Experiments were conducted to examine the influence of adjuvant, growth stage, air temperature, and soil moisture on nicosulfuron activity, absorption, and distribution in quackgrass. Foliar absorption of 14C-nicosulfuron by quackgrass was greater in one-leaf than five-leaf plants. Total translocation of 14C-nicosulfuron was similar regardless of growth stage. However, nicosulfuron was more phytotoxic to three- and five-leaf than one-leaf quackgrass. Of the absorbed 14C, at least 71 % remained as 14C-nicosulfuron 168 h after application in three-leaf plants. 14C-Nicosulfuron absorption, translocation, and accumulation increased with increasing temperatures and was independent of soil moisture. Under adequate soil moisture conditions (-0.03 MPa), nicosulfuron activity was not influenced by temperature. Nicosulfuron efficacy was not influenced by soil moisture at a cool (11/6 C) temperature. As plant moisture stress increased, due to low soil moisture and increasing air temperature, nicosulfuron efficacy declined. Differences in nicosulfuron efficacy due to growth stage or environmental conditions could not be explained by differential 14C recovery, absorption, translocation, or accumulation. The addition of 28% urea-ammonium nitrate liquid fertilizer (UAN) to 14C-nico-sulfuron plus petroleum oil adjuvant (POA) provided greater 14C absorption than POA alone. Translocation of 14C with POA alone 168 h after treatment (HAT) was similar to POA plus UAN 24 HAT. However, 168 HAT there was no difference in the total amount of radiolabelled material translocated among the adjuvants.

Grass and broadleaf herbicides are available for effective, single-application total postemergence weed control in corn. Field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1993 on sites with dense natural weed infestations to determine the effects of weed interference prior to herbicide application on corn yield. Nicosulfuron plus bromoxynil was applied at 5-, 10-, 15-, or 20-cm weed canopy heights in plots with or without weed interference. Crop injury was more severe when herbicides were applied to smaller corn. Herbicide applications made to 5-, 10-, or 15-cm tall weeds provided nearly complete weed control. Weed interference did not reduce corn height or grain yield when postemergence applications were made to weeds 10 cm or less in height. Weed interference reduced corn height and grain yield in 1992 when applications were made to 15-cm tall weeds even though weed control was nearly complete. Weed control was incomplete and corn height and grain yield were reduced when applications were delayed until weeds were 20 cm tall.

Greenhouse and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the physiological basis for selectivity of nicosulfuron and primisulfuron in 5 plant species. Differential sensitivity of the species was quantified by determining GR50 values (herbicide rate required to reduce plant growth 50%) for each species/herbicide combination. GR50 data indicated the following levels of sensitivity: corn—tolerant to both herbicides; seedling johnsongrass—sensitive to both herbicides; barnyardgrass—sensitive to nicosulfuron and tolerant to primisulfuron; giant foxtail—sensitive to nicosulfuron and tolerant to primisulfuron; and eastern black nightshade—tolerant to nicosulfuron and sensitive to primisulfuron. Studies using 14C-radiolabeled herbicides were conducted to determine whether differential herbicide absorption, translocation, or metabolism contributed to whole plant responses. Nicosulfuron and primisulfuron selectivity in corn, johnsongrass, barnyardgrass, and giant foxtail was primarily due to differential herbicide metabolism rate. Tolerant species metabolized the herbicide more rapidly and extensively than sensitive species. Differential herbicide absorption, translocation, or metabolism did not explain differential sensitivity of eastern black nightshade to the herbicides. Further studies indicated that the tolerance of eastern black nightshade to nicosulfuron and its sensitivity to primisulfuron was directly related to lower sensitivity of the acetolactate synthase (ALS) to nicosulfuron than to primisulfuron. Eastern black nightshade translocated very little (3%) of the nicosulfuron applied. The ALS sensitivity of johnsongrass and eastern black nightshade was similar in the presence of nicosulfuron. A combination of a higher ALS level and less herbicide translocation contributes to tolerance of eastern black nightshade and to sensitivity of johnsongrass to nicosulfuron.

Field studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of herbicide application timing on weed control in no-till soybean production. Row spacing generally had no effect on weed control. Herbicide treatments containing chlorimuron plus metribuzin applied as many as 45 days prior to planting in 1988 and 1989 controlled broadleaf weeds throughout the growing season. Imazaquin applied 45 and 30 days prior to planting provided poor control of common cocklebur in 1989. Giant foxtail control was inconsistent with all herbicide treatments. Soybean yields subsequent to early preplant herbicide applications were greater than or equal to those in which applications were made at planting when late-season weed control was adequate. Herbicides applied preemergence did not control high densities of common lambsquarters in 1989.