The effects of chlorimuron, imazaquin, imazethapyr, nicosulfuron, primisulfuron, and thifensulfuron were evaluated on a population of smooth pigweed in Painter, VA with no history of treatment with acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitor herbicides. Imazethapyr and nicosulfuron gave the greatest smooth pigweed control, and subsequently were used in field and greenhouse studies to investigate susceptibility of smooth pigweed and livid amaranth populations to ALS-inhibitor herbicides. Approximately 5 million smooth pigweed plants from Painter were treated with imazethapyr or nicosulfuron from 1992 to 1994 and no ALS-inhibitor-resistant plants were identified. In the greenhouse, the response of smooth pigweed from Painter, VA, Marion, MD, and Oak Hall, VA and livid amaranth from Warren County, NJ to imazaquin or imazethapyr and nicosulfuron was investigated. Smooth pigweed from Marion and Oak Hall and livid amaranth from NJ had histories of treatment with ALS-inhibitors. Painter smooth pigweed control was 81 to 97% by imazethapyr and nicosulfuron while control of the Marion and Oak Hall populations was 3 and 18% by imazaquin at 560 and 1120 g ai/ha, respectively, and control by nicosulfuron at 35 g ai/ha was 50 to 73%. Control of livid amaranth from Warren County, NJ was 8 to 15% by imazethapyr at 560 g ai/ha, and was 30 to 58% by nicosulfuron at 35 g/ha.

Field experiments were conducted from 1987 to 1990 to investigate the combination of cultural and chemical methods for control of Amaranthus spp. in corn. The tolerance of corn hybrids to herbicides or herbicide combinations was dependent on application rate. The early season threshold level for a mixed population of Amaranthus spp. occurred 3.5 wk after emergence. Density of Amaranthus spp. from 155 to 495 plants/m2 caused corn yield reduction of 50%. A quadratic model was derived relating percentage of yield reduction vs. duration of weed competition. The results emphasize the importance of using herbicides, cultural practices, and competition thresholds for an integrated weed control approach of Amaranthus spp. in corn.

Imazethapyr was evaluated PRE and POST in five lettuce types and chicory under Florida field conditions. The relative sensitivity of leafy crop vigor (most sensitive to most tolerant) to imazethapyr PRE, based on 20% inhibition determined using regression analysis, was as follows: Boston > bibb > crisphead > romaine > leaf > escarole > endive. Leafy crop injury increased as the rate of imazethapyr applied POST increased, with all leafy crops responding in a similar manner. Surfactant addition increased imazethapyr phytotoxicity. Imazethapyr PRE treatments at 0.067 kg ai/ha provided greater than 80% control of livid amaranth, common purslane, flatsedge, and common lambsquarters. Imazethapyr POST at 0.067 kg/ha, with surfactant provided control greater than 85% of all weed species. Greater than 85% spiny amaranth control was provided by imazethapyr POST at 0.017 kg/ha. Use of surfactant with imazethapyr did not improve spiny amaranth control over imazethapyr with no surfactant. POST treatments did not decrease leafy crop yield compared with the hand-weeded check. Imazethapyr applied PRE reduced crop yield compared to the POST treatments and the hand-weeded control.

Chloramben effectively controlled weeds in lettuce and endive grown on muck soils better than thiobencarb and chlorpropham. Chloramben at 1.1 kg ai/ha controlled two weeds economically important on muck soils, livid amaranth and oakleaf goosefoot. Chloramben applied preemergence at 1.1 kg/ha and higher caused early stunting of lettuce which the lettuce outgrew by harvest. Field-seeded endive was stunted severely at these same rates, severely reducing yield. Transplants improved tolerance of all crops. Effective use rates on muck soils were 25% to 50% of those typically used on mineral soils.