I, too, would like to add my welcome to each of you on behalf of the 32nd annual Weed Science Society of America meeting. I would especially like to recognize our special guest this morning, Dr. C. Everett Koop. I know each of you will find the Clarion Plaza facilities and the program to be excellent due to an outstanding effort by Joe Antognini and the Program Committee and Joan Dusky and the Local Arrangements Committee. We owe all of these folks a tremendous debt of gratitude for the success of this meeting.

Experiments were conducted over 2 yr and at two locations in Central Georgia to determine the influence of paraquat applied for weed control in the spring and following first harvest on alfalfa yield and crown carbohydrate content. Paraquat at 0.28 and 0.56 kg ai ha-1 controlled most annual cool-season weeds at 20 d after March treatment. These rates controlled annual warm-season weeds when applied as early as 7 d after first harvest. Treatments applied during March and as late as 7 d after first harvest did not influence alfalfa production or crown carbohydrate content. However, paraquat applied 14 d after first harvest reduced alfalfa yield 40% and significantly decreased crown carbohydrate content at second harvest but the alfalfa had fully recovered by the third harvest. This indicates that alfalfa is resilient to chemical defoliation by paraquat applied for weed control.

Studies were conducted to evaluate growth and reproductive capabilities of creeping rivergrass in response to rice herbicide programs. Creeping rivergrass grown from single-node stolon segments, multiple-node stolon segments, and rhizomes was treated with various herbicides to evaluate activity on subsequent growth and viability of nodes produced from treated plants. Comparison with the nontreated, cyhalofop, glyphosate, and imazethapyr reduced creeping rivergrass fresh weight by more than 84 to 96%. Glyphosate reduced sprouting of nodes from treated plants 93% compared with nontreated plants. Activity from these herbicides may decrease when applied to plants grown from rhizomes versus rhizome clusters. Plants treated with cyhalofop, glyphosate, and imazethapyr had reduced fresh weight of 36 to 46% when plants were grown from a rhizome cluster, and 69 to 90% when plants were grown from a single rhizome segment, compared with nontreated. Cyhalofop and glyphosate reduced node sprouting by 81 to 98% of nontreated, regardless of parent structure.

Fifty irrigated cornfields in five eastern Colorado counties were sampled for their seedbanks and annual weed seedlings and mature populations between 1988 and 1992. Fourteen annual broadleaf species and seven annual grass species were identified in the 50 seedbanks sampled after the fields were tilled in the fall. Redroot pigweed and a mixture of green and yellow foxtail were the weed species encountered most, occurring in 90 and 54% of the fields, respectively. The single-plant populations of broadleaf and grass species in June and September were similar to those observed in the seedbanks. The number of weed species as seeds in the seedbank, June seedlings, and September plants per field ranged from zero to five grass species and zero to eight broadleaf species.

Methiozolin selectively controls annual bluegrass in cool-season turfgrasses, and practitioners may wish to reseed desirable species in treated areas. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate reseeding intervals for creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue following methiozolin applications. Turfgrass establishment varied for species, application timing (0, 2, 4, or 6 wk before seeding, WBS), and rates tested (0.56, 1.12, or 2.24 kg ai ha−1). Reductions in turf cover suggest that seeding of creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue should be delayed 2 wk after methiozolin treatments at 0.56 kg ha−1. However, reseeding should be delayed after methiozolin treatments at 1.12 kg ha−1 for approximately 4, 4, and 2 wk for creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue, respectively. Similarly, establishment was reduced on all dates from the nontreated after 2.24 kg ha−1 was applied at 4 WBS, suggesting that reseeding should be delayed for at least 6 wk on all three species at the high rate.

Control of broadleaf weeds in caladium is difficult due in part to a lack of selective POST herbicides. Cultivation is not an option due to the dense canopy and potential for tuber injury. As a result, growers currently rely on preemergence (PRE) herbicide and hand-weeding. The objective of this research was to evaluate the control of four common broadleaf weeds of field grown caladium with POST applications of halosulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl, and trifloxysulfuron, and determine the tolerance of caladium cultivars ‘Florida Fantasy’ and ‘Florida cardinal’ to POST applications of halosulfuron. At 4 weeks after treatment (WAT), thifensufluron-methyl at 28 g ai ha−1 and trifloxysulfuron at 84 g ai ha−1 provided approximately 90 and 70% common purslane control, respectively, while halosulfuron at 210 g ai ha−1 provided 55% suppression. Trifloxysulfuron controlled ≥90% spotted spurge at 42 g ha−1, whereas the highest rate of halosulfuron and thifensulfuron-methyl only achieved 60% suppression. In field experiments, the evaluated sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides were less efficacious on hairy indigo and sharppod morningglory as control never exceeded 65 and 50%, respectively. In greenhouse experiments, the evaluated halosulfuron rates ranging from 26 to 420 g ha−1 did not significantly reduce caladium tuber weight from the nontreated control. Averaged over halosulfuron rates, ‘Florida Fantasy’ damage was 5 and 6% at 2 and 4 WAT, respectively, while ‘Florida Cardinal’ damage was 11%. We conclude that none of the herbicide treatments effectively controlled all species evaluated. Sequential treatments, higher rates, or tank-mixtures may be necessary to adequately control these species. We also conclude that caladium cultivars ‘Florida Fantasy’ and ‘Florida Cardinal’ have acceptable tolerance to POST applications of halosulfuron. Further research is needed to evaluate caladium tolerance to other SU herbicides.

The objective of this research was to describe proportional differences across time and region in management practices among southern cotton farmers who experienced glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds on their farms earlier than those who experienced them later and among farmers who were closest to one of four historical outbreak epicenters: Lauderdale County, TN; Macon County, GA; Edgecombe County, NC; and Terry County, TX. A mail survey was conducted with cotton farmers in 2012 from 13 southern, cotton-producing states. Survey responses on practices used by farmers were classified into three broad categories of labor, mechanical/tillage/chemical (MTC), and cultural. Proportions of respondents using practices from each category were identified by time and region; across which, proportional-difference tests were conducted. Results indicated respondents encountering GR weeds earlier were more likely than farmers who experienced them later to use the three broad-category practices (labor, 98 vs. 92%; MTC, 95 vs. 89%; and cultural, 86 vs. 76%) and specific practices, including hooded sprayers (76 vs. 58%), in-season herbicide change (83 vs. 60%), and field-border management (60 vs. 35%). Also, respondents closest to Lauderdale County were more likely than farmers closest to Edgecombe County to use broad-labor practices (99 vs. 91%) and specific practices, including hand hoeing (96 vs. 84%), hand spraying (49 vs. 31%), spot spraying (76 vs. 59%), wick applicator (13 vs. 11%), and field-border management (58 vs. 39%). Education programs on weed management can be developed and tailored according to the time and regional differences to provide effective information and communication channels to farmers.

Indaziflam is a PRE herbicide for annual broadleaf and grass control in turfgrass systems and requires a 40-wk minimum interval between application and overseeding perennial ryegrass. Currently, activated-charcoal application is recommended to reduce that interval; however, preliminary evaluations determined activated charcoal alone was not a robust mitigation practice for successful establishment during perennial ryegrass overseeding. Field research was conducted in North Carolina and Tennessee to evaluate various mitigation practices to effectively overseed perennial ryegrass into indaziflam-treated turfgrass areas. Immediately following indaziflam application (53 g ai ha−1), two scenarios were created by delivering 0 or 0.3 cm H2O before mitigation practice. Irrigated plots were air-dried before conducting mitigation practices. Evaluated mitigation practices included scalping (0.6 cm cut height; debris removed), verticutting (1.25 cm depth; debris removed), and activated-charcoal application (167 kg ha−1 applied as an aqueous slurry in 3,180 L ha−1), evaluated individually and in each two-way combination in the order scalp followed by (fb) activated charcoal, scalp fb verticut, or verticut fb activated charcoal. Twenty-four hours after mitigation practice completion, perennial ryegrass was seeded (976 kg ha−1) and maintained as a golf course fairway. Overall, perennial ryegrass cover was reduced ≥ 93% at 8 and 20 wk after treatment (WAT) when no mitigation practices were performed. Stand-alone mitigation practices variably improved perennial ryegrass establishment; however, no practice provided acceptable results for end users. Combining mitigation practices improved overseeding establishment, most notably by adding activated charcoal application or verticutting to scalping before irrigation. Across experimental runs and locations, scalp fb activated-charcoal application before irrigation reduced perennial ryegrass cover 22 to 27% at 20 WAT. Results from this research suggest mitigation practices in addition to the currently recommended activated-charcoal application should be performed by turfgrass managers to improve perennial ryegrass overseeding establishment in indaziflam-treated turfgrass areas.

In recent years injury has been reported in numerous Tennessee corn fields treated with an organophosphate (OP) insecticide and either a mesotrione- or tembotrione-based herbicide premix. Research was conducted with the objective to determine if corn treated with an in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos or a foliar application of chlorpyrifos or bifenthrin, or a combination of in-furrow and foliar treatment, would be more predisposed to injury when either a premix of S-metolachlor, mesotrione, and glyphosate (meso premix) or a premix of tembotrione plus thiencarbazone (tembo premix) was applied. The main effects of insecticide or herbicide, the two-way interaction of insecticide by herbicide, and the three-way interaction of herbicide by insecticide by application type of insecticide were all significant for injury as well as yield. When chlorpyrifos was used both in-furrow and foliarly on corn treated with the tembo premix, injury was increased to 56% and yield was reduced 58% compared with corn that had not been treated with that insecticide. This use pattern of chlorpyrifos utilized in-furrow followed by chlorpyrifos applied foliarly with the tembo premix essentially doubled the injury (29 to 56%) and increased yield loss from 41% where chlorpyrifos was only utilized foliarly to 49% when chlorpyrifos was applied in-furrow and foliarly. Corn injury was negligible (< 6%) and yield was similar where the meso premix was examined in combination of both types of insecticide applications. This study clearly demonstrated the phytotoxic interaction between these two herbicide premixes and the OP insecticide chlorpyrifos. Therefore, growers need to be mindful of which herbicides are utilized when OP insecticides are used for insect management.

Lack of consistent regulation and marketing of adjuvants and complexity of the interaction among plant, herbicide, environment, water quality, and adjuvant have caused general confusion in adjuvant selection among growers. Choosing the best adjuvant is difficult. Growers must chose from thousands of commercial products and are confused by product descriptions with unfamiliar ingredients and functions. Confusing recommendations, aggressive marketing, and lack of unbiased research and educational information make matters even worse. Manufacturer lists of approved adjuvant products, guidelines that set minimum requirements to qualify adjuvants for use with herbicides, and packaging effective adjuvants with herbicides either in the herbicide formulation or packaged in a different container help reduce grower confusion. University adjuvant research and education have aided grower knowledge and understanding of adjuvants by field testing adjuvants and have influenced herbicide label wording and recommendations.

Quinclorac is a systemic herbicide registered to control annual grass and broadleaf weeds in rice. Field research was conducted to determine the most effective quinclorac treatment for leafy spurge control. Leafy spurge control 12 mo after treatment (MAT) averaged 38 and 77% when quinclorac was applied at 0.56 and 1.7 kg ae/ha, respectively. Quinclorac applied with the crop-oil-based adjuvant Scoil provided similar leafy spurge control compared to quinclorac applied alone. Quinclorac plus Scoil applied with picloram provided better leafy spurge control than quinclorac plus Scoil alone. The optimum date for fall treatment with quinclorac is broad. Quinclorac at 1.1 kg/ha plus Scoil at 2.3 L/ha applied on September 1, September 15, October 1, and October 15 provided similar leafy spurge control and averaged 56% 12 MAT.

Field experiments were conducted in 1997 and 1998 to evaluate the effects of gypsum (GYP), anionic polyacrylamide (PAM), and dolomitic lime (DL) on atrazine and acetochlor efficacy and leaching. Surface-applied treatments of PAM (20 kg/ha), GYP (1,000 kg/ha), PAM + GYP (20 + 1,000 kg/ha), and DL (1,000 kg/ha), plus an unamended control, were evaluated at two locations, i.e., West Lafayette, IN (sites A and B) and Bourbon, IN (sites C and D). Sites A and C were evaluated in 1997 and 1998, while sites B and D were evaluated only in 1998. West Lafayette experiments were on a Raub silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic, aquic Arguidolls) soil, and Bourbon experiments were on a Rensselaer silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic, Typic Arguidolls) soil. Atrazine and acetochlor efficacy was reduced on GYP-amended plots at site A in 1997 where the total weed density was significantly higher (P = 0.10) compared with all other treatments. The results were not significant at this site in 1998; however, weed density tended to be higher with the GYP treatment. Weed density was significantly higher with DL amendments than with the other treatments at site B in 1998. Weed control was not reduced with any treatment at site C or site D in 1997 and 1998. The very strong weed pressures at these sites may have hidden potential differences. Rainfall within hours of amendment and herbicide application resulted in increased atrazine and acetochlor leaching below 15 cm under GYP-amended plots compared with all the treatments at site C in 1997. Atrazine and acetochlor concentrations in the soil were similar among treatments at all other sites, sampling times, and in both years. The application of GYP increased herbicide leaching only when heavy rainfall occurred immediately after application.

Common windgrass is an increasing winter wheat weed problem in Michigan. Postplant incorporated trifluralin, applied at 0.56 kg/ha, reduced common windgrass density by 85% in small plot research and by 70% or greater in production scale sites. In 1994–1995, incorporation implements had no effect on initial wheat density. However in a spring 1995 evaluation, significant wheat injury and stand reduction occurred in response to trifluralin incorporation. Incorporation implement effects on wheat injury were in the order: flex-tine harrow > spike tooth drag > rotary hoe. When trifluralin was shallowly incorporated over wheat planted at least 5 cm deep, no significant wheat injury was observed at any site. Injury from postplant incorporated trifluralin was related to shallow planting depth.

CGA-362622 has been registered for postemergence (POST) over-the-top or POST-directed application in cotton. Research was conducted during 1998 in Texas to determine potential cotton phytotoxicity after POST application of CGA-362622 alone and with the insecticides acephate, dicrotophos, azinphos methyl, oxamyl, thiamethoxam, dimethoate, and malathion and to determine the response of four cotton cultivars to CGA-362622 applied alone. CGA-362622 applied with malathion injured cotton more than either pesticide applied alone, and yield was reduced in one of four locations when the pesticides were applied in mixture compared with nontreated cotton. Pyrithiobac or CGA-362622 mixed with malathion injured cotton similarly. The other insecticides tank mixed with CGA-362622 generally did not adversely affect cotton. The cotton cultivars ‘Delta and Pine Land 50’, ‘Paymaster 1220’, ‘Paymaster 1220RR’, and ‘Stoneville 474’ responded similarly to CGA-362622 applied alone or with insecticides.

Field experiments were conducted in southwestern Oklahoma near Colony in 2000 and near Ft. Cobb in 2001 to quantify the effect of time of removal of a natural population of crownbeard on peanut yield. Weed densities and dry weed weights were measured at eight weed-removal times, and in-shell peanut yields were determined at harvest. Crownbeard was removed at 0 (the weed-free check), 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 wk (full season) after crop emergence (WAE). Weed density was a poor predictor for dry weed weight and peanut yield; however, dry weed weight and time of removal were good predictors for peanut yield. Weed growth was minimal up to 4 WAE and increased linearly after that time. For each week of weed growth, a 0.52 kg/plot increase in dry weed weight was measured. Peanut yield decreased linearly because of crownbeard competition. For each kilogram per plot increase in dry weed weight, a 129 kg/ha or 5.1% peanut yield reduction took place. For each week of weed interference, a 75 kg/ha or 2.8% peanut yield reduction occurred. Crownbeard removal by or before 4 WAE will minimize losses in peanut yield because of interference.

Studies were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to determine the effect of irrigation systems used to produce transplants on subsequent tolerance of banana and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) transplants to field-applied herbicides. The irrigation systems were overhead (OH), ebb and flood (EF), and float (F). At 2 and 4 wk, banana and bell pepper injury was greatest from clomazone (1.1 kg/ha) treatments. Banana and bell pepper yield were not influenced by herbicide treatment. Although crop injury was greater in 1997, there was no herbicide or irrigation system interaction with year. OH and EF irrigated banana pepper and OH irrigated bell pepper produced the greatest total yield over two harvests, whereas F irrigated pepper yielded the least. F irrigated bell pepper plants had reduced early total yield and fancy fruits relative to other irrigation treatments. F irrigated plants yielded 32 and 22% less than OH irrigated plants in banana and bell pepper, respectively. Stand counts at 3 wk after planting (WAP) show that, unlike OH and EF treatments, F treatments lost 240 to 330 plants/ha. Differences in stand among treatments were greater in 1997 than 1996. Based on our study, the OH irrigated system appears to be the best system for producing bell pepper transplants with the greatest total yield. With banana pepper, both OH and EF irrigated systems appear to produce banana pepper transplants with the greatest total yield. Also, pepper transplant tolerance to herbicides is not affected by the irrigation system used to produce transplants.

Foliar herbicide applications to waterhemp can result in inadequate control, leading to subsequent regrowth that often necessitates a second herbicide application to prevent crop interference and seed production. The most effective herbicides and application timings are unknown in situations where waterhemp has regrown from previous injury, such as failed applications of glufosinate or fomesafen. The objective of this research was to determine the optimum combination of herbicide and time from the first failed herbicide application to a sequential herbicide application for control of waterhemp regrowth. Reduced rates of either glufosinate or fomesafen were applied to 30-cm waterhemp plants to mimic failure of the initial herbicide application in separate bare-ground experiments. Respray treatments of glufosinate, fomesafen, lactofen, 2,4-D, or dicamba were applied 3, 7, or 11 d after the initial application. Glufosinate and fomesafen as respray treatments resulted in 90% to 100% control of waterhemp regardless of application timing following a failed glufosinate application. After a failed application of fomesafen, applying glufosinate or 2,4-D resulted in 87% to 99% control of waterhemp. Waterhemp control with fomesafen and lactofen was 13% to 21% greater, respectively, when those treatments followed glufosinate compared with fomesafen as the initial herbicides. On the basis of these results, glufosinate and fomesafen should be used for respray situations after inadequate control from glufosinate; and 2,4-D or glufosinate should be used for respray situations following inadequate control from fomesafen where crop tolerance and herbicide product labels allow. Although glufosinate followed by glufosinate was very effective for controlling waterhemp regrowth, caution should be exercised to avoid sequential application of herbicide with the same site of action.

Field experiments were conducted in 2017 and 2018 at two locations in Indiana to evaluate the influence of cover crop species, termination timing, and herbicide treatment on winter and summer annual weed suppression and corn yield. Cereal rye and canola cover crops were terminated early or late (2 wk before or after corn planting) with a glyphosate- or glufosinate-based herbicide program. Canola and cereal rye reduced total weed biomass collected at termination by up to 74% and 91%, in comparison to fallow, respectively. Canola reduced horseweed density by up to 56% at termination and 57% at POST application compared to fallow. Cereal rye reduced horseweed density by up to 59% at termination and 87% at POST application compared to fallow. Canola did not reduce giant ragweed density at termination in comparison to fallow. Cereal rye reduced giant ragweed density by up to 66% at termination and 62% at POST application. Termination timing had little to no effect on weed biomass and density reduction in comparison to the effect of cover crop species. Cereal rye reduced corn grain yield at both locations in comparison to fallow, especially for the late-termination timing. Corn grain yield reduction up to 49% (4,770 kg ha–1) was recorded for cereal rye terminated late in comparison to fallow terminated late. Canola did not reduce corn grain yield in comparison to fallow within termination timing; however, late-terminated canola reduced corn grain yield by up to 21% (2,980 kg ha–1) in comparison to early-terminated fallow. Cereal rye can suppress giant ragweed emergence, whereas canola is not as effective at suppressing large-seeded broadleaves such as giant ragweed. These results also indicate that early-terminated cover crops can often result in higher corn grain yields than late-terminated cover crops in an integrated weed management program.

Tropical signalgrass (TSG) is one of the most problematic weeds found on golf courses, sports fields, and sod farms in south Florida. The recent ban of monosodium methane-arsonate (MSMA), an organic arsenical herbicide, from urban areas in Florida has left turfgrass managers searching for effective management options. In an effort to avoid relying solely on POST chemical control, this research examined the effect of combining a cultural practice, verticutting, along with PRE and POST herbicides as an integrated weed management approach to controlling TSG in hybrid bermudagrass. Field experiments were conducted at multiple locations over 2 yr in south Florida to: (1) determine whether verticutting before herbicide applications increases TSG control and (2) identify herbicide programs that effectively control TSG. No interactions between verticutting and herbicide programs were detected, but verticutting consistently provided a slight reduction (8% averaged across herbicide treatments) in TSG cover. Treatments containing a PRE herbicide resulted in a significant reduction (20% to 50%) in TSG cover at 52 wk after initial treatment (WAIT), while some POST herbicide treatments reduced TSG cover to <20% at 52 WAIT. A study was conducted to determine which POST herbicide combinations were most efficacious in controlling TSG. Amicarbazone alone provided ≤35% TSG control at 8 and 12 WAIT, but synergistic responses were observed between amicarbazone and mesotrione, trifloxysulfuron, and thiencarbazone+foramsulfuron+halosulfuron. Two- and three-way combinations of amicarbazone with these POST herbicides resulted in >80% TSG control at 4, 8, and 12 WAIT, with some reaching 100% TSG control at 4 WAIT. Based on these data, verticutting may provide limited complementary control, but certain combinations of POST herbicides exhibited excellent (>95%) TSG control.

Fomesafen provides effective control of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth in cotton. However, cotton seedlings can be injured when fomesafen is applied PRE. Therefore, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted at Athens, GA, and at six locations in Alabama and Georgia in 2013 and 2016 to evaluate cotton growth and yield response to fomesafen applied PRE at 70, 140, 280, 560, 1,120, or 2,240 g ai ha−1, and in combination with pendimethalin, diuron, acetochlor, and fluridone at 1×label rates. Greenhouse bioassays indicated that fomesafen reduced cotton height and dry weight with increasing rate in Cecil sandy loam and Tifton loamy sand but not in Greenville sandy clay loam––possibly as a result of this soil’s higher organic matter (OM) and clay content. Fomesafen applied at 2,240 g ai ha−1 reduced cotton stand by as much as 83% compared to the nontreated check (NTC) at all field locations except Alabama’s Macon and Baldwin counties, and 1,120 g ai ha−1 reduced cotton stand only at Pulaski County, GA, by 52%. Cotton height was reduced by the two highest rates of fomesafen at all locations except Clarke County, GA, and Baldwin County, AL. Injury data indicated more visual injury followed increasing fomesafen rates, and high-rate treatments produced more injury in sandier soils. Cotton yield was unaffected by herbicide treatments at any location, except for the 1,120 g ai ha−1 rate at Pulaski County (49% yield loss compared to NTC), 2,240 g ai ha−1 at Pulaski County (72% yield loss), and Tift County (29% yield loss). These data indicated cotton yield should not be negatively affected by fomesafen applied PRE alone within label rates or in combination with pendimethalin, diuron, acetochlor, and fluridone at 1×label rates, although some visual injury, or stand or height reduction may occur early in the growing season.