Experiments were conducted in Florida from 1998 through 2000 to evaluate trifloxysulfuron-sodium applied POST for weed control in cotton. The addition of 0.25% (v/v) nonionic surfactant (NIS) to trifloxysulfuron-sodium, regardless of rate, increased sicklepod control 10 to 50% 6 and 19 wk after planting (WAP). All trifloxysulfuron-sodium treatments controlled Florida beggarweed and redweed 70 to 100% 6 and 19 WAP. Pitted morningglory was controlled 68 to 100% by trifloxysulfuron-sodium treatments; however, control was higher for treatments that contained 0.25% v/v NIS. Trifloxysulfuron-sodium provided poor control of smallflower morningglory. A sequential application of fluometuron PRE followed by trifloxysulfuron-sodium POST provided better control of smallflower morningglory than trifloxysulfuron-sodium alone 19 WAP. Cotton treated with trifloxysulfuron-sodium yielded higher than the nontreated check and early POST treatments that included 0.25% v/v NIS yielded approximately 20% higher than non-NIS treatments. Trifloxysulfuron-sodium applied POST provided season-long control of Florida beggarweed, pitted morningglory, redweed, and sicklepod with the addition of 0.25% v/v NIS but did not control smallflower morningglory in cotton.

An organic herbicide carrier could help reduce misapplication and environmental pollution associated with spray application of herbicides. Pellets prepared from landscape leaves that were dried, ground, and pelletized were evaluated as a preemergence herbicide carrier for container-grown ornamental plants. Isoxaben, pendimethalin, and prodiamine at rates of 1.12, 2.25, and 2.25 kg ai/ha, respectively, with either water or landscape leaf-waste pellets as a carrier were applied to chrysanthemum ‘Lisa’, spirea ‘Neon Flash’, and wintercreeper ‘Coloratus’. Common groundsel, common purslane, and giant foxtail were seeded following herbicide application. Leaf-waste pellets as a carrier produced equivalent efficacy and phytotoxicity ratings to conventional spray application of pendimethalin and prodiamine on both chrysanthemum and wintercreeper. The leaf-waste pellets were not an effective carrier for the application of isoxaben alone. The pellets had inconsistent effects on spirea phytotoxicity and growth.

Field studies were conducted at Lewiston–Woodville and Rocky Mount, NC in 2001 and 2002 to evaluate weed control and peanut response to POST treatments of diclosulam at various rates and application timings. Diclosulam controlled common ragweed and entireleaf morningglory when applied within 35 d after planting (DAP). Common ragweed 61 cm tall was controlled ≥92% with 4 to 13 g ai/ha diclosulam and larger common ragweed (107 to 137 cm tall) were controlled ≥97% with 27 g/ha diclosulam. Common lambsquarters was controlled 62% or less with all diclosulam POST treatments following metolachlor applied PRE, which provided 48% control. Peanut injury was less than 15% with all diclosulam POST treatments and was transitory. In separate studies, POST diclosulam treatments did not affect peanut yield in a weed-free environment. Peanut yield in weedy environments was reduced as the diclosulam application timing was delayed because of early season weed interference. A linear relationship was observed between yield and application timing with yield decreasing as application timing was delayed. This yield response documents the importance of early season weed management for maximizing peanut yield potential. Virginia peanut varieties were not affected by different POST rates of diclosulam; however, early season peanut injury showed a linear and quadratic relationship with diclosulam rate and was less than 14% at rates as high as 71 g/ha, and was not apparent by late season.

Field experiments were conducted in 2001 through 2003 in Wooster, OH, to determine strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa) plant response to clopyralid applied after plant renovation in established plantings. Clopyralid applied at a rate of 200 g ae/ha or greater controlled at least 82% of common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) 6 wk after treatment (WAT). Maximum total fruit yield (marketable plus unmarketable fruits) occurred at a clopyralid rate of 200 g/ha, and higher or lower rates resulted in reduced yield. Application of clopyralid at 400 g/ha tended to reduce the canopy of the strawberry crop, especially in comparison to rates lower that 200 g/ha. Overall, clopyralid applied POST at 200 g/ha did not reduce fruit yield when applied after strawberry renovation, and effectively controlled common groundsel plants that were entering the reproductive stage.

A seedling bioassay was developed for the rapid diagnosis of resistance to clethodim and fluazifop-P in johnsongrass. The assay was based on differences in the coleoptile length of susceptible (S) and resistant (R) seedlings exposed to clethodim and fluazifop-P in petri dishes for 5 d. Bioassay concentrations of 0.09 mg/L clethodim and 0.18 mg/L fluazifop-P were chosen as discriminant based on rate responses of each biotype to increasing herbicide dose. At 5 d after treatment (DAT), the amounts of clethodim required to reduce coleoptile length by 50% (GR50) for the R and S seedlings were 462.5 and 24.8 mg/L, respectively, resulting in an R:S ratio of 18.7. The fluazifop GR50 values for the R and S seedlings were 618.7 and 17.5 mg/L, respectively, resulting in a R:S ratio of 35.4.

No-till cropping is an option for growers needing to reduce soil erosion in the Palouse annual-cropped region of the Pacific Northwest, which is well suited for wheat production. A 6-yr field study was conducted to determine optimum levels of fertilizer and herbicide inputs in a no-till continuous wheat crop production system. Three levels of nitrogen (N) and two weed management levels (WML) were compared in a spring wheat (SW)–winter wheat (WW)–WW rotation through two rotation cycles. The high WML reduced weed densities about 50% compared with the low WML. In general, herbicide treatments were more effective on broadleaf weeds and may have facilitated a shift toward grass weeds. The high WML reduced grass weed biomass only at the reduced N levels, whereas the high WML reduced broadleaf weed density at all N levels. Variable environmental conditions affected wheat yield; however, yield tended to be highest where winter wheat immediately followed spring wheat. Nitrogen had little effect on weed density but increased crop yield about 13% with each increased N level. Crop yield was greater at the high versus low WML at each N level, even though weed density and biomass were reduced least between WMLs at the highest N level. The highest crop yield and net returns were obtained with the highest N and WML; however, none of the N and WML combinations were profitable.

Experiments were conducted from 1998 to 2000 at Rocky Mount, NC, in weed-free environments to determine soybean tolerance to preplant (PP) applications of trifloxysulfuron and the potential for trifloxysulfuron applied preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) to cotton to injure soybean grown in rotation the following year. Trifloxysulfuron at 3.75 and 7.5 g ai/ha applied PP 2 wk before seeding injured conventional soybean less than 5%, whereas no injury was observed when seeding was delayed 4 or 6 wk after PP treatment. No injury to sulfonylurea-resistant soybean (SR) was observed for any treatment. Soybean yields were not influenced by trifloxysulfuron treatment. Cotton injury was 7% or less with trifloxysulfuron applied PRE or POST at 3.75 and 7.5 g/ha. Trifloxysulfuron at 15 g/ha PRE or POST injured cotton a maximum of 14 to 18%. Trifloxysulfuron did not reduce cotton lint yields regardless of method or rate of application. Both conventional and SR soybean were not injured nor were yields influenced by trifloxysulfuron applied PRE or POST the previous year to cotton.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox)-inhibiting herbicides damage cell membranes, resulting in electrolyte leakage. A whole-plant dose-response study and a rapid assay that measured electrolyte leakage was used to determine the response of wild mustard, soybean, and protox inhibitor–susceptible and protox inhibitor–resistant common waterhemp to increasing doses of three protox inhibitors: acifluorfen, fomesafen, and sulfentrazone. For the dose-response study, whole plants were treated with the three protox-inhibitor herbicides. Electroconductivity assay 1 consisted of cutting discs from leaf tissue and submerging them in an incubation medium containing concentrations of acifluorfen, fomesafen, or sulfentrazone. In electroconductivity assay 2, the entire leaf was treated with solutions containing acifluorfen, fomesafen, or sulfentrazone. The whole-plant dose-response study showed increasing visible injury with increasing herbicide rates for all species and all herbicides. The order of visible injury was wild mustard > susceptible common waterhemp > resistant common waterhemp > soybean. In assay 1, electrolyte leakage from leaf discs treated with acifluorfen or fomesafen increased with increasing herbicide concentrations, and was similar for all species. In contrast, electrolyte leakage from leaf discs treated with sulfentrazone did not increase with increasing herbicide concentrations for any species. In assay 2, only wild mustard leaf discs increased in electrolyte leakage with increasing herbicide rates of acifluorfen, fomesafen, and sulfentrazone and followed the regression curves established by the whole-plant dose-response study. However, assay 2 was not able to distinguish between susceptible wild mustard and tolerant soybean, or between susceptible and resistant waterhemp.

Field research was conducted for 2 yr to evaluate response of corn and rice to simulated drift rates of a commercial premix of imazethapyr plus imazapyr [3:1 (w/w)]. Drift rates of the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix represented 0.8, 1.6, 3.2, 6.3, and 12.5% of the usage rate of 63 g ai/ha (0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 7.9 g/ha, respectively). The imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix applied to six-leaf corn at 7.9 g/ha reduced height 11% compared with the nontreated control 7 days after treatment (DAT) but did not affect corn height 14 and 28 DAT. Corn yield was equivalent regardless of imazethapyr plus imazapyr rate and ranged from 10,200 to 11,500 kg/ha. At 28 DAT, rice height was reduced 12% when 7.9 g/ha of the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix was applied early postemergence (EPOST) at two- to three-leaf and 14 and 5% when the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix at 7.9 and 4 g/ha, respectively, was applied late postemergence (LPOST) at panicle differentiation. Reductions in mature rice height of 11 and 6% were observed when the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix was applied LPOST at 7.9 and 4 g/ha, respectively, and a 5% reduction was observed for 7.9 g/ha of the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix applied EPOST. Application of the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix EPOST at 7.9 g/ha delayed heading in only 1 yr, but heading was delayed both years when applied LPOST. Rice yield was reduced 39 and 16% when the imazethapyr plus imazapyr premix was applied LPOST at 7.9 and 4 g/ha, respectively, compared with a 9% yield reduction for 7.9 g/ha applied EPOST.

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of oxadiazon and oxyfluorfen on weeds and Syrian marjoram (Origanum syriacum L.) in the central Jordan Valley during the period from 1998 to 2001. Results showed that weed competition with marjoram for the whole growing period resulted in almost complete crop failure. Oxyfluorfen and oxadiazon applied preplanting or postplanting to marjoram controlled weeds effectively, resulted in significant increase in marjoram shoot fresh and dry weight yields and in more branches per plant compared with the weed-infested control. High marjoram yield was obtained with oxyfluorfen applied at 0.72 kg ai/ha in preplanting treatment and with oxadiazon at 1.25 and 0.75 kg ai/ha in pre- and postplanting treatments, respectively. In preplanting treatment, 0.36 kg ai/ha of oxyfluorfen was highly selective, but 1.44 kg ai/ha reduced marjoram yield. Conflicting results were obtained with oxadiazon under the same treatments. In postplanting, oxyfluorfen at 0.24 and 0.96 kg ai/ha significantly increased marjoram yield over the weed-infested control. However, the highest shoot dry weight of marjoram was obtained at 0.96 kg ai/ha of this herbicide. In contrast, the low rate (0.38 kg ai/ha) of oxadiazon was highly selective and increased marjoram yield, but the herbicide failed to increase yield beyond the weed-infested control when the higher rate (1.5 kg ai/ha) was used. Results showed that both oxyfluorfen and oxadiazon herbicides were highly selective and effective for weed control in Syrian marjoram, providing normal rates of both are used, although high rates of the two herbicides were also selective and increased marjoram yield over the weed-infested control.

A study was conducted to evaluate weed control with imazethapyr applied at different timings or a combination of timings with or without an early POST application of bensulfuron, bentazon plus aciflurofen, bispyribac, carfentrazone, halosulfuron, propanil plus molinate, or triclopyr in drill-seeded imidazolinone-resistant rice. Control of barnyardgrass, red rice, and alligatorweed was insufficient with imazethapyr at 87 g/ha PRE or at 53 g/ha late POST alone. Imazethapyr at 87 g/ha PRE followed by imazethapyr at 53 g/ha late POST controlled red rice 86% or greater but did not control hemp sesbania. The imazethapyr PRE followed by late POST combination was also weak on barnyardgrass and alligatorweed early in the season. The addition of an early POST application of the other herbicides to the imazethapyr combination improved overall weed control, especially hemp sesbania control. Among the early POST herbicides, bispyribac, carfentrazone, or propanil plus molinate were more effective in helping improve the overall weed control, resulting in better rice grain yield.

Greenhouse research was conducted to evaluate shoot and root growth response of imidazolinone-tolerant (IT) rice cultivars to imazethapyr applied postemergence at various rates and application timings. Imazethapyr was applied at 70, 140, and 280 g ai/ha to IT cultivars ‘CL 121’ and ‘CL 161’ in the one- to two-leaf and three- to four-leaf growth stages. Imazethapyr applied to one- to two-leaf or three- to four-leaf rice at 70, 140, and 280 g/ha was more injurious to CL 121 than to CL 161. At 3 wk after treatment (WAT), CL 121 was injured 23 to 38% regardless of application timing. In contrast, CL 161 was injured no more than 11% at 3 WAT. Shoot:root ratio for CL 161 was not affected by imazethapyr application. For CL 121, shoot:root ratio was lower following imazethapyr at 280 g/ha than at 70 or 140 g/ha. Based on shoot fresh weight following imazethapyr at 70 g/ha, CL 161 was 1.8 times more tolerant than CL 121 at 2 WAT and 1.3 times more tolerant at 3 WAT. The IT rice cultivar CL 161 is inherently more tolerant to imazethapyr than is CL 121 based on visual injury and shoot and root growth.

Tolerance of eight market classes of dry beans (black, brown, cranberry, kidney, otebo, pinto, white, and yellow eye beans) to the PRE application of linuron at the rate of 2.25 and 4.50 kg ai/ha was studied at two locations in Ontario, Canada, in 2003 and 2004. The eight market classes differed in their response to linuron. Linuron PRE caused as much as 43, 20, 7, 17, 54, 36, 56, and 12% visual injury in black, brown, cranberry, kidney, otebo, pinto, white, and yellow eye beans, respectively. Linuron PRE at 2.25 kg/ha reduced plant height 38% in otebo beans and 31% in white beans. Linuron PRE at 4.50 kg/ha reduced plant height 24 to 56% in black, brown, otebo, pinto, and white beans. Shoot dry weight was reduced in otebo beans by 56% and in white beans, by 46% at the low rate. Shoot dry weight was decreased 26 to 92% in black, otebo, pinto, white, and yellow eye beans at the high rate. There were no differences in the shoot dry weight of the other market classes. Linuron PRE at the low rate reduced otebo bean yield 42% and at the high rate reduced yields by 56, 74, and 61% in black, otebo, and white beans, respectively. There was no effect on the yield of other market classes. Differences in dry bean market class tolerance to linuron exists and may be summarized for these cultivars as cranberry > kidney > brown > yellow eye > pinto > black > white > otebo. Additional research is needed to determine if cultivars within a dry bean market class differ in their response to linuron.

Two studies were conducted near Bronson, MI, to determine gladiolus tolerance and weed control with flumioxazin and other herbicide treatments. The first study was conducted in 2002, 2003, and 2004 to evaluate weed control and gladiolus injury with flumioxazin and 14 other preemergence treatments. Crop injury over the 3-yr period was less than 6% and was considered commercially acceptable with flumioxazin, linuron, oryzalin, pendimethalin, prometryn, S-metolachlor, and sulfentrazone. Gladiolus stand count, height, and flower count were similar to those of the nontreated control with these treatments. Clomazone, halosulfuron, imazamox, imazapic, mesotrione, oxyfluorfen, rimsulfuron, and trifloxysulfuron resulted in unacceptable crop injury. Of the acceptable treatments, only flumioxazin controlled common ragweed, yellow nutsedge, and foxtail species at least 68%. The second study was conducted in 2003 and 2004. Flumioxazin was evaluated at four rates, in mixtures with S-metolachlor and oryzalin, and in comparison with isoxaben plus oryzalin. Gladiolus injury did not exceed 6%. Common ragweed, annual grass, and yellow nutsedge control were at least 63% with all flumioxazin treatments.

Texas panicum is considered to be the most troublesome weed of field corn in the Southeast. Field trials were conducted in Georgia in 2003 and 2004 to compare pendimethalin, nicosulfuron, foramsulfuron, and glyphosate for Texas panicum control in irrigated field corn and to determine which herbicide provided the greatest economic returns. Pendimethalin applied early POST (EPOST), 10 to 12 d after planting (DAP), controlled Texas panicum less than 35% late in the season and resulted in reduced corn yield and net returns in 2004. Glyphosate applied sequentially POST at 21 to 24 DAP and again late POST (LPOST) at 35 to 38 DAP controlled Texas panicum 82 to 94% late in the season compared with 43 to 80% control by nicosulfuron and foramsulfuron applied POST. Texas panicum control, corn yield, and net returns were similar with glyphosate applied POST and LPOST at 0.53 or 1.1 kg ai/ha. Glyphosate applied POST and LPOST was more effective than glyphosate POST, but net returns were greater only in 2004.

The objectives of this research were to determine if adjuvants with water-repellent properties could reduce herbicide retention on foliage, and thereby absorption, of the spray solution and to determine if herbicide activity was maintained with a reduction in herbicide retention. Water-repellent adjuvants, DC 2-1322, DC 1-6184, and DC 772, were evaluated with three herbicides, isoxaflutole, pendimethalin, and flumioxazin, and on three crop species, cabbage, tomato, and wheat. The water repellents DC 2-1322 and DC 772 were ineffective with these herbicides and these crop species. DC 1-6184 effectively reduced spray retention for all three herbicides evaluated, regardless of formulation, on all three species. The efficacy of DC 1-6184 was more evident if the spray application was restricted to the plant foliage. The water-repellent DC 1-6184 has potential to decrease injury while maintaining weed control with certain herbicides.

Field research was conducted at Columbia and Novelty, MO, to determine the impact of winter-annual weed management systems on corn and soybean grain yields, winter-annual weed control, and soybean cyst nematode (SCN) egg population densities over the crop production cycle. Corn grain yield was not affected by winter-annual weed management systems. Soybean grain yield was not affected by winter weed management systems in 2001, but at Columbia in 2002 winter rye and Italian ryegrass reduced soybean grain yield 62 and 64%, respectively. Fall-applied simazine + tribenuron in corn and chlorimuron + sulfentrazone in soybean controlled winter-annual weeds greater than 99%. Fall-overseeded winter rye and Italian ryegrass in corn and overseeded Italian ryegrass in soybean controlled winter weeds 66 to 86%. In the soybean studies, race 4 SCN population densities increased (P = 0.08) in the nontreated control and remained stable (P = 0.55) with fall-applied chlorimuron + sulfentrazone from fall 2001 to spring 2002 while SCN population densities were reduced (P = 0.06) with spring-applied chlorimuron + sulfentrazone from fall 2002 to spring 2003. In the corn studies, none of the winter-annual weed management strategies reduced (P > 0.22) race 2 SCN population densities except winter rye from fall 2001 to spring 2002 (P = 0.05). This research indicates that control of weed species considered to be weak alternative hosts for SCN affected SCN population densities some instances when race 4 SCN population densities were high in a continuous soybean production system or race 2 SCN population densities were low in a 2-yr corn production system.

Centipedegrass is a warm-season turf grass that has increased in popularity in recent years. However, more information is needed on the use of herbicides during centipedegrass establishment from seed, particularly in seed and sod production systems. The intent of this study was to evaluate turf-grass injury and weed control when atrazine, imazapic, imazethapyr, and simazine are applied immediately after seeding centipedegrass. Atrazine and simazine (applied at 1.1, 2.2, and 4.4 kg ai/ ha) injured centipedegrass less than 15% at 5 wk after treatment (WAT) in 2001. Imazethapyr and imazapic (applied at 0.04, 0.07, and 0.1 kg ai/ha) injured centipedegrass between 7 and 13%, 5 WAT, in 2001 and from 30 to 77% in 2002. Herbicide and application rate also affected centipedegrass cover. At 3 WAT, cover decreased with all herbicides as application rate increased. At 12 WAT in both years, centipedegrass cover increased as atrazine application rate increased and imazethapyr application rate decreased. Imazapic and simazine were less consistent, causing increases in cover one year and decreases, or no change, the next. Imazapic controlled Texas panicum 80 to 89% and was more effective than any other herbicide. Atrazine and simazine controlled crowfootgrass better than any other herbicide. Imazethapyr often injured centipedegrass and failed to control weeds. Atrazine effectively controlled grass and broadleaf weeds with minimal centipedegrass injury. Imazethapyr and imazapic were too injurious to permit usage during centipedegrass establishment from seed.

Glyphosate-resistant corn was grown in 38- and 76-cm row spacings at two locations in 2001 to examine the effect of weed competition and row spacing on soil moisture. Volumetric soil moisture was measured to a depth of 0.9 m in 18-cm increments. Glyphosate was applied when average weed canopy heights reached 5, 10, 15, 23, and 30 cm. Season-long weed interference reduced soil moisture compared with the weed free controls. At Clarksville, MI, where common lambsquarters was the dominant weed species, weed interference reduced soil moisture in the 0- to 18-cm soil depth from late June through early August and at the 54- to 72- and 72- to 90-cm depths from mid-July through the end of the season. At East Lansing, MI, where giant foxtail was the dominant weed species, weed interference reduced soil moisture at the 18- to 36-, 36- to 54-, and 54- to 72-cm soil depths from mid-June to the end of the season. Season-long weed competition reduced yields more than 90% at each location. Weeds that emerged after the 5-cm glyphosate timing reduced soil moisture and grain yield at both locations. Delaying glyphosate applications until weeds reached 23 cm or more in height reduced corn yield at both locations and soil moisture at East Lansing. Grain yields in the 10- and 15-cm glyphosate-timing treatments were equal to the weed-free corn, even though soil moisture was less during pollination and grain fill. Row spacing did not affect grain yield but did affect soil moisture. Soil moisture was greater in the 76-cm row spacing, suggesting that corn in the 38-cm row spacing may have been able to access soil moisture more effectively.

Annual bluegrass and roughstalk bluegrass are turfgrasses, but they can also be two of the most serious weed problems in highly maintained turfgrass. Ethofumesate has been used to control annual bluegrass; however, the results have been erratic, and ethofumesate is not widely utilized for annual bluegrass control in turfgrass. The objective of this research was to characterize the response of annual, roughstalk, and Kentucky bluegrasses and creeping bentgrass to a range of ethofumesate rates. Single applications of ethofumesate from 3.4 to 20.2 kg ai/ha were made to all four species during May of 1999 to 2001. All four species were injured from rates of ≥6.7 kg/ha. Roughstalk bluegrass was most injured by a single ethofumesate application. Percent roughstalk bluegrass control increased linearly with rate, and greater than 85% control was observed for rates of ≥16.8 kg/ha. In contrast, annual bluegrass showed almost no control, with rates ≤10.2 kg/ha, and the highest rate tested, 20.2 kg/ha, controlled only 47 to 62% of the annual bluegrass. Kentucky bluegrass was the least sensitive bluegrass species, with a maximum control of 3 to 15% from 20.2 kg/ha of ethofumesate. Creeping bentgrass was the least sensitive of the species tested, with low levels of control regardless of rate. During 3 yr of testing, maximum control of bentgrass from any rate was 4%. Single, high-rate applications of ethofumesate hold promise to control roughstalk bluegrass in creeping bentgrass turf. Sixteen Kentucky bluegrass cultivars used for low-cut athletic fields were evaluated for their tolerance to sequential ethofumesate applications during 1999 and 2002. The cultivars showed significant differences in ethofumesate tolerance, with ‘Moonlight’ and ‘America’ never showing any injury to sequential ethofumesate applications, while ‘Northstar’ and ‘Total Eclipse’ were severely injured.