Diclofop at 840 g ai/ha, fenoxaprop at 90 g ai/ha, and imazamethabenz at 530 g ai/ha fall-applied controlled wild oat 96, 99, and 95% and increased wheat grain yields 26, 29, and 24%, respectively. These herbicides controlled wild oat over a wider range of growth stages than current labels indicate. The same treatments applied in March were less effective for wild oat control and did not increase wheat yield.

Tolerance of six soft red winter wheat cultivars to AE F130060 00 plus AE F115008 00 applied at 12.5 plus 2.5 g ai/ha and 25 plus 5 g ai/ha, respectively, at the two- to three-tiller stage was examined under weed-free conditions at four locations over 2 yr. Visible injury averaged 5 and 15% 3 wk after treatment (WAT) in years 1 and 2, respectively. Injury was 2% or less 10 WAT. No differences among cultivars were noted for visible injury, and AE F130060 00 plus AE F115008 00 did not reduce grain yield in year 1. In year 2, averaged over herbicide rates, grain yields of the cultivars ‘Coker 9663’, ‘Pioneer 2580’, ‘Coker 9704’, ‘Pioneer 2684’, ‘FFR 555’, and ‘Jackson’ were reduced 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 16%, respectively. The yield reduction for Jackson was different from those for the other cultivars. Yield reduction was attributed to reduced numbers of kernels per spike.

Research was conducted to determine the minimum number of between-row mowings necessary to control annual weeds, chiefly giant foxtail and common waterhemp, without corn yield loss. Over 2 yr in Missouri, the between-row mowing systems that were evaluated consisted of a 38-cm band of PRE atrazine plus metolachlor at 2.2 plus 2.2 kg ai/ha applied over corn grown in 76-cm rows shortly after planting followed by one, two, or three between-row mowings close to the soil surface. Based on rated total weed control, between-row total weed cover, and corn yield, the weed-free check was statistically indistinguishable from a treatment in which banded PRE herbicide was followed by only one between-row mowing, late, when weeds were relatively large. When mowed once at 52 to 64 days after planting (DAP), giant foxtail and common waterhemp were greater than 85 cm tall. The yield was not increased by mowing earlier or more than once.

Field studies were established at two Missouri locations in 2004 and 2005 to evaluate the effects of fall and early spring herbicide applications on soil temperature, soil moisture content, and insect injury in no-till corn production systems. Both experiments received applications of simazine plus 2,4-D, rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron plus 2,4-D, and glyphosate plus 2,4-D in the fall, 45 d prior to planting (45 d EPP), 30 d prior to planting (30 d EPP), and 7 d prior to planting (7 d EPP). During a period from April 1 to April 14, simazine plus 2,4-D applied 45 d EPP resulted in higher soil temperatures at a 5-cm depth compared to the untreated control. However, there were few differences in soil temperature present from April 15 to May 1. Soil moisture readings taken during this same time period correlated with soil temperature readings. Measurements of soil moisture taken at 1 and 3 wk after planting (WAP) revealed significantly lower soil moisture readings in the untreated compared to herbicide treated plots. This lower soil moisture content allowed untreated plots to warm up more rapidly and thereby eliminated any negative impacts that dense stands of winter annual weeds may have had on soil temperature. Evaluations of corn flea beetle and lepidopteron injury taken at the V2, V4, and V6 corn leaf stages revealed significant differences in injury as a result of these treatments. When dense stands of winter and summer annual weeds were left uncontrolled, corn flea beetle injury was significantly lower than in plots treated with a herbicide. However, when a post herbicide application was made to remove all weed species prior to the V6 sampling date, differences in corn flea beetle injury between the untreated and herbicide treated plots were eliminated. Additionally, removal of all weed species led to higher lepidopteron injury in the untreated.

Field studies were conducted near Archer, FL, and Vienna, GA, in 1995 and 1996 to investigate pyridate and SAN 582 for weed management in peanut. At Archer, pyridate plus 2,4-DB applied 3 wk after emergence resulted in 75, 72, 59, and 85% early-season control of yellow nutsedge, Florida beggarweed, hairy indigo, and sicklepod, respectively. In Vienna, pyridate plus 2,4-DB resulted in 87 and 55% early-season control of yellow nutsedge and Florida beggarweed, respectively. At both Archer and Vienna, SAN 582 applied preplant incorporated prior to pyridate postemergence (POST) increased control of yellow nutsedge, Florida beggarweed, and hairy indigo; however, peanut yield was not improved. In greenhouse studies, pyridate plus 2,4-DB controlled prickly sida, common cocklebur, and ivyleaf morningglory. Reduced weed control was observed in greenhouse studies when SAN 582 was added to the pyridate plus 2,4-DB POST tank mix.

Freshly collected redroot pigweed seeds were buried 5 cm deep in the field in November of 3 yr in succession. Treatments applied to the soil surface included KNO3 (400 kg ha-1) in midwinter, ethephon (11 kg ha-1) in late spring, and a soil cover (polyethylene sheet for 2 wk) in late spring. Seeds were recovered within 1 yr after treatment, examined for in situ germination, and tested for viability. The 3-yr averages for viable seeds remaining by October in the year after treatment with KNO3 or soil cover, either alone or in combination, did not differ from nontreated checks and averaged 47% of the original population. Viable seeds remaining in soil treated with ethephon either alone or combined with KNO3 were reduced to 21% of the beginning population. The most effective treatments were ethephon either combined with a soil cover or with a soil cover plus KNO3 which reduced the viable seeds to an average of 8% of the original. Ethephon plus a soil cover has the potential to reduce greatly redroot pigweed seed populations in the field.

Metham has been reported as an acceptable weed control alternative to methyl bromide. However, modified application equipment is required to allow its effective use in crops that are grown on polyethylene-covered seedbeds. A power tiller was modified using commonly available materials to apply metham in a 61-cm band and shape seedbeds for laying a black polyethylene tarp. Additional modification allowed the implement to be used in strip tillage and conventional tillage systems. Metham applied using this modified power tiller effectively controlled many species of weeds, including yellow nutsedge, in transplanted watermelon.

Research was conducted to determine environmental and cultural factors influencing triallate phytotoxicity to hard red spring wheat. Triallate injured ‘Alex’ wheat more than ‘Coteau’ but injury was not influenced by triallate application date. Wild oat control was greater when triallate was applied immediately before seeding compared to 12 d before seeding. Triallate tolerance in wheat did not relate to solid stem characteristic. Injury was highest when wheat was seeded in a 4-cm incorporated triallate layer and least when wheat was seeded below the treated layer. However, triallate injury to wheat was similar at both seeding depths within the 8-cm incorporated triallate layer. Triallate at 1.1 kg ai ha-1 reduced wheat fresh weight approximately 33% with a soil at 8 C but over 84% with a soil at 24 C.

In growth room studies, POST applications of fenoxaprop-ethyl at 50 g ai ha−1 at the four- to five-leaf stage of development were non-toxic to barnyardgrass, large crabgrass, and yellow foxtail. POST applications of fenchlorazole-ethyl at 12.5 or 25.0 g ai ha−1 were also nontoxic to these same three species. However, when the two chemicals were applied in combination at the above rates they were toxic to all three species, indicating a synergistic interaction in all three species. In additional studies, a sensitive biotype of wild oat was severely injured by fenoxaprop-ethyl at 50 g ai ha−1 and a resistant biotype of wild oat was only slightly injured by fenoxaprop-ethyl at rates as high as 800 g ai ha−1. However, no significant interactions were observed between fenoxaprop-ethyl and fenchlorazole-ethyl in either of these wild oat biotypes.

Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse and the field to determine if a seaweed extract and its component alginates could enhance the activity of sethoxydim on barley (five- to six-leaf stage). In greenhouse trials, sethoxydim with 0.5% oil concentrate was applied at 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 kg ai/ha; in field trials, sethoxydim with 0.5% oil concentrate was applied at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 kg/ha. In both sets of trials the seaweed extract was applied at a rate of 1 and 2 L/ha, and the alginates were applied at 250 and 500 g/ha. When either the seaweed extract, or the calcium ammonium salt of alginic acid was used as an adjuvant a significant increase in sethoxydim activity was usually observed. At the highest rates of these adjuvants, sethoxydim (0.2 kg/ha) activity increased from 59% control (1321 g/m2 fresh weight) with only oil concentrate, to 87% control (224 g/m2 fresh weight) with seaweed extract, or 89% control (184 g/m2 fresh weight) with the calcium ammonium salt of alginic acid. Sodium salts of alginic acid, both low and medium viscosity, were much less effective.

Accelerated biodegradation of herbicides in soils can be demonstrated in the laboratory either by treating soil samples with a herbicide under conditions favorable for microbial growth or by sampling field soils soon after herbicidal treatment. Quantitative measurement of accelerated degradation of thiocarbamates in field soils is complicated by the difficulty both of obtaining a proper untreated soil and of obtaining a representative sample by proper mixing of treated soil. Both bacteria and fungi degrade thiocarbamate herbicides, and examples of either class of organisms can be isolated by suitable selection and enrichment conditions. The enzymes involved in the initial steps of thiocarbamate biodegradation seem labile and have not been characterized. Studies of accelerated biodegradation of pesticides should measure the disappearance of the parent or active herbicide using chemical analyses or bioassays. Measuring accelerated biodegradation by determining metabolites (including CO2) is complicated by potential formation of other products, by incorporation of radioactivity into soil microflora, and by complex kinetics partly due to co-metabolism of the herbicide. Additional index words: EPTC, butylate.

From ancient times to the present, common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber in Wiggers ♯3TAROF) has been considered one of the most delectable of garden vegetables. People have carried the seeds from place to place for cultivation since before written history (9). According to legend, Theseus ate a dandelion salad after killing the Minotaur. Romans ate the plant as did the Gauls and Celts when the Romans invaded the North (9). The Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain and the Normans of France continued to use the plant as food and as medicine to control scurvy and as a diuretic; it was planted in the medicinal gardens of monasteries (9).

Dewberry is a weed found on cranberry bogs that spreads quickly, causes high yield loss, and has no effective management strategy. Finding options to manage damaging perennial weeds in a perennial crop system, such as cranberry, is key to long-term industry sustainability. This study presents preliminary data on the use of flame cultivation (FC) in cranberry weed management. Utilizing weeds transplanted from commercial cranberry farms to a prepared area at the UMass Cranberry Station, we evaluated three handheld propane-fueled FC instruments: infrared torch, open flame torch, and an infrared torch with a spike. A single, midsummer exposure (zero, low, medium, or high duration) with each FC was tested. The industry standard of using a single wipe application of an herbicide solution (111 g L−1 ae glyphosate, isopropylamine salt) was also included in the evaluation. Dewberry shoot, root, and total biomass decreased linearly as exposure increased; the effect of FC tool type was not significant. Data indicated that, regardless of the specific torch utilized, spot treatment with FC reduced dewberry biomass. The results of this exploratory study suggest that FC may offer an alternative technique for managing woody weeds and that further research is warranted.

The application of paraquat mixtures with residual herbicides before planting rice is a common treatment in Mississippi, and rice in proximity is susceptible to off-target movement of these applications. Four concurrent studies were conducted in Stoneville, MS, to characterize rice performance following exposure to a sublethal rate of paraquat, metribuzin, fomesafen, and cloransulam-methyl at different application timings. Herbicides were applied to rice at the growth stages of spiking to one-leaf (VEPOST), two- to three-leaf (EPOST), three- to four-leaf (MPOST), 7 d postflood (PFLD), and panicle differentiation (PD). Regardless of application timing, rice injury following exposure to paraquat was ≥45%. Delays in maturity were increased by 0.3 d d−1 following paraquat from emergence through PD. Dry weight, rough rice yield, panicle density, and germination were reduced by 18.7 g, 131.5 kg ha−1, 5.6 m−2, and 0.3%, respectively, per day from application of paraquat at emergence through PD. By 28 d after treatment (DAT), metribuzin injured rice 3% to 6%, and that injury did not translate into a yield reduction. Regardless of application timing, rice injury following fomesafen application ranged from 2% to 5% 28 DAT. Rice exposed to cloransulam-methyl EPOST exhibited the greatest root and foliar injury 21 DAT and 28 DAT, respectively. Additionally, when rice was exposed to cloransulam-methyl EPOST, yield was reduced to 6,540 kg ha−1 compared with a yield of 7,850 kg ha−1 from nontreated rice. Rice yield was negatively affected after paraquat was applied any time after rice emergence. However, applications of paraquat to rice at early reproductive growth stages reduced rough rice yield and seed germination the greatest. Application timing is crucial in determining severity of rice injury. Early-season injury to rice following paraquat application had less effect on yield compared with injury at later stages. Additionally, fields devoted to seed rice production are at risk for reduced seed germination if they are exposed to paraquat during early reproductive growth stages.

Aminocyclopyrachlor (AMCP) is a pyrimidine carboxylic acid herbicide that is being evaluated for weed control on highway right-of-ways. The goal of this study was to evaluate weed control capabilities and tolerance of desirable turf to AMCP. The objective of the weed efficacy trial was to determine if AMCP (66, 132, and 263 g ai ha−1) was as effective as aminopyralid (18, 53, and 88 g ai ha−1) for controlling two weed species, mat lippia and Bidens alba. In 2011, AMCP applied at 132 g ai ha−1 resulted in 93% control of mat lippia at 2 mo after treatment (MAT) and 65% control at 3 MAT. In 2012, AMCP at 66 or 132 g ha−1 resulted in 93 to 97% control of mat lippia, respectively, at 3 MAT. Aminopyralid, applied POST, never exceed 10% control of mat lippia in 2011 and 60% control in 2012. AMCP, applied POST, at 66 g ha−1, controlled of B. alba 84%, similar to the 89% control seen with aminopyralid at 88 g ha−1. The level of control from AMCP of the two weed species was equal to or greater than aminopyralid. An additional objective was to determine the tolerance of common bermudagrass and ‘Pensacola' bahiagrass to AMCP (66, 132, and 263 g ai ha−1) and imazapic (35 and 70 g ai ha−1) applied alone and in combination. Applications were made in late spring during seedhead initiation. No additional chlorosis was detected when imazapic was applied in combination with AMCP for either turf species. Averaged across imazapic rates, AMCP at 66 and 132 g ha−1, within the suggested rate range (48.5–132 g ai ha−1), did not cause greater than 25% chlorosis at any time. Chlorosis observed for AMCP applied alone and in combination with imazapic was acceptable and decreased to zero by 8 to 10 wk after treatment.

The herbicide fluridone is a soil-residual herbicide that should provide effective control of several problematic agronomic weeds, but because of herbicide persistence, injury to rotational crops is possible. In this experiment, multiple rates of fluridone were applied PRE to cotton at four irrigated locations across Arkansas to determine the risk of fluridone persisting and injuring subsequently planted wheat, corn, soybean, rice, grain sorghum, and sunflower. The multiple rates of fluridone were compared with fluometuron and evaluated for percentage of crop injury, crop density, and potential yield loss for each crop at the end of the subsequent growing season. Regardless of the location, wheat exhibited the greatest injury with 13 to 26% at Fayetteville (silt loam), 8 to 15% at Pine Tree (silt loam), 2 to 7% at Keiser (silty clay), and 3 to 8% at Rohwer (silty clay). Along with high levels of injury to wheat, fluridone at 900 g ai ha−1 caused loss of wheat stands to 29 plants m−1 row compared with fluometuron, which had stands of 49 plants m−1 row. Although injury occurred in wheat at all locations, no rate of fluridone reduced wheat yields compared with fluometuron. Injury to grain sorghum ranged from 5 to 10% from all rates of fluridone at Pine Tree. Fluridone at 900 g ha−1 (11 plants m−1 row) also reduced grain sorghum stands at Pine Tree over that of fluometuron (19 plants m−1 row). A decrease in grain sorghum yield was also observed from fluridone at 448, 673, and 900 g ha−1 compared with fluometuron at Pine Tree. At Keiser, rice exhibited significant levels of injury (1 to 13%) from fluridone 393 d after treatment. In conclusion, injury to a wheat rotational crop is more likely following an application of fluridone in cotton than is injury to other rotational crops, but yield reductions are not expected for most rotational crops when fluridone is applied to cotton at an anticipated labeled rate of 224 g ha−1.

Flumioxazin provides PRE and POST, annual weed control in dormant bermudagrass, but applications during active growth may be injurious. Flumioxazin could also provide an alternative chemistry for POST annual bluegrass control in other turfgrasses, but research is limited on tolerance levels. The objective of this research was to evaluate tolerance of five warm-season turfgrasses to flumioxazin applied at various rates and timings. Late-winter applications of flumioxazin at 0.21, 0.42, or 0.84 kg ai ha−1 caused acceptable (< 20%) injury to bermudagrass, seashore paspalum, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass at 3, 6, and 9 wk after treatment (WAT) in both years. In 2012, late-winter applications to centipedegrass caused unacceptable injury at 6 WAT, but turf recovered to acceptable levels by 9 WAT at all rates. Applications made during active turfgrass growth caused unacceptable initial injury to all species. However, bermudagrass, seashore paspalum, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass recovered to < 20% injury by 9 WAT from all rates. In 2012, centipedegrass treated in midspring had 0, 24, and 74% injury from flumioxazin at 0.21, 0.42, and 0.84 kg ha−1, respectively, at 9 WAT. In 2013, midspring applications to centipedegrass caused 13, 48, and 71% injury from 0.21, 0.42, and 0.84 kg ha−1, respectively at 9 WAT. Overall, flumioxazin has the potential to control annual weeds in bermudagrass, seashore paspalum, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass with late-winter applications before greenup, but all turfgrasses may be excessively injured during active growth.

Tall weeds escaping early weed management, such as weeds resistant to one or multiple herbicides, are an increasing concern. When weeds reach a certain size, few options other than hand weeding will limit the production and dispersal of seeds. The objective of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of the Bourquin Organic Weed Puller® (a rotating series of wheels that grab and pull) at removing tall weeds before they shed seeds in soybean and adzuki bean. Trials were set up in Canada at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research farms at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (SJR), QC (2 yr), and Harrow (HAR), ON (1 yr), on a loamy and a sandy soil, respectively. The experimental design included crops of different potential heights (different soybean cultivars and adzuki bean), two weed species per location (common lambsquarters [both locations] and common ragweed or redroot pigweed at HAR), and two pulling dates. The set-up also included weedy and herbicide-treated control plots. Weeds overtopping the crop canopy by at least 10 cm were tagged and characterized. Damage from the weed puller was rated as 1, pulled (desired effect); 2, cut; 3, folded; 4, stripped; and 5, intact. The seed production of damaged and intact weeds was also recorded. Less than one-third of common ragweed or redroot pigweed plants were pulled during any treatment combination. The highest pulling rates were observed for common lambsquarters at SJR (43%), but very few were pulled at HAR (3.1% max). Pulling rates were not high enough to potentially control seed inputs from herbicide-resistant populations, and successfully pulled common lambsquarters left on the ground produced thousands of viable seeds.

Research was conducted in Mississippi in 2012 and 2013 to compare the efficacy of saflufenacil to other broadleaf herbicides applied in mixtures with imazethapyr in a Clearfield rice system. Saflufenacil at 50 g ai ha−1, carfentrazone at 35 g ai ha−1, a prepackaged mixture of halosulfuron plus thifensulfuron at 35 plus 4 g ai ha−1, and a prepackaged mixture of propanil plus thiobencarb at 2,240 plus 2,240 g ai ha−1 were applied in mixture with imazethapyr at 70 g ai ha−1 early-POST (EPOST) to rice in the one- to two-leaf stage or late-POST (LPOST) to rice in the four-leaf to one-tiller stage. No differences in injury among the broadleaf herbicides or between application timings were detected at any evaluation. Imazethapyr combined with propanil plus thiobencarb or saflufenacil provided the greatest control of barnyardgrass 7 and 14 d after treatment (DAT). Hemp sesbania, ivyleaf morningglory, and Palmer amaranth control was greatest and similar for imazethapyr combined with carfentrazone, propanil plus thiobencarb, and saflufenacil; however, rough rice yield was greatest for imazethapyr combined with propanil plus thiobencarb or saflufenacil. Propanil plus thiobencarb or saflufenacil can be used in a Clearfield rice system to achieve optimum weed control and highest rice yields.