Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
Experiments conducted in North Carolina and Virginia compared weed control, peanut yield, and net returns with systems using imazethapyr applied at various times and the regional standard treatment of paraquat applied at the ground-cracking stage of peanut (GC) followed by acifluorfen plus bentazon applied POST. Imazethapyr was applied PPI, PRE, GC, or POST at 70 g ae ha−1. Imazethapyr also was applied sequentially PPI plus GC, PPI plus POST, and PRE plus POST at 35 + 35 and 70 + 70 g ha−1. Late-season control of common ragweed and a mixture of entireleaf, ivyleaf, and pitted morningglories by the standard treatment ranged from 85 to 100%. Spurred anoda was controlled 80%, and common lambsquarters and prickly sida were controlled completely. Control of common lambsquarters, prickly sida, and morningglory by imazethapyr applied one or more times was similar to control by the standard. Control by imazethapyr exceeded that by the standard only for spurred anoda. The most effective time for applying imazethapyr varied by species and locations. Imazethapyr was equally effective on common lambsquarters and spurred anoda when applied PPI, PRE, or GC. Prickly sida and morningglory were controlled best when imazethapyr was applied PPI or PRE and GC, respectively. Common ragweed was controlled poorly with single applications of imazethapyr. Applying imazethapyr sequentially improved consistency of control across the range of species. In most cases, imazethapyr applied sequentially at 35 + 35 g ha−1 controlled all weeds as well as or better than when applied once at 70 g ha−1. Overall, imazethapyr at the registered rate of 70 g ha−1 was most effective when applied PPI at 35 g ha−1 followed by 35 g ha−1 at GC. Except for common ragweed, weed control with this treatment was similar to that by the standard. Peanut yield and net returns with this treatment were similar to those with the standard at three of four locations.