Weed removal experiments in dry edible beans were conducted during 1992 and 1993 at Crookston and Staples, MN. Ten manual weed removal treatments were studied to determine when a natural infestation of weeds first reduced dry bean yield, and when weed removal could be discontinued without further loss of seed yield. Major weeds in order of average biomass production on weedy check plots at dry bean harvest over locations and years were wild mustard, foxtail spp., redroot pigweed, common ragweed, wild buckwheat, hairy nightshade, and common lambsquarters. Hairy nightshade also emerged late in the growing season and could negatively affect harvest efficiency and stain navy beans. Weed removal treatments had little effect on dry bean stands or 100-seed weights of harvested dry bean seed. The critical period for weed control in dry beans was 3 to 5 or 6 weeks after planting (WAP). Thus, weed control practices should begin no later than 3 WAP and continue until at least 5 or 6 WAP for maximum dry bean yields.

Weed control and corn vigor were evaluated to determine the effects of application rate, timing, and other POST herbicides on primisulfuron activity. Corn injury caused by primisulfuron was very low. Weed control varied with species and stage of growth. Primisulfuron showed high activity on emerged johnsongrass, particularly with early postemergence (EP) and mid postemergence (MP) applications. However, these treatments did not provide full season control of this species due to regrowth from rhizomes and continuous germination of new seeds. Primisulfuron controlled giant foxtail with the EP timing (< 5 cm weed height), but not with MP and late postemergence (LP) applications. Common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed control was most effective with EP applications. Primisulfuron in combination with cyanazine, atrazine, cyanazine plus tridiphane, atrazine plus tridiphane, bentazon, 2,4-D, dicamba, or paraquat controlled common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed better than primisulfuron applied alone. Johnsongrass control decreased when primisulfuron was combined with paraquat or 2,4-D and giant foxtail control decreased when primisulfuron was combined with 2,4-D or dicamba.

The influence of relative planting date on the growth of common cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr. ♯ XANST), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemesiifolia L. ♯ AMBEL), sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia L. ♯ CASOB), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L. ♯ AMARE) grown in competition with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ‘Bragg’] was studied in the greenhouse. Increases in dry matter and height were slower for the five weed species than for soybean throughout the period of the study. The root: shoot ratio of soybean was the highest of any plant in the study, while common ragweed, common cocklebur, common lambsquarters, and sicklepod were intermediate, and redroot pigweed was the lowest. Soybean dry weight was always reduced when grown in competition with a weed. Soybean dry-matter production was reduced most when weeds were planted 2 weeks before soybean, especially with common cocklebur and common lambsquarters. Weed dry-matter content was severely reduced when the weed seed were planted simultaneously with or following soybean. Soybean height was usually reduced by competition with the weeds. The height of common ragweed was increased, however, when planted simultaneously with soybean. Common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, and common ragweed heights were increased when planted 2 weeks prior to soybean.

Adjuvants influence weed control and crop tolerance provided by postemergence (POST) herbicides. Adjuvant effects on weed control and corn and soybean tolerance with CGA-248757 and flumiclorac applied alone and soybean tolerance with CGA-248757 and flumiclorac applied in combination with imazethapyr or CGA-277476 were evaluated. Velvetleaf control in the greenhouse and common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, and common ragweed control in the greenhouse and field with CGA-248757 and flumiclorac were increased by the addition of an adjuvant. However, corn and soybean tolerance to these herbicides was not affected by adding an adjuvant. Laboratory studies suggest enhanced weed control from the addition of an adjuvant resulted from an increase in CGA-248757 and flumiclorac foliar absorption. In greenhouse studies, velvetleaf, common lambsquarters, and redroot pigweed control with CGA-248757 plus imazethapyr; velvetleaf control with flumiclorac plus imazethapyr; redroot pigweed and common ragweed control with CGA-248757 plus CGA-277476; and velvetleaf, redroot pigweed, and common ragweed control with flumiclorac plus CGA-277476 increased by adding an organosilicone adjuvant when compared with adding a nonionic surfactant (NIS). However, in field evaluations of CGA-248757 or flumiclorac plus imazethapyr, the addition of NIS or an organosilicone adjuvant resulted in equivalent soybean injury, common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed control, and soybean yield. Yet in tank mixtures of CGA-248757 or flumiclorac plus CGA-277476, the addition of an organosilicone adjuvant increased redroot pigweed control and soybean yield compared to adding NIS.

The adoption of conservation tillage systems has been challenged by concerns potential weed species shifts. A 9-yr study from 1988 to 1996 was conducted Delhi, Ontario, on a loamy sand soil to evaluate the effect of tillage systems (conventional [CT] and no-till [NT]), cover crop Secale cereale, and nitrogen (N) rate (0, 50, 100, 125, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1) on monocrop Zea mays L. (corn) yield and changes in the composition of the weed flora. CT consisted of spring moldboard plowing followed by cultivation with a tooth cultivator. Weed counts were taken in the last 3 yr of the study (1994, 1995, and 1996) prior to postemergence herbicide application and then again 2 to 3 wk after herbicide treatment. Composition or the weed flora was analyzed by canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). The relationship between weed density and tillage system was not consistent. Weed species composition differed between CT and NT systems. Chenopodium album and Amaranthus retroflexus were associated with CT and Digitaria sanguinalis with NT. N rate and cover crop did not affect weed density or species composition. Proper management of weeds with herbicides appeared to minimize any long-term effect on the weed flora resulting from varying N rates. Zea mays yields did not differ between CT and NT systems but were greater in both systems with a cover crop at the higher N rates. Disturbance caused by tillage was more important than N rate and cover crop as a mechanism influencing composition of the weed flora.

Manure applied to cropland may serve as a source of weed introduction and dispersal. In 36 manure samples from 20 farms, apparently-viable seeds from 13 grasses and 35 broadleaf plants were found. Common lambsquarters was on more than half the farms, yellow foxtail on 35%, common chickweed and dandelion on 30%, and wild mustard, redroot pigweed, and barnyardgrass on 25%. Four farms had manure with no seeds at all; the remainder averaged 75 100 per 1000 kg manure. Twelve milking-cow and heifer barns on six farms with large velvetleaf infestations also were sampled with an average of 133 000 seeds per 1000 kg manure. Only one barn contained velvetleaf seeds. When compared to soil seedbank numbers, manure is not an important seed source for New York farms. However, problems may arise with imported feeds heavily infested with weed seed or which contain even small numbers of noxious weeds.

Flumioxazin plus metolachlor mixtures preemergence (PRE) were evaluated with or without postemergence (POST) herbicides for weed control and peanut (Arachis hypogaea) response in three North Carolina studies. Metolachlor PRE at 2.24 kg ai/ha controlled goosegrass (Eleusine indica) and yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) 93 and 80%, respectively, and control was not improved with flumioxazin or norflurazon. Metolachlor plus flumioxazin PRE at 0.07 or 0.11 kg ai/ha controlled common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album); entireleaf (Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula), ivyleaf (I. hederacea), and pitted morningglory (I. lacunosa); and prickly sida (Sida spinosa) better than metolachlor plus norflurazon PRE at 1.34 kg ai/ha. Morningglories (Ipomoea spp.) were controlled 77 and 86% with flumioxazin PRE at 0.07 and 0.11 kg/ha, respectively, and control was increased to nearly 100% with acifluorfen plus 2,4-DB or lactofen plus 2,4-DB POST. Peanut injury by flumioxazin and norflurazon was observed at one location in 1997; however, yields were not reduced. Peanut treated with metolachlor plus flumioxazin PRE at either rate yielded at least 3,750 kg/ha compared to 3,120 kg/ha with metolachlor plus norflurazon PRE or 1,320 kg/ha with metolachlor PRE.

In field studies, mefluidide {N-[2,4-dimethyl-5-[[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] amino] phenyl] acetamide} was most effective as an enhancing agent for bentazon [3-(1-methylethyl)-(1H)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one 2,2-dioxide] and/or acifluorfen {5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid} when applied as a tank mixture compared to sequential applications. The influence of mefluidide rate on weed control was not consistent. Additives improved the control of several weed species evaluated, but mefluidide generally was only equal to petroleum oil concentrate (phytobland petroleum oil plus emulsifiers in an 83:17 ratio) as an enhancing agent for bentazon and/or acifluorfen.

In laboratory experiments, we studied barnyardgrass, common lambsquarters, and redroot pigweed seed dormancy release by alternating temperatures under different soil water regimes, to determine whether that response serves as a mechanism for assuring seedling establishment. Alternating temperatures were important in breaking seed dormancy in the three weeds, but the species' response to alternating temperatures differed with soil water content. For redroot pigweed and newly dispersed seeds of barnyardgrass, dormancy breaking by alternating temperatures occurred only when soil water content was high enough for germination. Moreover, adverse incubation conditions (constant temperature and low water content) induced secondary dormancy in these seeds. Seventy percent of seeds incubated in open boxes emerged before the soil reached wilting point, when seeds were incubated at temperatures high enough for a high germination rate. A dormancy breaking mechanism that triggers a high rate of germination may be important in assuring success of seedling establishment where rainfall patterns result in wetting and drying cycles of the soil, especially in soil types that lose water rapidly from the surface layers.

Field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1993 to characterize the weed seed bank, to determine the influence of moldboard plowing and secondary soil disturbance on the emergence pattern of weeds, and to measure weed seed bank depletion by emergence in a long-term moldboard plow corn cropping system. Viable seeds of common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, and each of 10 other species accounted for about 85, about 9, and less than 1%, respectively, of the total weed species in the seed bank. A negative binomial distribution described the spatial distribution of viable seeds of 10 species, but not of common lambsquarters or of redroot pigweed. Decreased density of seeds among species was associated with increased aggregation. Secondary soil disturbance increased the rate and magnitude of common lambs quarters emergence in 1992 but did not influence emergence in 1993. Secondary soil disturbance did not influence the magnitude and rate of emergence of redroot pigweed or velvetleaf. Whereas cumulative growing degree days from April through July were similar between years, the amount of rainfall was about 50% less in 1992 than in 1993. Secondary soil disturbance may have increased common lambsquarters emergence by increasing the availability of soil moisture and improving conditions for seed germination during the dry year. Even though seed bank depletion by seedling emergence was relatively low for all species, secondary soil disturbance in creased seed bank depletion of common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed about 7- and 3-fold, respectively, in 1992. Seasonal variation in the amount of rainfall may have influenced the effect of soil disturbance on emergence and seed bank depletion of common lambsquarters, which is the most abundant species in the weed community.

Field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1993 to determine the timing and amount of rainfall required to activate UCC-C4243 applied preemergence. UCC-C4243 at 0, 70, and 140 g ai ha−1 was applied 1, 7, 14, and 21 d before 0.5 or 2 cm of simulated rainfall. Temporary rainshelters protected field plots from natural rainfall during the 21 d dry period. Herbicide activity was determined in the field by seeding lentil, wheat, common lambsquarters, and field pennycress and in the greenhouse by a sugarbeet bioassay of soil samples (0 to 3 cm depth) taken from all plots immediately before irrigation. UCC-C4243 did not injure wheat; however, lentil population was reduced when simulated rainfall occurred within 7 d after application. Lentil injury was greater with higher herbicide rate and higher water level. UCC-C4243 at 70 and 140 g ha−1 reduced populations of both weed species by 75 and 90%, respectively, when either 0.5 or 2 cm simulated rainfall was received within 1 d after herbicide application. Weed control was reduced with a 21 d delay between herbicide application and water activation. The sugarbeet bioassay showed a linear decrease of herbicide activity over time and also with accumulated photosynthetically active radiation. After 17.9 d, herbicide activity on a dry soil surface decreased 50%. Laboratory investigations show that [14C]-UCC-C4243 on glass slides was photodegraded by near ultraviolet light (290 to 400 nm). Volatilization of 14C-labeled herbicide from glass slides was less than 5% after exposure to turbulent air for 48 h.

In 1985, when weed densities were low (169 plants/m2 in untreated control), imazaquin applied at 0.07 kg ai/ha early preplant controlled over 90% of all weeds before no-till planting of soybeans. In 1986 and 1987 when weed densities were higher (589 plants/m2 in untreated control), addition of 1.1 kg ai/ha or more of metolachlor to imazaquin (0.07 kg/ha) before soybean planting controlled 95% or more of the grass weeds and 83% or more of the broadleaf weeds. Imazaquin plus metolachlor applied less than 1 day after soybean planting controlled less than 70% of the emerged weeds in 1986 and 1987; common lambsquarters was most tolerant. Early preplant treatments controlled more weeds throughout the growing season than treatments applied after planting. Splitting herbicide treatments among application times generally did not increase weed control compared to single applications. Early preplant applications resulted in higher soybean densities and taller soybeans 30 days after planting in 1986 and 1987 than treatments applied after planting. Soybean yields increased as weed control increased. Weed control and soybean yields were greater with early preplant treatments than paraquat plus alachlor plus metribuzin applied preemergence in 1986 and 1987. No carryover of imazaquin residue was detected through corn bioassay in the field.

The effects of 14 herbicide treatments, tested in the establishment phase, were investigated on timothy productivity in two field experiments conducted at Melfort, Saskatchewan. Satisfactory weed control achieved with chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron, thifensulfuron, bentazon, diclofop plus bromoxynil, and MCPA/mecoprop/dicamba during the establishment year ensured good forage establishment which in turn caused a ‘residual effect’ for 1 to 3 yr increasing individual cut as well as cumulative forage dry matter yields significantly. In the stand established in 1985, when field pennycress (97 m-2) was the dominant weed in the seedling stage, these treatments increased yields 29 to 52% over a 3-yr period. In the stand established in 1986, when common lambsquarters (27 m-2) was the dominant weed, these treatments increased cumulative yields 24 to 44%. Sethoxydim and fenoxaprop, tested alone, caused significant crop injury in both experiments.

Linuron, metribuzin, oryzalin, and dinoseb were evaluated for weed control in conventional (CT) and rye-stubble reduced-tillage (RT) systems for potatoes. Early season control of weeds was equivalent for all herbicides in both tillage systems. In 1985, redroot pigweed populations were significantly greater in RT than in CT control plots. Populations of common lambsquarters were equivalent, regardless of the tillage system. In 1986, the rye mulch reduced early emergence of both species in untreated RT plots when compared to the untreated CT controls. During both seasons, potato stands decreased 16% with RT. In 1985, total yields did not differ between tillage systems; however, in 1986, total potato yields in RT plots decreased an average of 22% compared to yields in CT plots.

Field studies in 1988 and 1989 evaluated POST herbicides alone and in tank-mixtures for tropic croton control in peanut. Acifluorfen + 2,4-DB, acifluorfen + bentazon, acifluorfen + bentazon + 2,4-DB controlled > 90% of tropic croton when applied at 2 or 4 wk after crop emergence. Paraquat + bentazon controlled 55% at 2 wk and 24% at 4 wk after crop emergence. Imazethapyr and imazethapyr + 2,4-DB controlled < 24% tropic croton at either 2 or 4 wk after crop emergence. Acifluorfen + 2,4-DB, acifluorfen + bentazon, and acifluorfen + bentazon + 2,4-DB controlled at least 90% of the common lambsquarters, common ragweed, and morningglory species. Greatest yields and net returns were obtained with acifluorfen + bentazon + 2,4-DB applied 2 wk after crop emergence. Yields were higher with acifluorfen + bentazon + 2,4-DB and imazethapyr applied at 2 wk after crop emergence than at 4 wk after crop emergence. All other herbicide treatments provided equivalent yields among application timings. Only acifluorfen + 2,4-DB provided equivalent net returns at either application timing. All other herbicide treatments provided lower net returns with applications made at 4 wk than at 2 wk after crop emergence.

Field research from 1986 to 1988 evaluated control of alfalfa, dandelion, orchardgrass, and annual weeds in corn with sequential herbicide treatments. Glyphosate applied the previous fall controlled 95% or more of the dandelion and orchardgrass before postemergence treatments. Atrazine applied early preplant or with paraquat the day before planting only partially controlled the perennial species. Atrazine applied postemergence usually controlled vegetation escaping initial treatment except orchardgrass following the atrazine treatments. Adding tridiphane increased weed control with atrazine or cyanazine applied postemergence only when fall panicum was present. Herbicides applied postemergence increased corn yield compared to the initial treatments alone, and few differences among postemergence treatments were observed. Sequential treatments which included glyphosate applied in the fall controlled 82% or more of each perennial species before the next growing season. Orchardgrass control was 81% or less the following spring when the initial treatment was atrazine or atrazine plus paraquat.

Season-long interference of shattercane, giant foxtail, common cocklebur, and common lambsquarters in corn was evaluated in the field at weed densities from 0.4 to 13.1 plants or clumps/m of corn row during 1985, 1986, and 1987. Corn seed yields decreased linearly with increases in the density of clumps of 2 to 3 shattercane plants and 5 to 8 giant foxtail plants, reaching 22% yield loss at 6.6 shattercane clumps/m of row and 18% yield loss at 13.1 giant foxtail clumps/m of row. Increases in common cocklebur density caused corn yields to decrease curvilinearly in 1985 with a maximum predicted yield loss of 27% occurring at a density of 4.7 common cocklebur plants/m of row. In 1986 and 1987, yields decreased linearly as common cocklebur density increased to 6.6 plants/m of row, where a 10% yield loss was observed. Common lambsquarters reduced corn yields only in 1985. In this year, yields decreased curvilinearly with increasing weed density, resulting in a maximum yield loss of 12% at 4.9 common lambsquarters plants/m of row. Corn yields averaged 11600 kg/ha when grown without weed interference in these experiments.

Chlorimuron applied alone and in combination with acifluorfen or thifensulfuron was evaluated for POST control of common lambsquarters, common ragweed, common cocklebur, and a mixture of pitted, ivyleaf, entireleaf, and tall morningglory in soybean. Common cocklebur control was similar with thifensulfuron at 3 and 4 g ae ha−1 and with chlorimuron at 7 and 9 g ae ha−1, Common ragweed and morningglory control was greater with chlorimuron while common lambsquarters control was greater with thifensulfuron. Control of all species was good with combinations of chlorimuron at 7 g ha−1 plus thifensulfuron at 2 g ha−1 or acifluorfen at 140 g ae ha−1 and similar to or greater than the control with chlorimuron at 9 g ha−1. Soybean yields with all POST herbicide treatments were equivalent to that of the weed-free check.

Knowledge of timing and extent of weed emergence before and immediately after crop seedbed preparation is needed to decrease need for preplant herbicides and increase efficacy of postemergence weed control in crops with either mechanical or chemical methods. Such knowledge is important for weeds that infest most crops over a wide area. For these reasons a mechanistic seedling emergence model based solely on soil temperature was developed for common lambsquarters. The model was validated using four sets of field data collected in 1988, 1990, and 1991 near Morris, MN. Agreement of predicted and observed emergence values across all site-years was 0.95 and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.98 (P < 0.001). Agreement for individual site-years was 0.96, 1.08, 1.08, and 0.98 and associated R2 values were 0.99, 0.99, 0.99, and 0.98 (P < 0.001 for each site-year), indicating close agreement between predicted and actual emergence values.

Field experiments were conducted at East Lansing and Clarksville, MI, to evaluate the efficacy of imazamox, imazethapyr, and CGA-277476 plus quizalofop applied postemergence in wide- (76-cm) and narrow- (19-cm) row soybean. Soybean injury from all herbicides was minimal 14 days after treatment (DAT), except for CGA-277476 at 79 g ai/ha plus 69 g ai/ha quizalofop, which caused 30% soybean injury at the Clarksville location. Adding 4 g ai/ha CGA-248757 to 65 g ai/ha CGA-277476 plus quizalofop reduced common ragweed control, but increased redroot pigweed control in wide rows compared to 79 g ai/ha CGA-277476 plus quizalofop. Imazamox at 35 and 45 g ai/ha provided greater common ragweed and common lambsquarters control than imazethapyr at 70 g ai/ha 28 DAT. All herbicide treatments controlled velvetleaf. Common ragweed and common lambsquarters control by all herbicide treatments was enhanced in narrow- compared to wide-row soybean 56 DAT as was redroot pigweed control by CGA-277476 treatments. Total weed biomass and soybean yield in wide-row soybean treated with imazamox at 45 g/ha was not different from the hand-weeded control. In narrow-row soybean, soybean yield was equal to the hand-weeded control for 35 and 45 g/ha imazamox and 70 g/ha imazethapyr. Postemergence herbicide treatments resulted in less weed biomass and greater soybean yield in narrow- compared to wide-row soybean.