater than 80% control of livid amaranth, common purslane, flatsedge, and common lambsquarters. Imazethapyr POST at 0.067 kg/ha, with surfactant provided control greater than 85% of all weed species. Greater than 85% spiny amaranth control was provided by imazethapyr POST at 0.017 kg/ha. Use of surfactant with imazethapyr did not improve spiny amaranth control over imazethapyr with no surfactant. POST treatments did not decrease leafy crop yield compared with the hand-weeded check. Imazethapyr applied PRE reduced crop yield compared to the POST treatments and the hand-weeded control.

Wild oat populations resistant to triallate have been identified in Alberta. Dose response experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine if triallate-resistant wild oat was controlled by other selective wild oat herbicides. Triallate-resistant wild oat populations were effectively controlled by atrazine, ethalfluralin, fenoxaprop-P, flamprop, imazamethabenz, and tralkoxydim. EPTC and cycloate, which are chemically related to triallate, differed in their efficacy on triallate-resistant wild oats. EPTC at the 0.25x field use rate was more efficacious on triallate-resistant than triallate-susceptible wild oat. In contrast, cycloate at the 0.25 to 0.5x field use rate was less efficacious on triallate-resistant than susceptible wild oats. At higher rates, both EPTC and cycloate killed triallate-resistant wild oat populations. Growers have several herbicide choices to selectively control triallate-resistant wild oat in prairie field crops but should plan to rotate herbicides among different chemical families and adopt integrated weed management practices to reduce the risk of these wild oat populations developing resistance to other wild oat herbicides.

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of three organosilicone surfactants (Silwet L-77®, Silwet® 408, and Sylgard® 309) and two blends of organosilicone surfactants with conventional adjuvants (Dyne-Amic® and Kinetic®) on the rainfastness of primisulfuron in velvetleaf. Four conventional adjuvants, Rigo Oil Concentrate, Agri-Dex®, methylated soybean oil, and X-77® were selected for comparison. Primisulfuron at 40 g ai/ha was applied alone or with the organosilicones, blends, or X-77 at 0.25% (v/v); the other adjuvants were tested at 1% (v/v). Simulated rainfall (1.25 cm/0.5 h) was applied at 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 2 h after treatment. Control ratings were made at 5-d intervals and shoot fresh weights were recorded 20 DAT. The organosilicone surfactants significantly increased the rainfastness of primisulfuron, even when simulated rainfall was applied at 0.25 or 0.5 h after treatment. Rigo Oil Concentrate and Kinetic also increased rainfastness when rainfall was applied 1 h after treatment. Differences among adjuvants were not as apparent when rainfall was applied 2 h after treatment. Regardless of the timing of simulated rainfall after treatment, there were significant differences between treatments and nontreated check; however, control was not acceptable in several instances.

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate seedling rice tolerance to haloxyfop and to determine soil moisture effects on root, shoot, and root plus shoot uptake. Visible injury to rice at 4 wk after treatment increased with each increase of haloxyfop rate from 40 to 160 g ai/ha, regardless of growth stage. Less injury was observed at equivalent rates in four-leaf than in younger rice. Similarly, equivalent haloxyfop rates reduced shoot fresh weight of one- to three-leaf rice more than shoot fresh weight of four-leaf rice. There was no interation between soil moisture levels (19 and 24%) and haloxyfop activity. Fresh weights were less when haloxyfop at 40 or 80 g/ha was absorbed by both roots and shoots than when absorption was by either roots or shoots alone. However, at 80 g/ha fresh weight was similar whether haloxyfop was absorbed by roots or shoots alone. Root uptake, in the presence of 160 g/ha haloxyfop, did not contribute to reduced fresh weight with root plus shoot treatments because of the initial foliar activity incurred.

Studies determined the effect of common lambsquarters, goosegrass, and a mixture of these on ‘Beauregard’ and ‘Jewel’ sweetpotato transplant production with or without polyethylene bed covers. Effects of herbicides on Beauregard in propagation beds were also studied. Black and infrared transmissible (IRT) plastic covers gave near 100% control of goosegrass and common lambsquarters, resulting in the greatest number and weight of Jewel transplants per plot. Common lambsquarters reduced transplant number and weight per plot with Jewel under clear plastic covers when compared with black and IRT plastic covers. Beauregard transplant number was not affected by row cover treatment. However, with data combined over all covers, Beauregard transplant weight per plot was lowest for treatments with weeds compared to weed-free plots. With the exception of DCPA, no significant (10% or greater) injury to Beauregard was observed with diphenamid, napropamide, chloramben, or chloramben plus fluazifop.

Field studies conducted from 1989 through 1991 evaluated methods of metolachlor application including POST followed by irrigation for yellow nutsedge control and peanut response. Metolachlor PPI stunted peanut in two of three years while metolachlor applied at emergence, 10, 20, or 30 days after peanut emergence (DAE) caused no peanut injury. Metolachlor 20 DAE provided > 95% yellow nutsedge control. Metolachlor soil-applied and again POST controlled yellow nutsedge at least 70%; however, some peanut stunting was noted. Bentazon plus metolachlor at 2.24 kg ai/ha controlled yellow nutsedge at least 92% when applied 30 DAE. Peanut yields were consistently the highest with metolachlor PRE at 1.40 kg ai/ha followed by a POST application of 1.40 kg ai/ha at 45 DAE.

Phytotoxins produced by the naturally-occurring rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain D7 (strain D7), in shake cultures from several media sources adversely affected downy brome at several growth stages and affected seeds, whole plants, and isolated cells. These uncharacterized phytotoxins inhibited root and shoot growth of downy brome by 80% in a seed germination agar assay at 2 and 400 ng total solids/ml, respectively. In a hydroponics assay, downy brome and winter wheat dry weights were reduced 50% by cell-free broth concentrations of 15 and 26% of the initial broth concentration, respectively, indicating an almost 2x selectivity between winter wheat and downy brome. Plant water use was reduced similarly. Plasma membranes of isolated protoplasts of downy brome were damaged within 2 h by diluted cell-free broth. Cold-precipitated phytotoxins of strain D7 produced in semi-synthetic and synthetic media reduced dry weight of downy brome seedlings by 100 and 89%, respectively, and killed plants rapidly.

DPX-79406 was evaluated for POST annual grass weed control in both controlled environment and field experiments. In controlled environment experiments, green foxtail was most susceptible to DPX-79406; whereas yellow foxtail was least susceptible of the species evaluated. DPX-79406 at 12 g/ha completely controlled six leaf black-seeded proso millet, yellow foxtail, green foxtail, and barnyardgrass. In the field, DPX-79406 at 3.0 to 25.0 g/ha effectively controlled annual grass weeds without injury to three- to six-leaf corn. There was more variation in the effectiveness of DPX-79406 applied in the field. Early POST applications provided less weed control than the late application, especially for barnyardgrass, because of weeds emerging after application. As a result, higher doses were sometimes needed for effective control. In weed-free field trials at two sites in 1990 and 1991, corn tolerated doses up to 75 g/ha of DPX-79406 applied at the three- to six-leaf growth stage. However, doses as low as 18.8 g/ha applied at the six- to nine-leaf growth stage reduced grain yield. In 1991, corn tillering increases and height and yield reductions were related linearly to the dose of DPX-79406 applied during later growth stages. DPX-79406 should be applied early POST in order to avoid crop injury while providing effective weed control.

The dinitroaniline herbicides, trifluralin and pendimethalin, are applied to approximately 90% of land seeded to cotton on the Texas Southern High Plains. Trifluralin and pendimethalin at 0.6 and 1.1 kg ai/ha were applied annually to plots from 1983 through 1994. Cotton stand counts, lint yield, and fiber quality varied from year-to-year due to environmental conditions. Differences in lint yield or fiber quality over the 11-yr period were not related to herbicide applications.

The efficacy of the safeners naphthalic anhydride (NA), CGA-92194, and CGA-133205 as protectants of grain sorghum and of NA, R-29148, CGA-154281, and dichlormid as protectants of corn against injury from the chloroacetamide herbicide, SAN 582H, was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. SAN 582H applied alone reduced the shoot growth of ‘Funk G522DR’ and ‘Funk G623’ sorghum, but had no effect on the growth of the ‘GP-10’ genotype of sorghum. Corn (‘Northrup-King 9283’ hybrid) was considerably more tolerant than grain sorghum to SAN 582H. The rate of SAN 582H causing 50% reduction of corn shoot height (GR50) was 5.1 kg/ha as compared to 1.1 kg/ha for grain sorghum. NA applied as seed dressing at 5 or 10 g/kg seed, provided moderate protection to ‘G522DR’ and ‘G623’ sorghum and no protection to corn against SAN 582H injury. Dressing of sorghum seeds with CGA-133205 provided moderate protection to G522DR sorghum, whereas seed-applied CGA-92194 provided moderate protection to G623 sorghum against SAN 582H. The dichloroacetamide safeners R-29148, dichlormid, and CGA-154281 were all effective as protectants of corn against SAN 582H injury. These results demonstrate that, as with other chloroacetamide herbicides, the tolerance of corn and grain sorghum to SAN 582H can be enhanced with the use of safeners of the dichloroacetamide type and oxime ether type, respectively.

Field studies were conducted for two years at two locations near Pendleton and Moro, OR to evaluate the influence of single sub-surface nitrogen (N) fertilizer application timings and multiple N applications on downy brome and winter wheat growth and yield. N applications in fallow, at planting, during the crop season, and several split N application timings were compared to evaluate downy brome interference in winter wheat. N application rates varied between locations as a function of average annual precipitation and accepted agricultural practice. Pendleton and Moro were considered high and low precipitation sites, respectively. At Pendleton in a year of above average precipitation, N applied at planting, in-crop, or split applications of N with part of N applied at planting and part in-crop, increased downy brome dry matter production compared to N applied in fallow. Downy brome infestation eliminated otherwise positive wheat yield benefits of split N application compared to the conventional commercial practice of N application in fallow. In a year of moderate precipitation, N applications at planting, in-crop, or split N applications did not benefit wheat yield compared to N application in fallow, but downy brome dry matter was increased. In a dry season, N rates and timings did not increase downy brome dry weight or wheat grain yield. In the absence of downy brome, alternative N application techniques increased wheat yield only under high growing season precipitation.

Time of hilling (4, 5, or 6 weeks after planting; WAP) and 0.5x, 1x, and split (0.5x + 0.5x) rates of metolachlor + metribuzin were evaluated in conventional tillage (CT) and rye-stubble, reduced tillage (RT) potato plots. Weed populations 4 to 10 WAP were generally higher in CT than in RT. Weed control was excellent in both tillage systems when 1x rates of metolachlor + metribuzin were applied delayed preemergence, or in a split application where 0.5x was applied delayed PRE and hilled 6 WAP, and followed with a second application of 0.5x metolachlor + metribuzin 7 days after hilling (DAH). Weed control with 0.5x rates of metolachlor + metribuzin applied 7 DAH, when hilled 4 and 5 WAP, was equivalent to the lx and split-rate treatments. Weed control was reduced only when hilling was delayed to 6 WAP and 0.5x of metolachlor + metribuzin applied 7 DAH. Total yields were not influenced by tillage, hilling, or herbicide treatment, however, larger numbers of green and small-sized tubers reduced marketable yields in RT.

An in-row competition study was conducted in 1991 and 1992 near Silver Lake, KS to determine the relationship of noncultivated common sunflower density to soybean yield, PAR at the soybean canopy, and common sunflower dry matter production. Because of environmental differences, year main effect interactions occurred, so results are presented by year. For example, 0.3 common sunflower plant/m2produced 4030 kg/ha of aboveground dry matter in 1991 and 1300 kg/ha in 1992. Soybean yield reduction ranged from 19 and 17% with 0.3 common sunflower plant/m2to 97 and 95% with 4.6 plant/m2, in 1991 and 1992, respectively. Assuming a treatment cost of $35/ha and a soybean market price of $0.21/kg, economic threshold levels were 0.1 common sunflower plant/m2in 1991, and 0.07 in 1992. Common sunflower at 0.3 plant/m2reduced PAR at the soybean canopy by 390 and 300 μE/m2/s, or 24 and 18% in 1991 and 1992, respectively. We conclude that the ability of common sunflower to intercept PAR above the soybean canopy is an important component in its interference with soybean.

Dithiopyr and prodiamine are new preemergence herbicides for crabgrass control in tall fescue and bermudagrass turf. A field experiment was conducted over a 2-yr period to determine the lowest rates of dithiopyr and prodiamine needed to control large crabgrass effectively in tall fescue and common bermudagrass. Prodiamine applied at 0.17 kg ai/ha in each of two applications controlled 92 to 93% of large crabgrass by late August in common bermudagrass and 78 to 85% in tall fescue. Dithiopyr applied at 0.11 kg ai/ha in each of two applications controlled 85 to 89% of large crabgrass in common bermudagrass, but the control was not consistent across years at any rate in tall fescue. Dithiopyr applied at 0.56 kg/ha on tall fescue controlled 91% of large crabgrass in 1993, but only 38% in 1994. The higher control with dithiopyr in common bermudagrass was due to greater competition with germinating large crabgrass seeds and emerging seedlings during the summer, compared with little or no competition from tall fescue. The quality of tall fescue and common bermudagrass treated with dithiopyr and prodiamine was generally higher in plots where large crabgrass was effectively controlled than in plots with poor control. In general, dithiopyr did not control large crabgrass as effectively in tall fescue as in common bermudagrass, while the control with prodiamine was similar for the two turfgrass species.

A computer model which selects least cost herbicide programs given a minimum desired level of weed control could provide growers with economical weed management options. Using an integer programming approach, a herbicide selection model was developed for corn production under Pennsylvania conditions. Models for three rotations (corn-soybean, corn-corn, and corn-alfalfa) under three tillage systems (conventional tillage, reduced tillage, and no-till) that evaluated 21 soil-applied and 13 postemergence herbicide options for 24 weeds were developed. Each model minimizes the cost of a herbicide program subject to a desired level of weed control. By selecting the weed species to be controlled and the level of control desired, customized herbicide programs can be generated. The models can also be used to evaluate the cost of changing the level of control desired for an individual weed species or set of weeds.

Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of soil pH ranging from 5.1 to 7.1 on imazaquin persistence on a Grundy silty clay loam (2.8% OM). Imazaquin residues were equivalent at pH 5.5 or higher but persisted longer at pH 5.1. Corn shoot growth was not different at any soil pH. Corn grain yields in 1993 were lower in imazaquin-treated plots than in the check plots at the lowest pH (5.1), where initial imazaquin soil concentrations were between 10 and 13 μg/kg across all pH levels. Corn grain yields were not affected by herbicide carryover in 1994 where soil imazaquin residues were well below critical levels at planting. Yields were lower where soil pH was less than 5.5.

Sweet corn and pumpkin were planted no-tillage (NT) into cover crop residue treatments of vetch, rye, crimson clover, and ladino clover controlled with glyphosate, and a bare ground conventional tillage (CT) control. Objectives included evaluation of crop growth, yield, and weed suppression in NT versus CT treatments. Herbicide application was also investigated, with a plus and minus herbicide treatment (alachlor plus cyanazine for sweet corn, or ethalfluralin for pumpkin) as the main factor in the factorial experiment, and cover crops the subfactors. Weed control 4 wk after planting was dependent upon cover crop. The fewest weed numbers and least biomass were found in the ladino clover plots, but clover regrowth and subsequent competition with the cash crop were severe. Herbicides also affected weed biomass at 4 wk after vegetable planting, with least biomass in herbicide-treated plots. Neither cover crop nor herbicide treatment significantly affected weed weight by 8 wk after planting or pumpkin fruit weight at harvest. Pumpkin yield was not influenced by herbicide application. The vetch cover, although harboring greatest weed biomass, produced the greatest total yield (ear weight) in sweet corn. When averaged over cover crop, sweet corn yields were higher in herbicide-treated plots than in untreated ones. Both sweet corn and pumpkin maturity were generally delayed in the absence of herbicide treatments or in the presence of cover crop residues, especially clover and rye residues.

The effects of rye planting time, rye seeding rate, and rye/weed management systems on weed control and soybean yield were determined in field experiments near Arlington, WI from 1992 to 1994. Insufficient precipitation in 1992 resulted in limited soil moisture, less ground cover, less weed control, and lower soybean yields than in 1993 and 1994. The higher rye seeding rate provided more ground cover and better weed control than the lower rate in all years; however, it reduced soybean vigor. The optimum rye seeding rate was 112 kg/ha. The rye-only system reduced weed shoot biomass by 90, 82, and 60%, in 1992, 1993, and 1994, respectively, relative to the no-rye weedy check treatment. Killing rye 45 d after planting soybean gave optimum weed control. In 1993, rye alone suppressed the weeds without decreasing crop yield, but in 1994 crop yield was decreased due to inadequate weed control by rye. The results indicate that the rye living mulch technique can adequately control weeds without causing soybean yield reduction if weed pressure is low, ground cover and soil moisture are adequate and rye interference is minimal.