Herbicides are an important tool for managing weeds where prescribed fire is used for rangeland improvement. Understanding how the season of herbicide application relates to prescribed burning is important. Our objective was to determine the effect of picloram and chlorsulfuron on Dalmatian toadflax cover, density, and biomass, where these herbicides were applied in the fall before burning or in the spring before or after burning. Six herbicide treatments and an untreated check were applied in a randomized complete block design with four replications to a prescribed burn at two sites infested with Dalmatian toadflax in Montana, United States. Herbicides were applied in the fall preburn, spring preburn, and spring postburn. Site 1 was treated in 1999 and 2000, and site 2 was treated in 2000 and 2001. Cover, biomass, and density of Dalmatian toadflax were sampled in September 2000, 2001, and 2002 at site 1 and September 2001 and 2002 at site 2. At site 1, cover, biomass, and density of Dalmatian toadflax were at least 76% lower compared with the check in both spring-applied picloram treatments, whereas the fall picloram treatment had similar Dalmatian toadflax cover, biomass, and density compared with the check 3 yr after application. By 2002, chlorsulfuron reduced Dalmatian toadflax cover, biomass, and density by at least 79% compared with the check in all timings of application at site 1. At site 2, Dalmatian toadflax cover, biomass, and density were reduced by at least 86% for all picloram and chlorsulfuron treatments in 2002, 2 yr after application. Chlorsulfuron applied in the fall or the spring and picloram applied in the spring effectively suppressed Dalmatian toadflax cover, biomass, and density for up to 3 yr.

Three field trials were conducted in south Georgia under irrigated conditions in 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 to evaluate the effects of imazapic residues on oat growth and yield. Imazapic at 70 g ai/ha was applied during the first weeks of May, June, July, August, and September to bare soil. No additional tillage was performed after the herbicide application. Oats (cv. Coker 227) were planted the first week of October. Oat plant populations were not reduced by any timing of imazapic. Generally, oat plant heights and forage yields were reduced when imazapic was applied in August and September (1–2 mo before planting). Grain yields were not reduced by any timing of imazapic. Results of these tests suggest that the current 18-mo rotational restriction for oats following an application of imazapic could be reduced to 4 mo.

Field trials were conducted at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, GA, from 2000 to 2003 to study the effects of herbicide placement on weed control and cantaloupe injury. Herbicides halosulfuron (0.036 kg ai/ha), sulfentrazone (0.14 and 0.28 kg ai/ha), clomazone (0.6 kg ai/ha), and a nontreated control were evaluated. Methods of herbicide application were preplant incorporated (PPI) under the polyethylene mulch before transplanting, posttransplanting over-the-top (POST-OTT), and posttransplanting-directed (POST-DIR) to the shoulders of polyethylene-covered seedbeds. Across all herbicide treatments, PPI and POST-DIR applications were the least injurious, with POST-OTT applications the most injurious. In general, sulfentrazone (0.28 kg ai/ha) was the most injurious herbicide and halosulfuron the least injurious, regardless of herbicide placement. Halosulfuron effectively controlled yellow nutsedge and provided versatility in methods of application, with minimal injury to transplanted cantaloupe.

Few weed management options are available for juneberry, which has limited the potential for this new crop. Field trials were initiated at three locations in North Dakota to evaluate efficacy and crop safety associated with chemical and physical weed control treatments applied just before or immediately after transplanting. All treatments except norflurazon and trifluralin provided at least 85% control of redroot pigweed, common lambsquarters, common purslane, and yellow foxtail for the duration of the trial at Absaraka, ND, during 2001. Stinkgrass weed control 8 wk after treatment (WAT) dropped to unacceptable levels (<85%) with all treatments except azafenidin at 0.5 kg ai/ ha, norflurazon, and oxyfluorfen at 1.1 kg ai/ha at Dawson, ND, during 2001. However, juneberry injury 4 WAT by azafenidin at 0.5 kg/ha, flumioxazin at both locations, or azafenidin at 0.34 kg/ha and oxyfluorfen at 1.1 kg ai/ha at Absaraka, ND, was greater than observed for plants within the physical treatments. Juneberry injury generally decreased with time, yet remained >20% at 8 WAT for azafenidin and flumioxazin at Absaraka, ND, and for all treatments except the mulches at Dawson, ND. Plant injury 8 WAT at Absaraka in 2002 was 10% or less for all treatments and was lower compared with 2001. All physical treatments—azafenidin at 0.34 and 0.5 kg/ha, flumioxazin at 0.29 kg/ha, and oryzalin at 4.5 kg/ha—provided at least 85% control of all weed species at Carrington and Absaraka, ND, during 2002.

A field study was conducted in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effect of clomazone at 448 g ai/ha plus bensulfuron at 10, 21, 31, and 42 g ai/ha or halosulfuron at 13, 26, 39, and 53 g ai/ha on rice. Herbicide treatments were impregnated onto urea fertilizer and applied at rooting (AR) in a water-seeded production system. Comparison treatments included clomazone AR followed by bensulfuron at 42 g/ha or halosulfuron at 53 g/ha POST. At 7 d after AR (DAAR), rice foliar bleaching decreased from 42% with a single application of clomazone to 23 to 30% with any rate of bensulfuron or halosulfuron impregnated with clomazone. Barnyardgrass and broadleaf signalgrass control did not decrease with the addition of bensulfuron or halosulfuron to clomazone. A single application of clomazone did not control rice flatsedge at 28 DAAR; however, rice flatsedge control was greater than 76% for all bensulfuron and halosulfuron treatments at 28 DAAR. There were no differences in rice yield among herbicide treatments.

A promising approach for the control of parasitic weeds is herbicide seed priming, which consists of soaking crop seeds in a herbicide solution such that the herbicide is later present in the crop seedling to inhibit growth of attaching parasites. This technique is effective where selectivity exists between crop and parasite; for example, varieties of imidazolinone-resistant maize. However, seed priming has not been reported for sorghum or pearl millet, two crops that are greatly affected by purple witchweed. Research was initiated to evaluate herbicides for potential use as seed priming agents in these crops. Auxin-mimic and acetolactate synthase-inhibitor class herbicides were evaluated; specifically, clopyralid, 2,4-DB, dicamba, picloram, and prosulfuron. For sorghum, immersion of seed in 0.5% (w/v) ae 2,4-DB for 5 min 1 d before planting reduced purple witchweed densities to levels 20 to 50% of nontreated controls. However, this concentration was at the threshold of crop toxicity and reduced sorghum yields in some experiments. None of the herbicides tested consistently reduced purple witchweed on pearl millet. This research illustrates both the potential and limitations of adapting seed priming technology for sorghum and pearl millet.

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of herbicide and mulch on weed management and strawberry yield. Napropamide at rates of 4.50, 6.75, or 9.00 kg ai/ha; oxyfluorfen at 0.57 kg ai/ha; and napropamide plus oxyfluorfen at 4.50 plus 0.57 kg/ha were applied pretransplant on pressed beds covered with either low-density polyethylene mulch or virtually impermeable film. There was no herbicide by mulch interaction. Mulch types had no influence on weed counts and fruit yield, whereas herbicides affected both variables. The napropamide plus oxyfluorfen treatment resulted in the highest fruit number and weight, increasing yield by 20% with respect to the nontreated control. This herbicide combination provided the best weed suppression.

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to evaluate potential interactions between glyphosate and trifloxysulfuron on barnyardgrass, browntop millet, hemp sesbania, seedling johnsongrass, pitted morningglory, prickly sida, sicklepod, and velvetleaf control as well as cotton injury and yield. In the greenhouse, glyphosate at 840 g ae/ha controlled all weed species 62 to 99%, which was better than trifloxysulfuron at 2.5 or 5 g ai/ha. Control of four-leaf pitted morningglory and hemp sesbania was 80 to 88% when glyphosate and trifloxysulfuron were mixed compared with 62 to 66% control with glyphosate alone. Mixing trifloxysulfuron with glyphosate did not affect control of other species compared with glyphosate alone. In the field, glyphosate controlled barnyardgrass, prickly sida, sicklepod, seedling johnsongrass, and velvetleaf 68 to 100%. Trifloxysulfuron controlled hemp sesbania, seedling johnsongrass, and sicklepod 65 to 88%. All other species were controlled 36 to 72% with glyphosate and 10 to 60% with trifloxysulfuron. Combinations of glyphosate (840 g/ha) and trifloxysulfuron (5 g/ha) were applied postemergence over-the-top and postemergence-directed to three-, six-, and nine-leaf glyphosate-resistant cotton in the field. Cotton injury at 2 wk after treatment (WAT) was less than 13% for all herbicide treatments and less than 5% by 3 WAT. Herbicides did not affect the percent of open bolls or nodes per plant. Seed cotton yield ranged from 1,430 to 1,660 kg/ha, and only the sequential over-the-top applications of trifloxysulfuron reduced cotton yield compared with the weed-free, nontreated cotton.

Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] control for at least 1 yr is necessary to establish other forage species in pasture and hay field renovations, or to plant pine (Pinus spp.) in infested fields. Potential herbicides for hybrid Bermudagrass control were evaluated using single, repeat, and multiyear applications. Repeat applications were made 30 d after the first application beginning in mid-August each year. Imazapyr applied once at 0.56 or 1.12 kg/ha controlled hybrid Bermudagrass (cv. ‘Tifton 44’) 88 and 97%, respectively, 52 wk after treatment with no difference between rates observed. Additionally, imazapyr applied for two consecutive years controlled hybrid Bermudagrass 100%. Glyphosate isopropylamine salt and glyphosate trimethylsulfonium salt, applied for 1 yr at rates of 4.2 or 1.7 fb (followed by) 1.7 kg ae/ha and 4.8 or 1.9 fb 1.9 kg ae/ha, respectively, provided between 70 and 78% control at 52 wk after the last treatment (WALT). Hybrid Bermudagrass control from either formulation of glyphosate applied for two consecutive years ranged between 79 and 91% at 52 WALT. Relative to a 1-yr application program, either glyphosate formulation applied for two consecutive years did not significantly improve Bermudagrass control at 52 WALT. The addition of fluazifop-P at 0.42 kg ai/ha or clethodim at 0.2 kg ai/ha to glyphosate formulations did not significantly improve hybrid Bermudagrass control relative to glyphosate applied alone. However, a tank-mix of clethodim plus either formulation of glyphosate applied for two consecutive years generally improved hybrid Bermudagrass control relative to applications in only 1 yr.

Diflufenzopyr is an auxin-transport inhibitor that has increased broadleaf weed control by some auxin herbicides. The effects of auxin herbicides when applied with diflufenzopyr for leafy spurge or Canada thistle control, herbage production, and herbicide absorption and translocation in leafy spurge were evaluated. The influence of diflufenzopyr on leafy spurge and Canada thistle control varied by herbicide. Diflufenzopyr applied with quinclorac increased both Canada thistle and leafy spurge control. Diflufenzopyr added to picloram increased leafy spurge but not Canada thistle control, whereas control of both weeds generally increased when diflufenzopyr was applied with dicamba. Canada thistle control slightly improved when diflufenzopyr was applied with clopyralid or clopyralid plus 2,4-D compared with the herbicides alone. Diflufenzopyr did not influence weed control from imazapic and reduced weed control from glyphosate. Weed control was not influenced by the ratio of diflufenzopyr to herbicide or by whether diflufenzopyr was tank mixed with or applied before the herbicides. Diflufenzopyr did not affect cool-season grass production in the greenhouse or field but did reduce sideoats grama and switchgrass production when applied alone and with dicamba in greenhouse trials. 14C-picloram and 14C-quinclorac absorption was increased when applied with diflufenzopyr in leafy spurge but nearly all absorbed herbicide remained in the treated leaf compared with the herbicides applied alone. 14C-dicamba absorption decreased from 60 to 14% when applied with diflufenzopyr and translocation to the roots decreased by a factor of 10. Overall, the increase in weed control from the addition of diflufenzopyr was much more pronounced with leafy spurge than with Canada thistle.

Field experiments were conducted from 2000 to 2002 at the Southern Maryland Research and Education Facility located in Upper Marlboro, MD to evaluate PPI and preemergence/prior-to-transplanting (PRE-T) applications of sulfentrazone in combination with clomazone or pendimethalin on crop injury and yield of Maryland-type tobacco. Pendimethalin was also evaluated alone. The highest levels of tobacco injury in 2000 occurred 3 wk after treatment (WAT) with PPI applications of sulfentrazone plus pendimethalin at 0.35 + 0.84 and 0.42 + 0.84 kg ai/ha, averaging 37 and 28%, respectively. In 2001, PPI applications of sulfentrazone plus clomazone at 0.42 + 0.84 kg/ha or sulfentrazone plus pendimethalin at 0.42 + 0.84 kg/ha caused 18 and 12% injury, respectively, 3 WAT. Injury in 2002 with all treatments averaged 7% or less 3 WAT. Greater rainfall through 3 WAT occurred in 2000 than in 2001 or 2002, likely contributing to the higher injury in 2000. Tobacco yields were generally similar among herbicide treatments in 2000 and 2001, and tobacco yields for all herbicide treatments were similar in 2002. The quality index was similar in 2000 and 2001, and varied slightly in 2002 among all herbicide treatments. Although a lower price was calculated for the nontreated controls, price did not vary among most herbicide treatments each year. This research shows that injury to Maryland-type tobacco can occur with sulfentrazone in combination with clomazone or pendimethalin, particularly when incorporated, and when high rainfall occurs soon after transplanting. However, injury is transient and generally has no negative influence on tobacco yield, quality, or price.

Cogongrass is an aggressive perennial weed, which causes severe yield losses in major crops of the moist savanna of West Africa. Field studies were conducted from 2000 to 2002 at Alabata and Ilorin, Nigeria, to evaluate the influence of dosage and time of nicosulfuron application on the control of cogongrass and corn grain yield. Nicosulfuron dosages were 50, 100, 150, and 200 g ai/ha applied 1, 2, 3, or 4 wk after planting (WAP) corn. Hand-weeded and nonweeded treatments were the controls. Three to 4 wk after treatment and at final harvest, all plots that received nicosulfuron had significantly lower cogongrass shoot dry matter (DM) than the nonweeded control across locations in all years (P ≤ 0.01). Nicosulfuron increased corn grain yield at Alabata by 96% in 2000, 100% in 2001, and 34 to 54% in 2002, and at Ilorin by 79 to 83% in 2001 and 60 to 69% in 2002 when compared with the nonweeded control. The weeded control had corn grain yield similar to plots that received nicosulfuron at 200 g/ha at Alabata in 2001, 150 g/ha at Ilorin in 2001, 50 to 200 g/ha at Alabata in 2002, and 150 and 200 g/ha at Ilorin in 2002. There were negative linear relationships between corn DM, grain yield, and cogongrass shoot DM. Application of nicosulfuron at 1 or 2 WAP, when cogongrass was 22 to 27 cm tall, gave better grain yield and lower cogongrass shoot DM than at 3 or 4 WAP, when cogongrass was 36 to 45 cm tall. The study concludes that 150 to 200 g/ha of nicosulfuron applied at 1 or 2 WAP is effective for cogongrass control without adverse effect on corn grain yield.

Field studies were conducted in 1999 and 2000 at seven locations in south Texas to evaluate flufenacet plus isoxaflutole for weed control and corn tolerance. Palmer amaranth control with flufenacent plus isoxaflutole was variable, with no greater than 60% control at one location and greater than 95% control at another. The poor control at the one location was probably due to lack of rainfall for 3 to 4 wk after corn was planted. Flufenacet plus isoxaflutole at 0.56 or 0.7 kg/ha controlled Texas panicum at least 80%, whereas flufenacet plus isoxaflutole rates lower than 0.56 kg/ha provided variable control (55 to 99%). Flufenacet plus isoxaflutole at 0.35 and 0.49 kg/ha controlled pitted morningglory at least 83%. Corn stunting (3 to 16%) with flufenacet plus isoxaflutole was noted at the one location where the soil sand content was greater than 80% and moisture was received within 48 h of herbicide application. With few exceptions, corn weed control and yield with flufenacet plus isoxaflutole combinations were generally comparable to those observed for the atrazine and acetochlor standard treatments.

Bifra is an annual noxious broadleaf weed of winter-sown crops in the Central Anatolia and Middle Black Sea regions of Turkey. This species has become more prevalent in wheat fields in the past three decades because of poor chemical control. Field experiments were conducted in Havza and Kavak, Samsun, Turkey, to evaluate the effect of cultivar and seeding rate on the competitive interaction between bifra and wheat at four bifra densities. Wheat grain yield increased with seeding rate, either in the presence or in the absence of bifra in both locations. Decreasing the seeding rate from 250 to 200 kg/ha or 150 kg/ha decreased wheat yield in the presence of bifra in all cultivars. The percentage yield decreases were different according to cultivars, although yields decreased in all cultivars. On the basis of the analysis of yield variables, data suggest that the relative competitiveness was ‘Bezostaja’ > ‘Momtchill’ > ‘Kate A-1’ = ‘Panda’. Bifra biomass and seed numbers were reduced not only by an increase in the wheat seeding rate but also by cultivars. Bifra seed production in Bezostaja, Kate A-1, Momtchill, and Panda were diminished 60, 53, 54, and 46%, respectively, at the seeding rate of 250 kg/ha compared with bifra alone at a density of 350 plants/ m2.

Studies were conducted in New Jersey and Virginia to evaluate the response of ‘Aurora Gold’ hard fescue, which had undergone five cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection for increased glyphosate tolerance, to direct applications of glyphosate. ‘Discovery’ hard fescue, which had not undergone recurrent selection, was also included in the study. Glyphosate treatments were initiated in early/mid-May and applied once, twice, or three times at 4- to 5-wk intervals at rates ranging from 0.1 to 1.6 kg ae/ha. Aurora Gold was more tolerant to glyphosate than Discovery in all experiments, indicating that recurrent selection was successful in increasing glyphosate tolerance in hard fescue. Single applications of glyphosate at rates ranging from 0.6 to 0.8 kg/ha could be applied to Aurora Gold with minimal injury or stand thinning (<20%), whereas multiple applications of glyphosate could be applied at rates ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 kg/ha. The use of Aurora Gold in areas planted to hard fescue, such as golf course roughs, vineyards, orchards, and landscapes, would allow the integration of direct glyphosate applications into an overall weed management program providing potential economic and environmental benefits.

Limited information exists on sweet corn tolerance to postemergence (POST) applications of clopyralid under Ontario growing conditions. Eight sweet corn hybrids were evaluated for tolerance to clopyralid in three field experiments conducted in 2001 and 2002 in Ontario. Clopyralid was applied POST at 200 and 400 g ai/ha, the proposed and twice the proposed registered rate for use in sweet corn in Ontario. Sweet corn response to clopyralid did not vary among the hybrids tested. In 2001, visual injury among hybrids 7 d after treatment (DAT) with clopyralid at 400 g/ha was less than 3%. Subsequent visual injury evaluations at 14 and 28 DAT showed no differences among sweet corn hybrids at either rate of clopyralid evaluated. The application of clopyralid at 200 and 400 g/ ha had no detrimental effect on plant height or marketable yield of any of the eight sweet corn hybrids. On the basis of visual injury, height, and marketable yield response ‘Calico Belle’, ‘CNS 710’, ‘DelMonte 2038’, ‘GG 222’, ‘GG 246’, ‘GH 2684’, ‘Reveille’, and ‘Rival’ are all tolerant to the POST application of clopyralid.

Concern has been raised that herbicides often used to control perennial ryegrass in warm-season turf could move laterally or “track” and injure neighboring cool-season grasses. Rimsulfuron was applied at 17.5 or 35 g ai/ha to perennial ryegrass in the afternoon. The following morning, while dew was still present, a greens mower was driven through the perennial ryegrass and across the adjacent creeping bentgrass. When evaluated 5, 10, and 25 d after treatment, visible track length and creeping bentgrass injury were greatly reduced by irrigating perennial ryegrass 2 h after treatment or by irrigating both perennial ryegrass and creeping bentgrass prior to simulated mowing. Visible injury of tracked turfgrass persisted for 36 d after treatment when irrigation was not applied and for as few as 5 d when both perennial ryegrass and creeping bentgrass were irrigated. Irrigation had no effect on perennial ryegrass control. Gibberellic acid at 0.12 kg ai/ha and foliar iron at 1.3 kg ai/ha, applied when tracks first appeared, did not improve the recovery of injured creeping bentgrass. Our results suggest that when applying rimsulfuron near susceptible bentgrass, the lowest effective rate should be applied and that the bentgrass should be irrigated at least 2 h after treatment to prevent nontarget injury.

A study was conducted to compare the effect of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) + chloropicrin (Pic) in a 83:17 ratio (C-17) used alone or in combination with herbicides on tomato. Treatments evaluated included 1,3-D (325 kg ai/ha) plus Pic (67 kg ai/ha) used either alone or with pebulate (4.5 kg ai/ha), napropamide (4.5 kg ai/ha), metolachlor (1.1 and 2.3 kg ai/ha), lactofen (2.3 kg ai/ha), or flazasulfuron (0.4 kg ai/ha). Pebulate was consistently more effective in controlling purple nutsedge than the other herbicides tested. Purple nutsedge was more effectively controlled with C-17 in combination with pebulate than with the fumigant alone. Shallow incorporation of pebulate failed to improve weed control and tomato fruit yield.

Studies were conducted at four sites during a 2-yr period in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas to determine effectiveness and safety of halosulfuron in honeydew crops. Halosulfuron applied postemergence at 26.3 to 78.8 g ai/ha controlled yellow nutsedge 85 to 97%, golden crownbeard 100%, and tumble pigweed 83 to 95%. Control of yellow nutsedge continued to increase for 3 to 6 wk after treatment. Golden crownbeard and tumble pigweed efficacy increased to its highest levels after 4 and 3 wk, respectively. Reduced crop growth and yellowing of foliage did not exceed 13%. No differences were recorded for yield, earliness, or percentage of marketable fruit.

There is a limited number of herbicides available for weed control in adzuki bean production in Ontario, Canada. A total of six field trials were conducted in Ontario over a 2-yr period (2003 and 2004) to evaluate tolerance of adzuki bean to preplant incorporated (PPI) application of EPTC (4,400 and 8,800 g ai/ha), trifluralin (1,155 and 2,310 g ai/ha), dimethenamid (1,250 and 2,500 g ai/ha), S-metolachlor (1,600 and 3,200 g ai/ha), and imazethapyr (75 and 150 g ai/ha). All treatments, including the nontreated control, were maintained weed free during the growing season. EPTC and dimethenamid caused as much as 39% visual crop injury and reduced plant height, shoot dry weight, and yield up to 34, 63, and 38%, respectively. Maturity was delayed with the application of EPTC and dimethenamid. Trifluralin caused as much as 9% visual crop injury and decreased plant height up to 11%. There was no effect of trifluralin on shoot dry weight, seed moisture content, and yield. S-metolachlor caused as much as 19% visual crop injury, decreased plant height up to 23%, and reduced shoot dry weight up to 29%. Yield was not affected at the low rate but was decreased 19% at the high rate. There was no effect of S-metolachlor on maturity. Imazethapyr caused up to 6% visual injury but had no adverse effects on plant height, shoot dry weight, seed moisture content, and yield except at the high rate, which caused a 15% reduction in plant height. Based on these results, trifluralin and imazethapyr applied PPI have an adequate margin of crop safety for weed management in adzuki bean production in Ontario.