A four site-year study was conducted in North Carolina to evaluate the effects of soybean planting timing and row spacing on soil moisture, weed density, soybean lodging, and yield in a cover crop-based no-till organic soybean production system. Soybean planting timing included roll-kill/planting and roll-kill/delayed planting where soybean planting occurred either on the same day or approximately 2 wk later, respectively. Soybean row spacing included 19, 38, and 76 cm, and all treatments included a weedy check and weed-free treatment. Rye biomass production averaged above 10,000 kg ha−1 dry matter, which resulted in good weed control across all sites. Despite having good weed control throughout all treatments, weed coverage was highest in the 76-cm row-space treatment when compared to both the 19-cm and 38-cm row spacing in two of the four site-years. Soybean lodging is a potential consequence of no-till planting of soybeans in high residue mulches, and of the three row spacings, the 19-cm spacing exhibited the greatest incidence of lodging. Row spacing also influenced soybean yield; the 19- and 38-cm row spacing out yielded the 76-cm spacing by 10%. Soil volumetric water content (VWC) was higher in the cereal rye mulch treatments compared to the no rye checks. Furthermore, delaying soybean planting lowered soil water evaporation. However, the increased soil VWC in the rolled-rye treatment did not translate into increased soybean yield. The rolled-rye treatment exhibited significant (P < 0.01) increases in soil VWC when compared to the no-rye treatment at three of the four site-years. These results highlight planting date flexibility and potential risk to lodging that producers face when no-till planting organic soybeans.

Waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) are troublesome weeds of row-crop production in the United States. Their dioecious reproductive systems ensure outcrossing, facilitating rapid evolution and distribution of resistances to multiple herbicides. Little is known, however, about the genetic basis of dioecy in Amaranthus species. In this work, we use restriction site–associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) to investigate the genetic basis of sex determination in A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri. For each species, approximately 200 plants of each sex were sampled and used to create RAD-Seq libraries. The resulting libraries were separately bar-coded and then pooled for sequencing with the Illumina platform, yielding millions of 64-bp reads. These reads were analyzed to identify sex-specific and sex-biased sequences. We identified 345 male-specific sequences from the A. palmeri data set and 2,754 male-specific sequences in A. tuberculatus. An unexpected 723 female-specific sequences were identified in a subset of the A. tuberculatus females; subsequent research, however, indicated female specificity of these markers was limited to the population from which they were identified. Primer sets designed to specifically amplify male-specific sequences were tested for accuracy on multiple, geographically distinct populations of A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri, as well as other Amaranthus species. Two primer sets for A. palmeri and four primer sets for A. tuberculatus were each able to distinguish between male and female plants with at least 95% accuracy. In the near term, sex-specific markers will be useful to the A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri research communities (e.g., to predict sex for crossing experiments). In the long-term, this research will provide the foundational tools for detailed investigations into the molecular biology and evolution of dioecy in weedy Amaranthus species.

A population of rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) from a field on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, was suspected of resistance to thiocarbamate herbicides. Dose–response studies were conducted on this population (EP162) and two susceptible populations (SLR4 and VLR1). The resistant population exhibited cross-resistance to triallate, prosulfocarb, EPTC, and thiobencarb with higher LD50 to triallate (14.9-fold), prosulfocarb (9.4-fold), EPTC (9.7-fold), and thiobencarb (13.6-fold) compared with the susceptible populations SLR4 and VLR1. The resistant population also displayed resistance to trifluralin, pyroxasulfone, and propyzamide. The LD50 of the resistant population was higher for trifluralin (13.8-fold), pyroxasulfone (8.1-fold), and propyzamide (2.7-fold) compared with the susceptible populations. This study documents the first case of field-evolved resistance to thiocarbamate herbicides in L. rigidum.

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense Scop.), a widely distributed weed in northern United States, according to Dewey (3), was introduced from Europe in 1777. In 1901 Blankenship (1) reported it to be rare in Montana having been identified in only five locations. However, a report issued in 1956 by Heikes (6), showed an estimated 625,000 infested acres in Montana. Another report of a survey of the four northwestern states including Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington estimated their total of Canada thistle at more than 1.5 million acres infested (4). This was considerably more than any other weed of this region. Control measures for this weed are, therefore, of primary importance.

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the influence of degradation and sorption processes on the dissipation of alachlor in one Colorado soil (Kim clay loam) and three Minnesota soils (Port Byron silt loam, Webster silty clay loam, and Estherville sandy loam) as a function of soil depth. Persistence and movement of alachlor in an irrigated corn production system also were determined on the Kim soil. Laboratory degradation data fit first-order kinetics, and rate constants ranged from 0.0094 to 0.0251 d-1 and varied with soil type and depth. For instance, in 60- to 75-cm-depth Kim soil, alachlor degraded at a slower rate (k = 0.011 d-1) than in surface soil samples (k = 0.022 d-1). Alachlor sorption to the four soils was moderate (Kf = 0.7 to 7.4; Kf,oc = 71 to 470) and concentration dependent (1/n < 1.0). Significant hysteretic desorption of alachlor from soils also was observed (1/n desorption < 1/n sorption). The combined effect of degradation and sorption processes has been used to classify a chemical's potential to leach to groundwater. Based on Kf,oc and dissipation half-life, alachlor would be classified as a “leacher” in Kim, Port Byron, and Estherville soils and classified as transitional between “leacher” and “nonleacher” in the Webster soil. The dissipation first-order rate constant (k) of alachlor in Kim soil in the field was 0.036 α 0.012 d-1. Dissipation was apparently not due to leaching since bromide applied at the same time remained in the top 15 cm during the first 28 d. It appears that laboratory-derived leaching indices may overestimate actual leaching and should be used with caution for predictive or regulatory purposes.

Corn cultivars differed in their response to imazaquin applied from 35 to 280 g ai/ha, as measured by shoot length. No cultivar was tolerant to all imazaquin application rates. There was less corn injury from imazaquin in studies conducted during the second and third years of research than in the first year. Preplant-incorporated applications caused significantly more injury than preemergence applications in two out of three studies. Lack of rainfall in 1985 and 1987 may have limited movement of imazaquin in the soil profile, which resulted in preemergence applications of imazaquin, causing very little corn injury. In all years of research, 35 g/ha of imazaquin incorporated in the top 6 cm of the soil profile resulted in 17 to 33% reduction in corn height 28 days after planting, when averaged across all the corn cultivars. Significant yield reductions (LSD = 0.10) of 45, 19, and 18% occurred in 1987 from preplantincorporated applications of 140, 70, and 35 g/ha, respectively, which had reduced corn height 46, 23, and 19%, respectively, when measured 28 days after planting.

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effect of light, temperature, moisture stress, solution pH, and burial depth on coffee senna germination and emergence. Seeds germinated equally with or without light, and pretreatment with red or far-red light did not affect germination. Optimum temperature for germination was 25 C, and a high germination percentage (> 70%) occurred from 12.5 to 30 C. The low temperature threshold for germination was between 10 and 12.5 C, whereas the upper threshold was near 45 C. Coffee senna germination in response to moisture stress and solution pH differed at 15 and 30 C. At −0.4 MPa, no germination occurred at 15 C, whereas 15% germination occurred at 30 C. Optimum germination was at pH 6, but further increases in pH had a more negative effect on germination at 15 C than at 30 C. Coffee senna germination ranged from 9 to 12% at pH 3, but was 0% at pH 10, which indicates that coffee senna germination was more tolerant of acidic than basic solutions. Depth-mediated emergence inhibition was sigmoidal, with greatest emergence on the soil surface. Emergence from 2- to 10-cm depths reached 95% of the total emergence 1 to 3 d earlier in a sandy loam than in a sand soil. Mean emergence depth was 1.7 cm in the sand and 2.4 cm in the sandy loam soil. Knowledge gained from this research will be instrumental in developing a better understanding of the requirements for coffee senna germination and emergence, allowing further development and improvement of integrated weed management strategies specific to this troublesome weed.

Giant ragweed exhibits a high degree of polymorphism among individual plants in seed size, shape, spininess, and color. These features may play an important role in giant ragweed seed survival and predation avoidance; however, they are difficult to evaluate because of lack of quantification methods. A computer imaging technique was developed for describing and classifying giant ragweed seeds using digital images of the seed top and side views. Seed samples collected from 20 different giant ragweed plants (classes) were mounted and digitally scanned. Quantitative features were extracted from the seed images, including color, width, height, area, and seed perimeter. A polygon (convex hull) of the seed image based on the seed outline was constructed, from which spininess indices were developed. Fisher's linear discriminant with normalized nearest neighbor classification was used to classify randomly selected images of individual seeds according to class (maternal origin), using the extracted features as a database. The best classification rate achieved was 99%, with 138 out of 140 seeds correctly matched using data from both the top and side views. Seed features were easily extracted and varied from 1.2- to 4.5-fold among classes. Area and perimeter measurements varied least within classes but varied most among classes, suggesting that these features discriminate effectively among seeds from different plants in giant ragweed. Convex hull area : seed area ratio, using the seed top view images, was the best index of seed spininess, aligning well with visual assessment and providing greatest discrimination among classes. This experiment shows that in the case of giant ragweed, seeds from different plants are distinguishable in an objective and quantitative manner. This imaging technique can be applied to identification of seeds from different species and to studies on variable seed morphology within a species.

A convergence of research effort in a number of scientific disciplines in the early 1980s resulted in a rapid expansion of knowledge of the structure and function of the photosynthetic reaction center in bacteria and higher plants. The structure of the reaction center from photosynthetic bacteria was determined by X-ray analysis. The herbicide binding protein (the D1 protein) was identified by photoaffinity labelling and found to be an integral part of the photosynthetic reaction center complex in higher plants. Studies using herbicide-resistant mutants enabled the location of the herbicide binding niche on D1 to be determined. Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) of families of inhibitors and their effect on photosynthetic electron transport helped elucidate the nature of the interaction between inhibitors and receptor. Binding appeared to be predominantly hydrophobic with hydrogen bonding also having an important role. Studies with a series of highly potent inhibitors, the 2-cyanoacrylates, identified certain steric constraints in the interaction of these molecules with the binding site. The activity of these inhibitors was particularly sensitive to minor structural change and they proved to be useful probes of receptor topography. The results of structure-activity studies of the 2-cyanoacrylates combined with a refined knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of the inhibitor binding site has enabled computer-based molecular modelling of interactions of these inhibitors with the receptor. The spatial arrangement of the inhibitor functional groups within the binding domain was shown to be a critical factor in determining binding affinity.

The herbicides 3-tert-butyl-5-chloro-6-methyluracil (terbacil) and isopropyl m-chlorocarbanilate (chlorpropham) showed greatly enhanced activity on giant foxtail (Setaria faberii Herrm.) and ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq.) when applied in an isoparaffinic oil rather than water. The activity of terbacil was enhanced but to a lesser extent when crop oil was added to a water carrier at a concentration of 10%. In field trials, similar enhancement of terbacil and chlorpropham activity was obtained on several weeds. Onions (Allium cepa L., var. Spartan Gem) in the “loop stage” were moderately tolerant and carrots (Daucus carota L., var. Royal Chantenay) were highly tolerant to chlorpropham at 4 lb/A applied in the isoparaffinic oil. Peppermint (Mentha peperita L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) were tolerant to terbacil applied in the oil at rates sufficient to give good weed control. The oil alone had no injurious effects on onions, carrots, peppermint, or spearmint. This enhancement in activity in greenhouse and field studies appeared to be due to increased penetration as shown by washing, speed of killing plants, and tracer studies. Tracer studies showed that within 2 hr after application, the isoparaffinic oil increased the penetration of chlorpropham more than eightfold in ivyleaf morningglory and more than fourfold in giant foxtail compared to a water carrier. This increase in penetration was even more striking with terbacil. After 4 hr, penetration was increased over 16 times in ivyleaf morningglory and over 18 times in giant foxtail, when applied in the oil rather than acetone. Chlorpropham and terbacil were translocated to the shoot apex of ivyleaf morningglory only when they were applied in the oil.

Flowering dates, seed production, and disease and insect susceptibility of seven Ipomoea spp. and smallflower morningglory [Jacquemontia tamnifolia (L.) Griseb.] were determined under field conditions in 1973 and 1974. Seed produced per plant were as follows: ivyleaf morningglory [Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq.], 6000; entireleaf morningglory [I. hederacea (L.) Jacq. var. integriuscula Gray], 5000; pitted morningglory [I. lacunosa L.], 10000; wild tall morningglory [I. purpurea (L.) Roth.], 26000; commercial tall morningglory [I. purpurea (L.) Roth ‘Crimson Rambler′], 15 000; cypressvine morningglory (I. quamoclit L.), 9000; cotton morningglory [I. trichocarpa Ell. var. torreyana (Gray) Shinners], 9000; palmleaf morningglory (I. wrightii Gray), 7000; and smallflower morningglory, 11000. Seed weights were about 29, 26, 22, 21, 19, 13, 19, 37, and 5 mg/seed, respectively. Pitted morningglory appeared to have a qualitative short day-length requirement for flower initiation and the other species appeared less day-length sensitive. Ivyleaf morningglory and entireleaf morningglory were highly susceptible to orange rust [Coleosporium ipomoeae (Schw.) Burrill] and white rust [Albugo ipomoea panduratae (Schw.) Swingle], but the other Ipomoea species were only slightly susceptible and smallflower morningglory was resistant. Cotton bollworms (Heliothis zea Boddie) and cabbage loopers (Trichoplusia ni Hubner) fed preferentially on ivyleaf morningglory and entireleaf morningglory.

Atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine] uptake from solution by excised velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medic.) root segments was studied. Initial atrazine absorption by 1-cm segments cut from the apical 5 cm of roots was rapid. Atrazine concentration in the tissue became equal to the external atrazine concentration by 30 min. Atrazine did not accumulate in the root tissue to concentrations above the external solution, and rapid efflux of atrazine occurred when the root segments were washed with atrazine-free solution. Atrazine absorption was linear over a range of external atrazine concentrations. Dinitrophenol and KCN increased atrazine absorption during the first 3 min of exposure to atrazine. Anoxia increased atrazine absorption but decreased K+ uptake. Decreasing temperatures decreased atrazine absorption. Q10 values for atrazine uptake were between 1.3 and 1.4. The response of atrazine absorption by the excised roots to inhibitors, anoxia, external atrazine concentration, and temperature indicated simple diffusion as the mechanism of absorption of atrazine by velvetleaf roots.

The germination of seeds (achenes) of milk thistle [Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.] was investigated. One month after harvest, milk thistle seeds had afterripening requirements related to germination temperature that limited germination to 10 to 20 C temperatures. The time required to satisfy afterripening requirements was dependent on germination temperature. Generally the higher the incubation temperature during germination, the longer the afterripening requirement (up to a maximum of 5 months). Once afterripening requirements were satisfied, milk thistle seeds germinated over a temperature range of from 0 to 30 C. Optimum germination occurred with 2 to 15 C 16-h cold periods alternating with 10 to 30 C 8-h warm periods. Emergence of milk thistle seedlings decreased with increased burial depth, but substantial emergence occurred from 8 cm. Germination on the surface of the soil or litter was greatly reduced compared to that with slight soil or litter coverage. Potassium nitrate (KNO3) added to the germination substrate at 1.0 mM enhanced the germination of milk thistle seeds at 2 and 5 C incubation temperatures.

Aqueous solutions of buthidazole {3-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadazol-2-yl]-4-hydroxy-1-methyl-2-imidazolidinone}, VEL 3510 {1-β,β-dimethoxyethyl-1-methyl-3-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadazol-2-yl] urea}, tebuthiuron {N-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadazol-2-yl]-N,N′-dimethylurea}, fluridone 1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4(1H)-pyridinone, metribuzin [4-amino-6-tert-butyl-3-(methylthio)-as-triazin-5(4H)-one], and prometryn [2,4-bis(isopropylamino)-6-(methylthio)-s-triazine] were spectrophotometrically titrated to obtain pKA values. Ionizing properties of the chemicals were compared with other related compounds reported in the literature. The pKA values for the six herbicides were 0.6 and 11.3, 0.9 and 9.0, 1.2, 1.7, 1.1, and 4.1, respectively.

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) is a problematic weed encountered in U.S. cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production, with infestations spreading northward. This research investigated the influence of planting date (early, mid-, and late season) and population (AR, IN, MO, MS, NE, and TN) on A. palmeri growth and reproduction at two locations. All populations planted early or midseason at Throckmorton Purdue Agricultural Center (TPAC) and Arkansas Agriculture Research and Extension Center (AAREC) measured 196 and 141 cm or more, respectively. Amaranthus palmeri height did not exceed 168 and 134 cm when planted late season at TPAC and AAREC, respectively. Early season planted A. palmeri from NE grew to 50% of maximum height 8 to 13 d earlier than all other populations under TPAC conditions. In addition, the NE population planted early, mid-, and late season achieved 50% inflorescence emergence 5, 4, and 6 d earlier than all other populations, respectively. All populations established at TPAC produced fewer than 100,000 seeds plant−1. No population planted at TPAC and AAREC produced more than 740 and 1,520 g plant−1 of biomass at 17 and 19 wk after planting, respectively. Planting date influenced the distribution of male and female plants at TPAC, but not at AAREC. Amaranthus palmeri from IN and MS planted late season had male-to-female plant ratios of 1.3:1 and 1.7:1, respectively. Amaranthus palmeri introduced to TPAC from NE can produce up to 7,500 seeds plant−1 if emergence occurs in mid-July. An NE A. palmeri population exhibited biological characteristics allowing it to be highly competitive if introduced to TPAC due to a similar latitudinal range, but was least competitive when introduced to AAREC. Although A. palmeri originating from different locations can vary biologically, plants exhibited environmental plasticity and could complete their life cycle and contribute to spreading populations.

Jimsonweed (Datura stromonium) was treated with carboxyl-labeled C14 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D*); auto-radiographs and extraction of radioactive materials were used to determine the movement and form of the herbicide. Activity rapidly decreased in the leafy tissue. There was an accumulation of activity in the stem, but very little accumulation in the roots. With the exception of the stem tissue where minor alteration of the herbicide occurred, 2,4-D* was the only radioactive material recovered from jimsonweed. A loss of radioactivity from the root systems indicated a possible detoxification mechanism for jimsonweed. Up to 25% of the 2,4-D* applied to jimsonweed was expelled from the roots in six weeks.

Selected, representative research on surfactants, herbicide penetration, and plant cuticles was reviewed briefly. New evidence was presented that surfactants influence the activity of herbicides in oil sprays as spectacularly as in aqueous sprays. Most of the experimental facts about surfactants were integrated in a blanketing theory for entry of herbicides by separate hydrophilic and lipophilic pathways.

A lack of information regarding weed control, relative to conventional systems, has left organic growers largely on their own when devising weed management systems for organic crops. As interest in organic weed management increases, researchers need more information regarding the type and number of weed control practices undertaken on organic farms. A survey of certified organic growers was conducted in five states in the northwest United States to identify organic weed management programs and what grower and farm-operation characteristics were factors in weed management program design. Three types of weed management programs, with varying diversity in weed control practices, were identified. Stepwise binary logistic regression indicated that the likelihood of an organic grower using a more-diverse weed management program increased if the grower engaged in grain production and as the number of crops produced on an organic farm operation in 1 yr increased. The probability of operating a more-diverse weed management program also increased as a grower's education level increased. Organic hectarage operated was positively correlated with weed management program diversity, and with the adoption of cultural controls. Additionally, awareness of weeds as a factor causing yield loss was correlated with increased weed management program diversity. An increased awareness among researchers of the differing needs and abilities of organic growers in managing weeds on their farms will improve communication and outreach efforts when assisting growers with designing organic weed management programs.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) giant ragweed, horseweed, and common ragweed were confirmed in southwestern Ontario, Canada in 2008, 2010, and 2011, respectively. In the western prairie provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, GR (plus acetolactate synthase inhibitor-resistant) kochia was discovered in 2011. This symposium paper estimates the environmental impact (EI) of the top herbicide treatments or programs used to manage these GR weed species in the major field crops grown in each region. For each herbicide treatment, EI (per ha basis) was calculated as the environmental impact quotient (EIQ), which quantifies the relative potential risk of pesticide active ingredients on human and ecological health based on risk components to farm workers, consumers, and the environment, multiplied by the application rate (kg ai ha−1). Total EI is defined as EI (per ha basis) multiplied by the application area (i.e., land area affected by a GR weed). It was assumed that all herbicide treatments would supplement the continued usage of glyphosate because of its broad spectrum weed control. For the control of these GR weeds, most treatments contain auxinic or protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides. The majority of auxinic herbicide treatments result in low (EI ≤ 10) to moderate (11 to 20) EI, whereas all treatments of PPO inhibitors have low EI. Total EI of GR horseweed and kochia will generally be greater than that of giant or common ragweed because of rapid seed dispersal. For recommended herbicide treatments to control GR weeds (and herbicide-resistant weeds in general), EI data should be routinely included with cost and site of action in weed control extension publications and software, so that growers have the information needed to assess the EI of their actions.

Weed management remains a high priority for organic farmers, whose fields generally have higher weed density and species diversity than those of their conventional counterparts. We explored whether variability in farmer knowledge and perceptions of weeds and weed management practices were predictive of variability in on-farm weed seedbanks on 23 organic farms in northern New England. We interviewed farmers and transcribed and coded interviews to quantify their emphasis on concepts regarding knowledge of ecological weed management, the perceived risks and benefits of weeds, and the perceived risks and benefits of weed management practices. To characterize on-farm weed seedbanks, we collected soil samples from five fields at each farm (115 fields total) and measured germinable weed seed density. Mean weed seed density per farm ranged from 2,775 seeds m−2 to 24,678 seeds m−2 to a soil depth of 10 cm. Farmers most often reported hairy galinsoga and crabgrass species (Digitaria spp.) as their most problematic weeds. The proportion of the sum of these two most problematic weeds in each farm's seedbank ranged from 1 to 73% of total weed seed density. Farmer knowledge and perceptions were predictive of total seed density, species richness, and proportion of hairy galinsoga and crabgrass species. Low seed densities were associated with farmers who most often discussed risks of weeds, benefits of critical weed-free management practices, and learning from their own experience. These farmers also exhibited greater knowledge of managing the weed seedbank and greater understanding of the importance of a long-term strategy. Targeted education focusing on this set of knowledge and beliefs could potentially lead to improved application and success of ecological weed management in the future, thus decreasing labor costs and time necessary for farmers to manage weeds.