Experiments were conducted in 1989 and 1990 to study the effects of 220 g ai ha-1 AC 263,222, 840 g ai ha-1 glufosinate, 560 g ai ha-1 glyphosate, and 840 g ai ha-1 paraquat on sicklepod seed production and quality when applied at R5, R6, R7, and R8 growth stages of sicklepod. No seed were produced on plants treated at R5 with paraquat and glufosinate; glyphosate was the least effective herbicide at this growth stage. Although sicklepod seed germinated after AC 263,222 application at R5, no seedling emergence occurred. Normal seedlings, seedling emergence, and seedling radicle length were reduced by all herbicides applied to parent plants at R5, R6, and R7 growth stages. AC 263,222 applied at R7 reduced normal seedlings and seedling emergence more than any other herbicide. No effects were observed on any of the variables investigated when herbicides were applied at R8.

Field experiments were established in 1991 and 1992 on silty clay and sandy loam soils to evaluate combinations of non-selective and selective herbicides for stale seedbed soybean weed control. Metribuzin PRE controlled sicklepod and pitted morningglory more consistently than other treatments. At 9 wk after planting, antagonism occurred in most cases on sicklepod control when metribuzin was tank-mixed with a non-selective herbicide. Other selective herbicides required addition of a non-selective herbicide at planting to effectively control sicklepod and pitted morningglory. Sicklepod and pitted morningglory control was better with POST selective herbicides when following glufosinate or paraquat than when following glyphosate or SC-0224. In most instances a follow-up POST treatment was needed to maintain weed control from non-selective herbicides applied PRE. Metribuzin and metribuzin plus chlorimuron increased soybean yields when tank-mixed with paraquat compared with yields obtained with paraquat alone.

Experiments were conducted in 1989 and 1990 to investigate the influence of 220 g ai ha–1 AC 263,222, 840 g ai ha-4 glufosinate, 560 g ai ha–1 glyphosate, and 840 g ai ha–1 paraquat applied at R5, R6, R7, and R8 soybean growth stages as harvest-aid treatments on soybean seed quality. Soybean yield was severely reduced by all herbicides applied at R5. Only paraquat and glufosinate reduced soybean yield when applied at R6, and none of the herbicides reduced yield when applied at R7 or R8. Paraquat and glufosinate reduced seed weight when applied at RS and R6. Glyphosate and AC 263,222 reduced seed germination when applied at RS, R6, and R7 growth stages, and normal seedling percentages were also reduced by glyphosate at these growth stages. Glufosinate and AC 263,222 affected normal seedlings only at R5 and R6. Soybean hypocotyl and primary root lengths were reduced by glyphosate and AC 263,222 applications at R5 and R6, whereas glufosinate and paraquat did not affect these variables. Glyphosate applied at R5 reduced shoot weight in 1-mo-old soybean plants. No effects were observed on soybean yield, seed germination or seedling development when herbicides were applied at R8.

Field studies were conducted at the Main Experiment Station, Fayetteville, AR, in 1994 and 1995 to evaluate the effect of postemergence herbicides applied at late-season timings on sicklepod seed production and viability. AC 263,222, dicamba, glyphosate, glufosinate, and paraquat were applied at five rates (zero; labeled rate; one-half, one-fourth, and one-eighth the labeled rate) to three sicklepod growth stages (bud formation, flowering to 9-cm pods, and 15- to 30-cm pods). The greatest reduction in seed production occurred when herbicides were applied at the flowering to 9-cm pod growth stage. All herbicides applied at one-half the labeled rate to sicklepod at bud formation and at the flowering to 9-cm pod growth stage reduced seed production greater than 80%, except glufosinate. Regardless of herbicide, rate, or application timing, viability of remaining seed was ≥ 90% with all treatments.

A study was conducted in 1994 and 1995 at two Mississippi locations to evaluate preplant incorporated (PPI) and preemergence (PRE) applications of alachlor, clomazone, SAN 582, metolachlor, pendimethalin, and trifluralin, and postemergence (POST) applications of AC 263,222 and imazethapyr alone or followed by clethodim late postemergence (LPOST) for red rice control in soybean. Applications of 110 g ai/ha clethodim increased red rice control when following any earlier herbicide application at one location that harbored a high natural infestation. In 1 yr at one location, red rice seedhead suppression from PPI and PRE herbicide applications alone was greater than 95% due to high activity from herbicides and drought conditions during red rice seedhead development. Early postemergence (EPOST) applications of 30 g ae/ha AC 263,222 suppressed at least 95% of red rice seedheads, regardless of year, location, or clethodim LPOST application. At one location, any treatment where 110 g/ha clethodim followed an earlier herbicide application suppressed red rice seedheads at least 95%. Compared to the nontreated control, only AC 263,222 injured soybean (30%) and reduced soybean yield (200 kg/ha).

The productivity and native species diversity of Great Plains grasslands have been substantially reduced by past management that facilitated the establishment of invasive exotic weeds and displacement of native species. Management strategies are needed to rapidly restore the productive capacity and biological diversity of these degraded grasslands. Critically important phases of the grassland restoration process are the reintroduction and establishment of native species. Weed interference is the primary constraint to successful establishment of native plants. The goal of our research is to develop strategies that use multiple technologies, including herbicides, to expedite grassland revegetation with native grasses and forbs. Imidazolinone herbicides (AC 263,333, imazapyr, and imazethapyr) were used successfully to improve establishment of native perennial grasses (big bluestem, switchgrass, little bluestem) and selected forbs (blackeyed-susan, purple prairieclover, Illinois bundleflower, trailing crownvetch, and upright prairie coneflower) on cropland and as components of a strategy to revegetate leafy spurge-infested rangeland with native tallgrasses. Imazethapyr at 70 or 110 g ai/ha applied at planting resulted in stands of big bluestem and little bluestem that were similar or superior to stands established where atrazine was applied. Seedling grasses were susceptible to imazapyr at two of three study sites. Imazapyr at 560 g ai/ha plus sulfometuron at 100 g ai/ha applied in fall was the optimum treatment for suppression of leafy spurge and exotic cool-season grasses and establishment of big bluestem and switchgrass on degraded rangeland sites. Establishment of selected forbs was improved by PRE treatment with AC 263,222 or imazethapyr at 70 g ai/ha. This research provides evidence that the imidazolinone herbicides can be important components of integrated weed management strategies designed to reverse deterioration of grasslands by reestablishing native species, improving grassland productivity, and decreasing the prevalence of exotic weeds.

Seven postemergence (POST) herbicides were evaluated alone and in various mixtures for Palmer amaranth control in peanut from 1992 through 1994. AC 263,222 at rates as low as 0.04 kg/ha controlled ≥ 95% Palmer amaranth. Imazethapyr at rates of 0.05 to 0.07 kg/ha controlled ≥ 90% Palmer amaranth in 2 of 3 yr. Acifluorfen alone or in combination with bentazon or 2,4-DB and lactofen alone controlled > 90% Palmer amaranth in 2 of 3 yr. Bentazon or pyridate failed to provide adequate control (≤ 60%), while 2,4-DB provided good control (80%) in only 1 of 3 yr.

Field studies were conducted in 1994 and 1995 at Dekalb and Urbana, IL, to evaluate preemergence broadleaf weed control and crop tolerance in imidazolinone resistant (IR) and susceptible (non-IR) corn using atrazine, imazethapyr, AC 263,222, CGA-152005, MON 12000 with and without MON 13900 (a safener), and flumetsulam + clopyralid. When sufficient rainfall occurred within 28 d of application to insure herbicide absorption, the IR corn variety was more tolerant than the susceptible variety to imazethapyr, AC 263,222, CGA-152005 at 40 and 80 g/ha, and MON 12000 with and without MON 13900. Overall crop tolerance of IR corn was equal to that of corn treated with atrazine for all herbicide treatments except CGA-152005, which injured IR corn. Control of velvetleaf, common lambsquarters, Pennsylvania smartweed, tall morningglory, and jimsonweed for all herbicide treatments was equal or superior to that of atrazine at 1.7 kg/ha. However, control of common cocklebur was significantly greater with atrazine compared to imazethapyr and the low rate of CGA-152005.

Sicklepod control mid-season in cultivated soybean was higher when imazaquin plus AC 263,222 or AC 263,222 alone was applied POST following pendimethalin plus imazaquin PPI compared with only the PPI treatment. Pendimethalin plus imazaquin PPI followed by imazaquin plus AC 263,222 at 36 + 18 g ai/ha or followed by AC 263,222 at 18 g ai/ha with cultivation controlled sicklepod equal to pendimethalin PPI followed by imazaquin plus AC 263,222 at 71 + 18 g ai/ha or followed by a sequential application of AC 263,222 at 13 g ai/ha early POST followed by 9 g ai/ha late POST. Control with these treatments was no higher than for the standard of pendimethalin plus metribuzin PPI followed by chlorimuron POST at 9 g ai/ha, which controlled 86% sicklepod. Averaged across herbicide treatments, cultivation reduced percent sicklepod seed in harvested soybean samples 33% and increased soybean yield 19% compared with no cultivation. Soybean yield was highest for the chlorimuron standard and greater than that for the other treatments when averaged across cultivation treatments.

Field studies were conducted in 1991 to 1993 to determine the effects of PRE and POST herbicides alone and in factorial combinations on sicklepod control, weed biomass, and soybean seed yields. Herbicides evaluated were metribuzin PRE, metribuzin + chlorimuron PRE, imazaquin PRE and POST, chlorimuron POST, and AC 263,222 POST POST herbicides alone provided better sicklepod control than PRE herbicides alone. However, sequential (SEQ) treatments [PRE followed by (fb) POST] provided better sicklepod control than single herbicide treatments. Metribuzin and metribuzin + chlorimuron alone or used in a SEQ program provided similar PRE control of sicklepod, and both controlled sicklepod better than imazaquin in 1991 and 1992. Chlorimuron alone or in a SEQ program provided better POST control than AC 263,222 or imazaquin alone when soil moisture levels at planting favored weed seed germination. When soil moisture levels at planting were unfavorable for weed seed germination, the residual activity of imazaquin provided the best season-long control. SEQ herbicide applications allowed soybean to attain higher seed yields than single (PRE or POST) herbicide treatments all 3 yr. However, only metribuzin fb chlorimuron in 1991 and 1992 and imazaquin fb imazaquin and imazaquin fb chlorimuron in 1993 allowed soybean to achieve seed yields similar to weed-free soybean. Soybean seed yields were greater with POST than with PRE herbicides 2 of 3 yr, but no single herbicide treatment provided soybean seed yields similar to weed-free soybean.

Field studies were conducted from 1992 to 1994 to evaluate herbicides applied preplant incorporated (PPI), preemergence (PRE), and postemergence (POST) for red rice and Echinochloa spp. control in soybean. Metolachlor PPI at 3.4 kg ai/ha controlled red rice late season 90 to 92%. Alachlor at 4.5 kg ai/ha and SAN 582H at 2.2 or 3.4 kg ai/ha, PPI or PRE, metolachlor plus imazaquin at 2.8 + 0.14 kg ai/ha PRE, and quizalofop-P POST at 0.07 kg ai/ha provided 83 to 95% red rice control in at least 2 of 3 yr. The addition of imazaquin to metolachlor or pendimethalin did not improve red rice control. Early-season Echinochloa spp. control with trifluralin, pendimethalin, and pendimethalin + imazaquin applied PPI; metolachlor, SAN 582H at 2.2 or 3.4 kg/ha, and metolachlor + imazaquin applied PPI or PRE; alachlor, AC 263,222 + imazaquin, and AC 263,222 + imazethapyr applied PRE; and sethoxydim and quizalofop-P applied POST was 90 to 100% in at least 2 of 3 yr. However, Echinochloa spp. control decreased for all treatments later in the season. Pendimethalin applied PPI at 2.2 kg ai/ha or in mixture with imazaquin at 1.7 + 0.14 kg ai/ha injured soybean 14 to 34% in 2 yr. Trifluralin PPI, SAN 582H at 2.2 or 3.4 kg/ha PPI or PRE, imazaquin PPI, metolachlor + imazaquin PPI or PRE, and AC 263,222 + imazethapyr injured soybean 12 to 41% in at least 1 of 3 yr.

Absorption, translocation, and metabolism of AC 263,222 by leafy spurge were studied over 8 d. Based on the amount of herbicide applied and recovered from the leaf surfaces, 40% of applied AC 263,222 was absorbed by leafy spurge 2 d after treatment (DAT), with no further absorption observed by 8 DAT. Eight DAT, 19% of applied [14C]-AC 263,222 had translocated to below-ground plant parts while 4% was exuded from the roots into the sand media. AC 263,222 was not metabolized 2 DAT in the crown, root, and root buds, but 42% was metabolized in the treated leaves. Only 17% of recovered [14C] was AC 263,222 in treated leaves 8 DAT (83% metabolized), while AC 263,222 accounted for 70% of recovered [14C] in the root and root buds. HPLC analysis indicated that the balance of [14C] was associated with a single, polar metabolite. Total recovery of [14C] was 88% at 8 DAT.

Weeds exploit underutilized space, causing economic losses in cropping systems. Weed management tactics alter that underutilized space until the crop can mature and efficiently use that space. One tactic is to reduce the weed propagules (e.g., seeds and tubers) that persist quiescently in the soil, which includes minimizing production and addition of new propagules to the soil. Purple nutsedge is a problematic weed around the globe, persisting between growing seasons as tubers in the soil. Imazapic is a peanut herbicide often used in Georgia for control of purple nutsedge. The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of various rates of imazapic on purple nutsedge tuber production. Single presprouted purple nutsedge tubers were transplanted into outdoor microplots and treated after 6 wk of growth with six rates of imazapic (5 to 140 g ai ha−1) POST. A nontreated control was included. All emerged shoots at the time of application were marked with plastic rings; this allowed for classification of tubers at exhumation as (1) tubers attached to shoots that were emerged at time of application, (2) tubers attached to shoots that emerged after application, and (3) tubers without an aerial shoot during the study. At 7 wk after application, the tubers in the microplots were exhumed, classified, and quantified, and their ability to sprout was evaluated. In the nontreated control, there were 544 total tubers, with a log-logistic regression model describing the declining tuber population with increasing imazapic rate. The rate of imazapic that reduced total tuber population 50% (I50) was 36 g ha−1. In the nontreated control, there were 161 tubers attached to shoots that emerged, as when compared with plots that received an imazapic application that had an I50=60 g ha−1. Viability of purple nutsedge tubers was 44% at 70 g ha−1 imazapic, suggesting the action of the herbicide may have rendered the tubers nonviable after new shoots were produced. The final classification of tubers included those that did not have an aerial shoot during the study. These were tubers in which apical dominance suppressed shoot development or were likely the most recent tubers to develop. Of the three classes, the tubers without shoots were the most prevalent in the nontreated control, with 358 tubers and an I50=18 g ha−1. Imazapic controls purple nutsedge foliage but also reduces the number of new tubers produced, and overall tuber viability and is a valuable tool in management of the long-term population density of this weed.