A four-state study was initiated in 1988 to evaluate the influence of cultivation frequency and initiation on the cotton plant. When cultivations were initiated at 1 or 2 wk after emergence and cultivated weekly at a frequency of zero, one, two, four, or six times, seed cotton yields were not affected on a consistent basis. When averaged over cultivation frequency, seed cotton yields were increased for three of nine year-locations when cultivations were initiated at 2 wk after emergence when compared with 1 wk after emergence. At two locations, when seed cotton yields were averaged over initiation timing, it was shown that only two cultivations were necessary to achieve optimum seed cotton yields.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) sprayed on intact jimsonweed plants at 10 to 200 μg ml–1 caused chlorosis and necrosis on three- to four-leaf plants and reduced their height and biomass. Excised leaves of jimsonweed were necrotic on both surfaces after treatment with FB1 at 10 to 200 μg ml–1. The degree of damage increased with the concentration of FB1. The minimum amount of FB1 that damaged excised leaves was 0.05 μg. The symptoms of toxicity on sensitive plants varied with concentration of FB1. Symptoms observed included: chlorosis (creeping cucumber), necrosis (jimsonweed and common sunflower), black leaf lesions (sicklepod), curl of tissues (soybean), stunting, defoliation (hemp sesbania and northern jointvetch), and death (prickly sida, spurred anoda, northern jointvetch, and jimsonweed). Monocots (barley, bermudagrass, corn, johnsongrass, rice, sorghum, and wheat) were not visibly affected by FB1. This is the first evidence of the phytotoxic properties of fumonisin B1 against a wide variety of weeds and crop cultivars.

During 1989 and 1990, herbicides were applied to suppress common bermudagrass in a mixed stand of common bermudagrass and ‘Emerald’ zoysiagrass. When the mixed stand was treated with fluazifop at 0.2 kg ha-1 mid-May and 0.1 kg ha-1 1 mo later for two consecutive years, the common bermudagrass cover was reduced from 35 to 7% and the zoysiagrass cover increased from 65 to 85%. Similar results were achieve when fenoxaprop was applied at 0.2 kg ha-1 mid-May and repeated at monthly intervals for a total of four applications each year for 2 yr. The quality of mixed common bermudagrass and zoysiagrass turf was reduced immediately after each treatment; however, zoysiagrass recovered and treatments did not result in permanent damage. Sethoxydim suppressed common bermudagrass during the second year of treatment, but reduced the zoysiagrass stand each year. Ethofumesate applied along or with flurprimidol severely reduced the zoysiagrass stand with an increase of common bermudagrass.

Eight sweet corn cultivars differed in response to 35 g ai ha–1 nicosulfuron or 42 g ai ha–1 primisulfuron. ‘Merit’ sweet corn was killed 4 wk after nicosulfuron or primisulfuron application. Nicosulfuron and primisulfuron reduced height of Merit, 'Silver Queen’, 'Silverado’ and ‘How Sweet It Is'. Ear number of How Sweet It Is, ‘Pinnacle’ and Silverado was reduced by primisulfuron. ‘Landmark’, Silver Queen, and 'Sweetie 76’ were the most tolerant cultivars to nicosulfuron and primisulfuron with yield similar to that of the control.

Studies were conducted to determine whether cross-seeding of winter wheat, while maintaining an equal seeding rate per hectare, would increase wheat grain yields and help the wheat compete more effectively against Italian ryegrass than conventional seeding. Wheat was seeded at rates of 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1 in conventional parallel rows or cross seeded in a grid pattern. Ryegrass was seeded at densities of 0, 20, 100, and 200 plants per m-2. Cross-seeded wheat yielded less grain than single-seeded wheat in 1990 in the absence of ryegrass; there were no differences in 1991. Cross seeding did not reduce competition from Italian ryegrass. Ryegrass was highly competitive against wheat, especially in 1990. Even 20 plants per m-2 reduced grain yield by an average of 38%. Wheat seeding rate had essentially no effect on grain yield in 1990, but the higher seeding rates reduced yields in 1991 because of extensive lodging. In 1991, wheat grain yields were higher in the cross-seeded plots than the single-seeded plots at the two high wheat seeding rates and highest ryegrass densities. Cross seeding does not appear promising as an aid to controlling ryegrass in Pacific Northwest wheat.

Chlorsulfuron or metsulfuron applied POST at 10 g ai ha–1 at the four-leaf stage prevented yellow foxtail from forming seed, whereas seed production per pot was 53 to 77% of untreated checks following POST tribenuron or CGA-131036 treatments in greenhouse experiments. Chlorsulfuron applied POST at the two- and four-leaf stage severely reduced total seed production of yellow foxtail primarily by increasing plant mortality, rather than only reducing seed production per plant. Chlorsulfuron at 10 g ha–1 applied at the six- and eight-leaf stages decreased total seed production less than at the two earlier stages, by reducing both plant mortality and seed production per surviving plant. Yellow foxtail was much more susceptible than green foxtail to either chlorsulfuron or metsulfuron.

Field experiments evaluating 11 cereal cover crops were established at two locations in Ontario over a two-year period. Cover crops were interseeded into a ridge-tillage corn crop and evaluated in terms of biomass production and winter annual, biennial, and perennial weed species suppression. Seedling establishment and aboveground biomass production of cover crops were variable between locations and years. At both locations over two years, ‘Danko’ winter rye, ‘OAC Halton’ winter barley and ‘Rodeo’ spring barley were the most consistent cover crops in biomass production. However, cover crop residues had no significant effect on weed biomass or density due to a high degree of spatial variability present in the weed populations. Corn grain yields were not reduced by the presence of inter-seeded cover crops when compared with the bare ground control treatment.

Field experiments were conducted in 1989 and 1990 on silty clay and sandy loam soils to evaluate weed control and soybean yield with early-April preplant incorporation of selective herbicides in stale seedbed soybean followed by non-selective weed control measures at planting. Metribuzin applied PPI early followed by chlorimuron POST coupled with either glyphosate or paraquat PRE controlled sicklepod, pitted morningglory, and hemp sesbania to the same extent of that treatment applied PPI at planting. All stale seedbed treatments with POST applications and glyphosate, paraquat, or tillage at planting controlled pitted morningglory over 70%. However, imazaquin or metribuzin applied PPI early without a POST treatment controlled sicklepod and pitted morningglory poorly. Frequently, applying PPI herbicides at planting increased control compared with early PPI applications, but this was overcome by POST treatments. Early stale seedbed applications of metribuzin did not result in more than 60% control of hemp sesbania, whereas metribuzin applied PPI at planting controlled over 85%. However, metribuzin plus chlorimuron controlled hemp sesbania at least 74%, regardless of application timing or tillage method, whereas no imazaquin treatment achieved over 65% control. All stale seedbed herbicide treatments increased soybean yield compared with the untreated stale seedbed check. Selective herbicide treatments with either non-selective herbicide in a stale seedbed program resulted in equivalent yield to PPI at planting treatments most often, except with metribuzin.

Diammonium sulfate often is used as an adjuvant with glyphosate. Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine the effectiveness of diammonium sulfate in overcoming calcium antagonism of glyphosate toxicity to wheat, sunflower, kochia, and soybean. Each species was a separate experiment and treatments varied with the experiment. Diammonium sulfate at 0.5% (w/v) in a spray carrier containing calcium chloride (500 ppm calcium) overcame calcium antagonism of glyphosate toxicity to wheat, overcame antagonism and enhanced toxicity to sunflower, but only partly overcame calcium antagonism of toxicity to kochia and soybean. With glyphosate at 100 g ae ha–1, diammonium sulfate at 2% (w/v) in a distilled water spray carrier enhanced toxicity to sunflower from a 11% to a 55% fresh weight reduction but was antagonistic to glyphosate toxicity to kochia and soybean.

Yield reductions due to green foxtail competition with hard red spring wheat varied with environment in field experiments conducted in 1984, 1985, and 1986 at Oakes, Langdon, Prosper, and Fargo, North Dakota. Wheat yield reductions ranged from 0 to 47% from 720 green foxtail plants per m2. Inclusion of early season temperature and precipitation, soil texture, and foxtail density into multiple regression analysis of wheat yield reductions significantly increased the coefficient of determination to 0.62 compared with 0.12 for regression based on green foxtail density alone. Wheat yield reduction decreased as green foxtail seeding was delayed after wheat seeding in 1986. Wheat yield generally decreased as time of diclofop application was delayed from 2 to 6 wk after wheat emergence in 1986.

Herbicide efficacy was examined in the greenhouse on bigroot morningglory seedlings and on established plants in the field. Dicamba (0.14 kg ae ha-1) and 2,4-D (0.28 kg ae ha-1) alone or combined, glyphosate (2.24 kg ai ha-1), fluroxypyr (0.28 kg ae ha-1), and triclopyr (0.42 kg ae ha-1) controlled more than 90% of bigroot morningglory seedlings. Fluroxypyr (0.56 kg ha-1), triclopyr (0.84 kg ha-1), and 2,4-D (0.56 kg ha-1) alone or combined with dicamba (0.28 kg ha-1) reduced established stands in the field at least 50% within the season of application, whereas clopyralid (0.56 kg ha-1) did not provide acceptable control. Glyphosate (2.24 kg ha-1) was among the best treatments for long term control at all locations.

Field experiments were established in 1989 and 1990 on silty clay and sandy loam soils to evaluate selective herbicides in combination with non-selective weed control measures in conventional and stale seedbed soybean production. Metribuzin PRE followed by chlorimuron POST controlled sicklepod better with paraquat than with glyphosate. A POST application of imazaquin increased sicklepod and pitted morningglory control by imazaquin PRE alone in a stale seedbed or tillage program. Pitted morningglory control with imazaquin PRE was lower with tillage than with glyphosate or paraquat combinations in a stale seedbed program. All metribuzin plus chlorimuron PRE treatments, whether conventional tillage or stale seedbed, controlled pitted morningglory more than 75%. Hemp sesbania control was above 80% with all metribuzin followed by chlorimuron or metribuzin plus chlorimuron PRE combinations, and less than 70% with all treatments containing imazaquin. Selective herbicides increased yield in stale seedbed when glyphosate or paraquat was added. Imazaquin PRE, imazaquin PRE followed by imazaquin POST, and metribuzin PRE followed by chlorimuron POST tank mixed with glyphosate or paraquat in a stale seedbed program increased yield compared with the same treatments used with tillage.

Controlled-release formulations have the potential to reduce atrazine leaching but may reduce herbicide bioavailability and weed control. This research was conducted to determine if starch-encapsulated atrazine produced by the extrusion process could be modified to provide an optimum rate of herbicide release for adequate weed control and reduced leaching potential in sandy soils. The dry flowable (DF) and six starch-encapsulated atrazine formulations of various mesh size (14 to 20 and 20 to 40), clay content (0 and 5%), and extruder processing speed (200 and 400 rpm) were evaluated. All starch encapsulations reduced the amount of atrazine leaching from the surface 5 cm of soil columns by an average of 68% compared with the dry flowable formulation. Compared with the larger starch granules (14 to 20 mesh) 8% more atrazine in the smaller granules leached from the surface 5 cm. Atrazine efficacy was measured using an oat bioassay conducted in the greenhouse. Smaller granules (20 to 40 mesh) provided equivalent efficacy to DF while large granules (14 to 20 mesh) did not. Extruder speed and clay content did not affect efficacy or leaching potential. This study indicates that finer starch granules should result in faster atrazine release and improved weed control while still reducing the leaching potential of atrazine.

Four corn hybrids were evaluated for tolerance to sethoxydim at 110 and 220 kg ha–1 applied post-directed at two growth stages (V6–7 and V10–11). Dryland corn grain yields did not respond to sethoxydim, while irrigated corn yields were sensitive to sethoxydim treatments. Sethoxydim at 220 g ha–1 reduced the grain yield of hybrid 3377 by 12% at both growth stages. Sethoxydim at the same rate reduced grain yield of hybrid 3379 by 15% when applied to V6–7 corn. Hybrid 3475 had an 11% grain yield reduction from sethoxydim applied at either dosage to V10–11 corn. Under irrigated conditions, a trend toward reduced grain yield was observed for hybrid 3183 at all application times and sethoxydim rates. Corn ear weights and kernel weights differed among hybrids but did not exhibit a response to sethoxydim within hybrids. Visual evaluation for crop injury and measured corn heights did not indicate a response to sethoxydim. There was no yield response in any hybrid to 110 g ha–1 applied to V6–7 stage corn indicating this treatment was safe to use on all hybrids evaluated.

Several application modes and methods (schemes) of using herbicides are available to control undesirable vegetation on electric transmission line rights-of-way (ROW). Preferential use of a management scheme can be based on its cost effectiveness, i.e., degree of vegetation control and treatment cost. A treatment that increases/maintains desirable plants, decreases/maintains undesirable plants, and has relatively low cost, can be considered cost effective. Three common herbicides, 2,4-D, picloram and triclopyr, were applied in the field to test treatment mode (selective and nonselective) and method (cut stump, basal, and stem-foliar) effects on cost effectiveness during initial clearing and first and second conversion cycles on one electric transmission line ROW in Upstate New York. Clear or selective cutting with no herbicide was most cost effective during initial clearing. Nonselective and selective stem-foliar schemes were most cost effective during the first and second conversion cycles, respectively.

Four field experiments were conducted during 1988 and 1989 to determine the effects of POST application of nicosulfuron on quackgrass control in conventional field corn. A single application of nicosulfuron at 35 to 70 g ha–1 applied to four- to six-leaf quackgrass controlled over 90% of quackgrass five weeks after treatment. Nicosulfuron at 35 g ha–1 applied at the one- to three-leaf stage was not as effective as the same rate applied at the four- to six-leaf stage. When nicosulfuron at 35 g ha–1 was applied to four- to six-leaf quackgrass, over 80% of the quackgrass regrowth was controlled one year later. Nicosulfuron did not injure ‘Agway 584S’ corn at the highest rate (140 g ha–1) tested and did not reduce silage or grain yield.

This study was conducted to compare foliar absorption and translocation of dicamba applied to plants as an aqueous solution or as dicamba-treated soil deposits. When applied as an aqueous solution, 65 to 95% of 14C-dicamba was absorbed by pea, alfalfa, and grape; whereas, limited absorption (0.4 to 4.7%) occurred from dicamba-treated soil. Based on dose-response evaluation, the low levels absorbed from treated soil are unlikely to cause crop damage. 14C-dicamba translocation was more than 80% of absorbed 14C in pea, alfalfa, and grape. Acropetal translocation exceeded basipetal translocation.

A four-year experiment was conducted near Urbana, IL to evaluate the effect of a rye cover crop on weed control, soybean yield and soil moisture. Soybeans were planted into either a rye mulch or corn stubble (with and without spring tillage). Giant foxtail, velvetleaf, smooth pigweed and common lambsquarters control in the rye mulch plots was generally greater than 90% and better than the corn residue treatments five weeks after planting. Weed control was generally better, except for lambsquarters, in the corn residue without spring tillage plots compared to the spring-tilled plots. Herbicides improved weed control in the corn residue plots but not in the no-till rye treatment, due to the excellent control by the rye mulch. Soil water content was lowest during June under the late-killed (killed at planting) rye during dry periods due to water depletion caused by the growing rye. During wet periods the rye mulch resulted in a wetter soil profile compared to the corn residue treatments. Soybean yields were reduced in late-killed rye compared to early-killed rye (killed 2 wk prior to planting) due to soybean stand reductions in the late killed rye. Yields in early-killed rye and spring-tilled treatments were similar to or better than soybeans planted in corn residue without spring tillage.

Repeated use of sulfonylurea herbicides in continuous, no-till winter wheat selected for a herbicide resistant biotype of prickly lettuce in Idaho. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to compare the relative competitiveness and growth rate of sulfonylurea herbicide resistant (R) and susceptible (S) prickly lettuce. The S biotype of prickly lettuce produced 31% more aboveground biomass than the R biotype averaged over all densities. Both biotypes were equally competitive when analyzed for both inter- and intrabiotype competition. In relative growth rate studies, regression analysis showed that the S biotype accumulated biomass 52% faster than the R biotype. The results of this study showed that the S biotype was superior to the R biotype in biomass production and growth rate, but competitiveness appeared to be equal for both biotypes. Other fitness parameters must be measured before fitness differences between biotypes can be determined.

Field experiments were conducted in the summers of 1988 and 1989 to evaluate sericea lespedeza control with POST herbicides. Triclopyr, picloram, 2,4-D, metsulfuron, dicamba, and selected herbicide mixtures were evaluated in 1988 and 1989. Clopyralid was evaluated in 1988 and fluroxypyr in 1989. Triclopyr at 0.56 and 1.12 kg ha–1 controlled sericea lespedeza both years. Fluroxypyr at 0.56 kg ha–1 also controlled sericea lespedeza. Control with picloram and metsulfuron was variable. Other treatments evaluated did not control sericea lespedeza.