On-farm trials were conducted in 16 North Carolina peanut fields to obtain estimates of scouting times and quality of herbicide recommendations for different weed scouting methods. The fields were monitored for weed species and population density using four scouting methods: windshield (estimate made from the edge of the field), whole-field (estimate based on walk through the field), range (weed densities rated on 1–5 scale at six locations in the field), and counts (weeds estimated by counting at six locations in the field). The herbicide application decision support system (HADSS) was used to determine theoretical net return over herbicide investment and yield loss ($ and %) for each treatment in each field. Three scouts estimated average weed population densities using each scouting method. These values were entered into HADSS to obtain treatment recommendations. Independently collected count data from all three scouts were combined to determine the optimal treatment in each field and the relative ranking of each available treatment. When using the whole-field method, scouts observed a greater number of weed species than when using the other methods. The windshield, whole-field, and range scouting methods tended to overestimate density slightly at low densities and underestimate density substantially at high densities, compared to the count method. The windshield method required the least amount of time to complete (6 min per field), but also resulted in the greatest average loss. Even for this method, recommendations had theoretical net returns within 10% of the return for the optimal treatment 80% of the time. The count method appears to have less economic risk than the windshield, whole-field, and range scouting methods.

Forty-three Spanish populations of hairy fleabane, sampled from perennial crop locations, were studied under controlled and field conditions to confirm and characterize glyphosate resistance. In the initial screening, under controlled conditions, significant differences in glyphosate response between locations and among plant progenies within location were observed. From the initial screening, six populations (five potentially resistant [R] and one susceptible [S]) were selected, and a dose–response experiment was conducted to determine the resistance factor. The resistance factor was close to 10× for the most resistant population. In addition, the glyphosate response of R and S populations was dependant on phenological stages: the glyphosate rate required for control increased as a function of plant age. Finally, the resistance was confirmed with field trials conducted in five locations (one S and four R previously studied under controlled conditions). The field trials were also used to find alternative solutions for Spanish farmers to control resistant hairy fleabane populations.

Early succession plant communities consisting of a diverse mixture of grasses, forbs, and scattered shrubs are required by a variety of wildlife species. Early seral stages follow some form of disturbance but can become dominated by shrubs and trees rather quickly, especially in areas with abundant rainfall and relatively long growing seasons, such as the southeastern United States. In the absence of natural disturbance regimes, the quality and maintenance of these plant communities for wildlife is largely dependent upon management. Prescribed fire, disking, herbicide applications, and mowing are practices commonly used to maintain early succession plant communities for various wildlife species throughout this region. Prescribed fire consumes vegetative debris, provides open structure at ground level, and facilitates travel and foraging for wildlife throughout the field. Burning during the dormant season may promote cool-season grasses if they are present in the field. Burning in late March or early April generally promotes warm-season grasses and forbs. Late growing-season fire (September) will reduce woody encroachment and may encourage additional forb cover. Disking promotes vegetation decomposition, provides open structure at ground level, and generally promotes annual plant species. Disking in the fall and winter stimulates more forb growth than disking in the spring, which will stimulate undesirable nonnative warm-season grasses if present in the seedbank. Selective herbicides can influence plant composition and can be used to encourage grasses where forbs dominate, to promote forbs where grasses dominate, and to reduce woody cover. Mowing during midsummer encourages additional grasses in fields dominated by forbs but is not recommended for field maintenance because mowing produces thatch, which limits the ability of several wildlife species to travel and forage through the field, suppresses the seedbank, and destroys nests and young wildlife. Several practices can be used in combination to meet specific objectives. Succession should be set back every 2 to 4 yr, depending on plant response and focal wildlife species. It is important to intersperse disturbance in space and time, so that a variety of cover types are always available, even to those animals with small home ranges.

Livestock poisoning can occur on short-grass prairies when locoweeds are actively growing in spring before warm-season grasses begin growth. White locoweed grows in early spring, completes flowering and seed production by early summer, and goes dormant. Perennial cool-season grasses may provide competition to suppress locoweed or reduce its reestablishment following control. Furthermore, these grasses may provide alternative palatable forage to livestock early in the spring. The objective of this study was to suppress white locoweed reinvasion by seeding cool-season grasses at two mixed-grass and two short-grass prairie sites. White locoweed and associated species were controlled with glyphosate (1.1 kg ai/ha) and picloram (0.38 kg ae/ha) in 3 by 15 m plots. The plots were seeded to ‘CDII’ crested wheatgrass, ‘Vavilov’ Siberian wheatgrass, ‘Luna’ pubescent wheatgrass, ‘Bozoisky’ Russian wildrye, smooth brome, ‘NewHy’ wheatgrass, sideoats grama, and ‘Immigrant’ forage kochia. In addition, a native grass plot, treated with picloram to control locoweed without harming the native grasses, and a nontreated control plot, were established in each replication. Establishment of crested wheatgrass, Siberian wheatgrass, and Russian wildrye averaged 60% over all sites. The other treatments had establishment rates < 30% and were considered unsuccessful. Forage production of Russian wildrye was 2,962 kg/ha, Siberian wheatgrass was 2,736 kg/ha, and crested wheatgrass was 2,339 kg/ha, compared with 1,051 kg/ha for the nontreated control. Mortality of locoweed seedlings was greatest in the pubescent wheatgrass seeding. All seeded species suppressed reestablishment of indigenous locoweed plants.

The affect of mesosulfuron and tribenuron applied POST to oat and rye was determined at three locations in Georgia during 2004 and 2005. Five herbicide treatments were applied to oat and rye in Feekes scale (FS) 1.2 or 2 developmental stage. Herbicide treatments consisted of tribenuron at 13 or 26 g ai/ha, tribenuron at 13 g/ha plus MCPA at 561 g ai/ha, MCPA at 561 g/ha, and mesosulfuron at 15 g ai/ha. Tribenuron, MCPA, and tribenuron plus MCPA injured both crops less than 4% and did not affect grain yield. Mesosulfuron applied to rye in FS 1.2 injured the crop 36% at 2 wk after treatment (WAT), 12% at 5 WAT, and 0% at harvest. Mesosulfuron applied at FS 2 injured rye less than 9%. Mesosulfuron did not influence rye-grain yield with either application timing. Mesosulfuron injured oat 65 to 86% at 5 WAT and reduced yield at least 70% regardless of application timing.

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effect of glyphosate on efficacy of bentazon for glyphosate-resistant (GR) canola control and of quizalofop for GR corn control. Control also was evaluated for glyphosate plus bentazon on wild buckwheat and wheat and glyphosate plus quizalofop on velvetleaf. Glyphosate plus bentazon synergistically controlled GR canola and wild buckwheat but were antagonistic for wheat control. Glyphosate plus quizalofop were additive for control of GR corn and velvetleaf. Inert ingredients in glyphosate formulations, i.e., cationic surfactant, NH4, or K, contributed to glyphosate synergism of bentazon, but the major contribution came from glyphosate itself. Efficacy of glyphosate plus bentazon on GR canola was enhanced by ammonium nitrate (AMN), ammonium sulfate (AMS), nonionic surfactant (NIS), or silicone surfactant (SiS) but was slightly decreased by methylated seed oil (MSO) or petroleum oil concentrate. AMN, AMS, NIS, and SiS partially overcame the antagonism of bentazon to glyphosate for wheat control. NIS enhanced phytotoxicity of glyphosate plus quizalofop to GR corn and velvetleaf, but the enhancement was less than by SiS or MSO to GR corn and SiS or AMS to velvetleaf.

Creeping bentgrass creates a dense, high-quality playing surface on golf courses, but it often encroaches adjacent areas of Kentucky bluegrass. Mesotrione can control creeping bentgrass in Kentucky bluegrass, but more information is needed regarding the effect of herbicide rate and number of applications on creeping bentgrass control and the impact to Kentucky bluegrass. Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of application rate and number of applications on creeping bentgrass control. One application of mesotrione controlled 7 to 43% of creeping bentgrass in Kentucky bluegrass, and two applications of mesotrione controlled 39 to 88% as rates increased from 70 to 1,120 g ai/ha. Gaps present in the canopy after the creeping bentgrass died reduced overall turfgrass quality 2 to 6 wk after treatment (WAT) before recovering. These data indicate the capability of mesotrione to selectively control creeping bentgrass while providing excellent safety to Kentucky bluegrass.

Field and greenhouse studies were conducted in 2000 and 2001 in Mississippi to determine the most effective POST herbicide programs for control of Texasweed in glyphosate-resistant soybean. In the field, Texasweed plants recovered from most POST herbicide treatments, and plant death rarely occurred. A sequential application of 1,100 g ae/ha glyphosate followed by 840 g/ha glyphosate was the only treatment that controlled at least 90% of Texasweed 4 wk after treatment. Texasweed control ranged from 80 to 87% for lower rates of glyphosate applied once or twice and 390 g ai/ha fomesafen. The addition of fomesafen or other herbicides to glyphosate did not improve control compared with glyphosate alone. In the greenhouse, glyphosate at 560 g/ha controlled 93 and 90% of one- and two-leaf plants, respectively, but at least 1,400 g/ha was required to obtain 90% control of four-leaf plants. Fomesafen at 260 g/ha controlled 93 to 99% of one- to four-leaf Texasweed plants in the greenhouse.

Spring wheat tolerance to DE-750 applications was studied in Balcarce, Argentina, during 2002 and 2003. Rates of DE-750 evaluated were 6 and 12 g ae/ha tank-mixed either with metsulfuron at 4 g ai/ha or 2,4-D at 240 g ae/ha and applied at three different Zadoks growth stages: Zd 15/22, Zd 16/23, and Zd 32. The first two Zadoks stages corresponded to Nerson's elongated apex with two or more visible primordia and the glumes differentiation stage, respectively. Dicamba plus metsulfuron and picloram plus 2,4-D were included as comparative treatments and applied at the same growth stage. In both 2002 and 2003, Baguette 10 tolerated the DE-750 plus metsulfuron and DE-750 plus 2,4-D mixtures sprayed during the first two applications (Zd 15/22 and Zd 16/23). However, DE-750 plus metsulfuron (12 g/ha + 4 g/ha) and DE-750 plus 2,4-D (6 g/ha + 240 g/ha and 12 g/ha + 240 g/ha) sprayed during the last application (Zd 32) caused significant yield reductions in the 2002 spring season. On the other hand, picloram plus 2,4-D at the last growth stage reduced yield 39% in 2002 but did not affect yield in 2003. We suggest that an excess of precipitation after application and above-normal air temperatures during grain fill may have increased crop injury with herbicides applied at the last growth stage. In short, the effect of different DE-750 mixtures with metsulfuron or 2,4-D on wheat yield could be the result of the interactions among environmental conditions, and application timing.

The dissipation of trifloxysulfuron in solution has not been evaluated. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of spray carrier pH (pH values of 5, 7, and 9) on dissipation of trifloxysulfuron during a 21-d period and to evaluate the resulting effects on efficacy on Palmer amaranth. ANOVA of half-life values indicated that hydrolysis occurred more rapidly under acidic spray carrier pH with no differences between neutral and alkaline pH levels. Trifloxysulfuron solutions that were applied to Palmer amaranth significantly decreased dry weights compared with nontreated at all pH levels and time intervals. These results indicated that trifloxysulfuron dissipation was most rapid when the spray tank pH was more acidic, but trifloxysulfuron efficacy was not adversely affected by chemical degradation on Palmer amaranth. Data suggest that pesticide applicators may reduce trifloxysulfuron degradation in spray tanks by using neutral or alkaline spray carriers.

An experiment was conducted at one location in 1999 and two locations in 2000 to determine the critical weed-free period for peach in North Carolina. The cultivars for the three locations were ‘Contender’, ‘Norman’, and ‘Summerprince’. Weed-free intervals of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 wk after peach tree bloom were established. Paraquat at 1.1 kg ai/ha plus nonionic surfactant at 0.25% v/v was applied every 10 d, after treatments were initiated at peach bloom, to maintain weed-free plots. Large crabgrass, hairy vetch, and smooth crabgrass were the primary weeds in Contender. Horseweed, smooth crabgrass, and large crabgrass were the primary weeds in Norman. Bermudagrass, smooth pigweed, and common lambsquarters were the primary weeds in Summerprince. No differences in trunk cross-sectional area were observed between the weed-free periods. Maintaining the orchard floor weed-free for 12 wk after peach tree bloom resulted in the greatest fruit size (individual fruit weight and diameter), total yield, and fruit number.

The competitiveness of three phenotypically different sugarcane cultivars with bermudagrass was determined in field trials. In trial one, bermudagrass biomass was 22% less in CP 70-321 than in HoCP 85-845 in the plant-cane crop, but biomass was 130 to 170% greater in CP 70-321 than in the other two cultivars during the second-ratoon crop. CP 70-321 emerges quickly following planting, which might have reduced bermudagrass growth in the plant-cane crop, but the lower stalk population of CP 70-321 might have promoted bermudagrass survival and growth during the second-ratoon crop. In trial two, there were no differences in bermudagrass biomass when comparing its establishment in the different cultivars. Sugarcane, averaged across cultivar, produced fewer stalks and was shorter when competing with bermudagrass. In the plant-cane crop, stalk populations were reduced 13 to 23%. In the first-ratoon crop, stalk population was reduced 8 to 15%. In the second-ratoon crop, stalk population was reduced 8 to 10%. Bermudagrass interference reduced sugar yields by 8 to 32% in the plant-cane crop, with reductions of no more than 9% in the first- and second-ratoon crops. The greater yield loss in the plant-cane crop in the first production year shows the importance of controlling bermudagrass in the summer fallow period prior to planting and during establishment of the plant-cane crop.

Greenhouse studies were conducted in 2003 at the Stine–Haskell Research Center to determine whether herbicide inhibitors of six specific sites in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway would elicit synergistic responses when applied postemergence (POST) in combination with the photosystem II (PSII) inhibitor atrazine. Based on data analysis with the Isobole method, synergistic responses were observed on red morningglory, common cocklebur, and giant foxtail when atrazine was applied in mixtures with the deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DOXP reductoisomerase) inhibitor fosmidomycin, the p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitor mesotrione, and the DuPont proprietary zeta-carotene desaturase (ZDS) inhibitor DFPC. Clomazone (its metabolite ketoclomazone is the actual enzyme inhibitor), an inhibitor of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthatase (DOXP synthase), provided synergistic responses on red morningglory, but antagonistic responses on both common cocklebur and giant foxtail when applied in mixtures with atrazine. Combinations of the lycopene cyclase (LC) inhibitor, CPTA, with atrazine produced synergistic responses on both common cocklebur and giant foxtail but were antagonistic on red morningglory. Norflurazon, a phytoene desaturase (PDS) inhibitor, applied in mixtures with atrazine provided synergistic responses on red morningglory, antagonistic responses on giant foxtail, and independent responses on common cocklebur. Because carotenoids have been determined to play a key role in quenching singlet oxygen species in the chloroplast and also assist in the maintenance of the D1 protein in PSII, this might help explain the synergistic responses with atrazine observed in our studies.

Greenhouse research was conducted to evaluate the effects of POST-applied clopyralid and clopyralid plus additives (surfactants and herbicides) on eight processing spinach varieties for leaf injury and yield. Results demonstrate that when applied alone, clopyralid caused mild injury in the form of slight to moderate leaf malformations and crinkling in all tested spinach varieties. Leaf injury increased significantly 10, 20, and 35 days after treatment (DAT) when additives were mixed with clopyralid compared with when clopyralid was applied alone. Applications of clopyralid + phenmedipham increased leaf injury over clopyralid applied alone and all other clopyralid + additive treatments. Within varieties, spinach yields recorded 35 DAT were generally not reduced with any clopyralid + additive treatment, except when phenmedipham was added to the mixture. The leaf injury associated with clopyralid in this study, though consistent across varieties, generally appears to be cosmetic and may not be detrimental to spinach yields or to the quality of spinach harvested for canning or freezing.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the leaching of isoxaflutole and the safeners R-29148 and furilazole to test the hypothesis that safeners and isoxaflutole were moving at different rates through the soil profile. The isoxaflutole movement down soil columns was measured by evaluating the visible injury on crop and weed bioassay species seeded into columns split longitudinally. The movement of the safeners was measured by evaluating the isoxaflutole injury to the crop assay species compared to the injury observed without a safener present. The results indicated that a heavy rainfall event could move isoxaflutole through the soil profile in a pulse pattern. If the herbicide pulse moved into the rooting zone of corn, injury resulted. The herbicide safeners leached more slowly than isoxaflutole. For the safeners to be effective, their movement needed to be similar to that of isoxaflutole. Applying a polymeric carrier with the WDG formulation of isoxaflutole reduced leaching compared to two commercial isoxaflutole formulations.

Recent changes in herbicide registrations and governmental restrictions on field burning raised many management questions for Kentucky bluegrass seed producers, particularly the extent to which useful lives of their stands might be shortened by decreasing crop yields or increasing weed pressure. Tests conducted over the lives of two grass seed stands (1993–1997) evaluated three contrasting methods of postharvest residue management (vacuum sweep, bale/flail chop/rake, and field burn) and 13 herbicide treatments. Downy brome was the primary weed at both the Madras and LaGrande, OR, sites. In nontreated checks and the four least effective herbicide treatments, downy brome populations increased exponentially over time, with year-to-year increases in density averaging 13.1-fold. Competition had easily detected effects on Kentucky bluegrass seed yield at densities of 30 downy brome plants/m2, and crop stands were destroyed beyond 100 to 200 weeds/m2. Both PRE terbacil at 840 g/ha and early POST (EPOST)/late POST (LPOST) split-applied primisulfuron at 20 g/ha per application contained downy brome during the first 2 yr but not the third, when crop injury from terbacil forced reduction in terbacil rate and changes in weed populations overcame primisulfuron. PRE terbacil followed by LPOST primisulfuron, EPOST terbacil plus primisulfuron followed by LPOST primisulfuron, and EPOST/LPOST split-applied terbacil plus primisulfuron achieved excellent control of downy brome until the final years of the study, when control became increasingly erratic as primisulfuron-resistant downy brome proliferated in specific individual plots. Injury from combination terbacil plus primisulfuron treatments reduced yield relative to safest treatments in early years when downy brome population densities were low.

Research was conducted to evaluate absorption, translocation, and metabolism of foliar-applied trifloxysulfuron in flue-cured tobacco. The majority of 14C-trifloxysulfuron was absorbed by 4 h, with an accumulation in the plant of 43% of the radioactivity after 72 h. Translocation of radioactivity did not significantly differ between harvest timings of 4 to 72 h after treatment. Not more than 4% of applied 14C-trifloxysulfuron moved out of the treated leaves of tobacco, whereas less than 1.9% accumulated in any one part. Tobacco metabolized 14C-trifloxysulfuron rapidly, with 60.9% of the absorbed herbicide remaining in the parent herbicide form 4 h after treatment, whereas only 12.1% remained after 72 h. These data suggest that limited absorption and translocation, as well as rapid metabolism, are the basis for tobacco tolerance to foliar-applied trifloxysulfuron and illustrate the potential safe and effective use of trifloxysulfuron in tobacco for POST weed control.

The response of new, high-yielding rice cultivars to varying barnyardgrass control levels and rice plant densities is not well understood. Studies were conducted in 2002 through 2004 at the Rice Research and Extension Center near Stuttgart, AR, to evaluate three new rice cultivars at plant densities ranging from 79 to 392 plants/m2 grown in competition with barnyardgrass. Representatives from each of the three classes of long-grain rice produced in the United States were selected. ‘Wells’ represented conventional, long-grain rice, ‘CL161’ represented semidwarf, imidazolinone-tolerant, long-grain rice, and ‘XL8’ represented hybrid, long-grain rice. Rice density and barnyardgrass control affected rice total aboveground biomass production, panicle weight, and harvest index. As rice density decreased or barnyardgrass control increased, total aboveground biomass production and harvest index increased. Rice density had no effect on panicle density or yield. Panicle density increased 14 panicles/m2 for every 10% increase in barnyardgrass control. Cultivar yields were affected similarly by barnyardgrass control, and increased 750 kg/ha for each 10% increase in barnyardgrass control. XL8 and Wells produced the highest average yields, with CL161 producing the lowest over the three-year experiment. XL8 yield components fluctuated more than CL161 or Wells over the range of rice densities and barnyardgrass control levels, indicating that XL8 is highly sensitive to intra- and interspecific competition at high plant populations.

Five experiments were conducted during 2001 and 2002 in North Carolina to evaluate peanut injury and pod yield when glyphosate was applied to 10 to 15 cm diameter peanut plants at rates ranging from 9 to 1,120 g ai/ha. Shikimic acid accumulation was determined in three of the five experiments. Visual foliar injury (necrosis and chlorosis) was noted 7 d after treatment (DAT) when glyphosate was applied at 18 g/ha or higher. Glyphosate at 280 g/ha or higher significantly injured the peanut plant and reduced pod yield. Shikimic acid accumulation was negatively correlated with visual injury and pod yield. The presence of shikimic acid can be detected using a leaf tissue assay, which is an effective diagnostic tool for determining exposure of peanut to glyphosate 7 DAT.

Studies were initiated to evaluate absorption, translocation, and distribution of 14C-quinclorac in propanil- and quinclorac-resistant (R-BYG) and -susceptible (S-BYG) barnyardgrass. No differential absorption of 14C-quinclorac was observed between R-BYG and S-BYG, but more 14C remained in the treated leaf of S-BYG (57% of total absorbed) compared with the R-BYG leaf (34% of total absorbed) at 72 h after treatment (HAT). After 12 HAT, 20 and 15% of the amount absorbed had been translocated basipetally by R-BYG and S-BYG, respectively. At 72 HAT, 27 and 17% of the total absorbed 14C had been translocated acropetally by R-BYG and S-BYG, respectively. The levels of 14C above the treated leaf continued to increase throughout the duration of the experiment in R-BYG while levels of 14C above the treated leaf in S-BYG remained relatively constant. Seven percent more of the total absorbed 14C was exuded from roots of R-BYG than S-BYG at 72 HAT. Although differential translocation was observed between R-BYG and S-BYG, it is unclear whether this difference is a cause of quinclorac resistance or an effect of some other physiological process. Further research is needed to determine if differential translocation is due to metabolism or other physiological factors.