Broadleaf weeds, including spurred anoda, emerge after direct-seeded chile peppers are thinned. Field experiments were conducted in 1989, 1990, and 1991 to determine the effect of spurred anoda density on green and red pepper yield, quality, and ease of hand harvest. Spurred anoda was established immediately after peppers were thinned at initial densities of 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, or 48 plants 9 m−1 row. The 1991 experiment also evaluated the influence of delayed pepper thinning and concurrent spurred anoda establishment on the competitive effect of spurred anoda. Spurred anoda were beginning to flower at green harvest and senescing at red harvest regardless of planting date. Spurred anoda were taller and accumulated more biomass when planted at a pepper thinning stage of 10 cm compared to 20 cm. Spurred anoda that emerged after thinning peppers reduced yield and ease of harvest of green and red peppers but not the quality of green peppers. Yield reduction at the highest spurred anoda density was 31 to 49% and 12 to 27% when peppers were thinned at 10 or 20 cm, respectively. Yield reduction was smaller when peppers were thinned at 20 cm tall than 10 cm tall and appeared to be associated with reduced spurred anoda biomass. Time required to hand harvest 1 kg of green or red peppers increased as spurred anoda density increased when peppers were thinned at 10 cm.

Cotton was grown alone (one plant/pot), in intraspecific competition (two plants/pot), and in interspecific competition with spurred anoda and velvetleaf in controlled-environment chambers, subjected to water stress by withholding water, and allowed to recover before the final harvest. Minimum leaf water potential reached during the drought period ranged from −1.87 MPa in cotton grown alone to −2.63 MPa in velvetleaf grown in intraspecific competition. Water stress reduced plant height, total dry weight, and leaf area in all species, compared to well-watered controls. Reductions in cotton growth due to intra- or interspecific competition were evident by 11 days following the onset of competition. The competitive impact of both weeds tended to increase with time. Growth reductions in cotton due to competition were associated primarily with reductions in leaf area duration; during drought the net assimilation rate also was reduced. Relative yields of cotton confirmed that interspecific competition from the weeds was more severe than intraspecific competition. Imposed drought did not affect the relative competitive abilities of the three species or the impact of the weeds on cotton.

Effects of temperature and interference were examined in a replacement series experiment with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. 'Stoneville 213′), spurred anoda Anoda cristata (L.) Schlecht. # ANVCR), and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medic. # ABUTH). Plants were grown in controlled-environment greenhouses at day/night temperatures of 32/23 or 26/17 C, and harvested 14 or 39 days after planting. Height, dry weight, and leaf area at both harvests, and dry matter production and leaf area duration for the harvest interval were significantly greater in all species at 32/23 C than at 26/17 C. Interference reduced the dry weight per plant and leaf area at day 39, and dry matter production for the harvest interval. Cotton was somewhat superior to both weeds as a competitor at 32/23 C, while spurred anoda was somewhat superior to cotton and velvetleaf at 26/17 C.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. ‘Coker 315’), spurred anoda [Anoda cristata (L.) Schlecht. # ANVCR], and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik. # ABUTH) were grown in controlled-environment chambers at 29/23 C day/night temperature and 1000 μE·m–2·s–1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Groups of plants were subjected to water stress by withholding water for 8 days, beginning at 27 days after planting. Cotton reached a lower leaf water potential than spurred anoda and velvetleaf following 8 days of withholding water. Following the drought, plants were rewatered for a 6-day recovery period. Water stress reduced plant height, leaf number, leaf area, total dry weight, stomatal conductance, transpiration, net assimilation rate, and leaf area duration in all species, in comparison with well-watered controls. Water stress decreased partitioning of plant biomass into leaves and increased partitioning into roots. Following rewatering, stomatal conductance and transpiration rates of previously stressed plants recovered to control levels within 28 h. Net assimilation rates of previously stressed spurred anoda also recovered to control levels. After 6 days of recovery, total dry weights and leaf areas of previously stressed plants of all three species remained below those of control plants. The overall effect of the drought and water stress was to delay the time at which spurred anoda and velvetleaf equaled or surpassed cotton in dry weight and leaf area, suggesting that drought early in the growing season under field conditions might increase the competitiveness of cotton relative to the two weeds.

Field experiments were conducted in 1986, 1987, and 1988 to evaluate imazethapyr rate and time of application on postemergence control of 24 weed species. Contour graphs were developed that predicted imazethapyr rates required for various levels of weed control based upon weed leaf number at application. Rates below the labeled rate (70 g ha−1) provided 90% or greater control of common cocklebur, smallflower morningglory, and smooth pigweed if applied to 3 true-leaf or smaller weeds and of barnyardgrass, seedling johnsongrass, and Palmer amaranth if applied while weeds were in the cotyledon or 1 true-leaf stage. A rate of 70 g ha−1 provided 90% control of large crabgrass in the 1 true-leaf stage. Entireleaf morningglory, red rice, pitted morningglory, and velvetleaf are not susceptible enough to imazethapyr for 90% or greater control to be obtained with rates lower than 70 g ha−1 at the 1 true-leaf growth stage. These data demonstrate how control data can be used for developing effective reduced-rate herbicide recommendations based on weed leaf number.

Emergence periodicity of common purslane, hemp sesbania, horse purslane, prickly sida, spurred anoda, and velvetleaf was determined from March to October during 5 yr at Stoneville, MS, in the absence of reseeding. In early March of each year prior to emergence determinations, plots were not tilled or tilled to depths of 0, 5, 10, or 15 cm. Yearly emergence periodicity of the six weed species was not affected by tillage. In each year, weeds of all species emerged in identifiable flushes and very few emerged at other times during the growing season. Velvetleaf emerged mainly during the early growing season from March through May. Peak periods of emergence for the other species varied slightly over the 5 yr, but conformed generally to the early or the midseason peak period (June, July, and August) or both. In most years, common purslane, horse purslane, hemp sesbania, prickly sida, and spurred anoda emerged during the midseason period. Annual patterns of temperature fluctuations were similar during the 5 yr, but relatively warm soil temperatures during the early growing season of 1977 may have caused earlier emergence of velvetleaf, prickly sida, and hemp sesbania. Weekly water balance (rainfall minus open-pan evaporation) varied during March through May of each year but was negative during each June, July, and August. Apparently the main effect of a positive water balance during most of the year was to cause merger of the early and midseason peak emergence periods in 1979. Early and midseason emergence peaks were possibly due to different populations of seeds able to germinate in cooler soil temperatures of the early season and warmer soil temperatures of the midseason, respectively.

Field experiments conducted in 1988 and 1989 evaluated clomazone alone and in a systems approach for weed control in peanut. Clomazone PPI at 0.8 kg ai/ha controlled common ragweed, prickly sida, spurred anoda, and tropic croton better than ethalfluralin and/or metolachlor applied PPI. POST application of acifluorfen plus bentazon was not needed to control these weeds when clomazone was used. Acifluorfen plus bentazon improved control of these weeds when clomazone was not used and generally were necessary to obtain peanut yields regardless of the soil-applied herbicides. Alachlor PRE did not improve clomazone control of any weed species evaluated. Fall panicum and large crabgrass control was similar with clomazone or clomazone plus ethalfluralin.

Weed emergence and viable weed seed numbers were determined in field plots during a 5-yr period where reseeding was prevented. Known numbers of seeds of seven weed species were added to the native seed population at the beginning of the study. Plots were nontilled or tilled to depths of 0, 5, 10, and 15 cm early in the spring of each year. Velvetleaf, spurred anoda, hemp sesbania, morningglory species, and pigweed species emergence was significantly greater from the nontilled plots during the first year after seeds were added to the native seed population. Tillage, regardless of depth, reduced weed emergence during the first year where seeds were added to the plots but had no effect on emergence from plots where no seeds were added. Tillage during the second through the fifth year did not affect emergence regardless of the addition of seeds. of the 5-yr emergence totals, 61 to 88% of all weeds in all plots emerged during the first year and 9 to 23% emerged during the second year. The 5-yr decline rate for emergence of all weeds was exponential. Viable seeds of prickly sida, spurges, and pigweeds in the nontilled plots declined from 590, 1531, and 4346 m−2, respectively, to zero by the third year. Tillage did not affect the decline. However, weed emergence in the field indicated that a few (1.0 to 5.6 m−2) seeds of those weeds were still viable after 3 yr. In nontilled plots, many recently added seeds were on or near the soil surface and germinated during the first year. Tillage moved many seeds to sites that were unfavorable for germination and emergence during the first year.

Field studies were conducted in Colorado and New Mexico to examine growth and development of spurred anoda accessions from Colorado, Mississippi, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Accessions were grown in a common garden in both locations. Leaf and stem weight ratios, leaf area ratio, and leaf area per plant were determined. North Carolina and Mississippi accessions were similar in morphology and appearance. Leaf shape, degree of pubescence, and coloration were different in the Colorado and New Mexico accessions. At both sites, the Colorado accession was taller and the canopy wider than other accessions. In Colorado in 1993, North Carolina and New Mexico accessions had the highest total weight followed by Colorado, then Mississippi. In 1994, final total weights of North Carolina, Mississippi, and New Mexico accessions were similar and greater than the Colorado accession. All accessions had similar final total weights in New Mexico in 1993. In 1994, Mississippi, North Carolina, and New Mexico accessions had similar total weights. The Colorado accession flowered earlier than other accessions. Seeds from Mississippi and North Carolina accessions grown in Colorado were heavier than the New Mexico or Colorado accession. This research demonstrates why making inferences of weed biology for variable species that occur over diverse geographic and climatic conditions is difficult and why regionally specific data are needed for variable species.

Experiments conducted in North Carolina and Virginia compared weed control, peanut yield, and net returns with systems using imazethapyr applied at various times and the regional standard treatment of paraquat applied at the ground-cracking stage of peanut (GC) followed by acifluorfen plus bentazon applied POST. Imazethapyr was applied PPI, PRE, GC, or POST at 70 g ae ha−1. Imazethapyr also was applied sequentially PPI plus GC, PPI plus POST, and PRE plus POST at 35 + 35 and 70 + 70 g ha−1. Late-season control of common ragweed and a mixture of entireleaf, ivyleaf, and pitted morningglories by the standard treatment ranged from 85 to 100%. Spurred anoda was controlled 80%, and common lambsquarters and prickly sida were controlled completely. Control of common lambsquarters, prickly sida, and morningglory by imazethapyr applied one or more times was similar to control by the standard. Control by imazethapyr exceeded that by the standard only for spurred anoda. The most effective time for applying imazethapyr varied by species and locations. Imazethapyr was equally effective on common lambsquarters and spurred anoda when applied PPI, PRE, or GC. Prickly sida and morningglory were controlled best when imazethapyr was applied PPI or PRE and GC, respectively. Common ragweed was controlled poorly with single applications of imazethapyr. Applying imazethapyr sequentially improved consistency of control across the range of species. In most cases, imazethapyr applied sequentially at 35 + 35 g ha−1 controlled all weeds as well as or better than when applied once at 70 g ha−1. Overall, imazethapyr at the registered rate of 70 g ha−1 was most effective when applied PPI at 35 g ha−1 followed by 35 g ha−1 at GC. Except for common ragweed, weed control with this treatment was similar to that by the standard. Peanut yield and net returns with this treatment were similar to those with the standard at three of four locations.

Cotton, spurred anoda, and velvetleaf were grown in controlled-environment chambers at day/night temperatures of 32/23 or 26/17 C and CO2 concentrations of 350 or 700 ppm. After 5 weeks, CO2 enrichment to 700 ppm increased dry matter accumulation by 38, 26, and 29% in cotton, spurred anoda, and velvetleaf, respectively, at 26/17 C and by 61, 41, and 29% at 32/23 C. Increases in leaf weight accounted for over 80% of the increase in total plant weight in cotton and spurred anoda in both temperature regimes. Leaf area was not increased by CO2 enrichment. The observed increases in dry matter production with CO2 enrichment were caused by increased net assimilation rate. In a second experiment, plants were grown at 350 ppm CO2 and 29/23 C day/night for 17 days before exposure to 700 ppm CO2 at 26/17 C for 1 week. Short-term exposure to high CO2 significantly increased net assimilation rate, dry matter production, total dry weight, leaf dry weight, and specific leaf weight in comparison with plants maintained at 350 ppm CO2 at 26/17 C. Increases in leaf weight in response to short-term CO2 enrichment accounted for 100, 87, and 68% of the observed increase in total plant dry weight of cotton, spurred anoda, and velvetleaf, respectively. Comparisons among the species showed that CO2 enrichment decreased the weed/crop ratio for total dry weight, possibly indicating a potential competitive advantage for cotton under elevated CO2, even at suboptimum temperatures.

An experiment was conducted at two locations in Georgia and two locations in North Carolina during 1994 and 1995 to evaluate weed management in conventional-tillage bromoxynil-resistant Gossypium hirsutum L. (cotton). The weed management systems evaluated included different combinations of fluometuron preemergence (PRE), bromoxynil or bromoxynil plus MSMA early postemergence (EPOST), bromoxynil postemergence (POST), and cyanazine plus MSMA late post-directed (LAYBY). Fluometuron PRE improved control of Acanthospermum hisptdium DC. (bristly starbur), Cassia occidentalis L. (coffee senna), Chenopodium album L. (common lambsquarters), Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC. (Florida beggarweed), Sida spinosa L. (prickly sida), Jacquemontia tamnifolia (L.) Griseb. (smallflower morningglory), and Anoda cristata (L.) Schlecht. (spurred anoda), compared to system that did not use fluometuron PRE. It also improved G. hirsutum yields at three four locations. Bromoxynil-containing systems provided better weed control and higher G. hirsutum yields than systems without bromoxynil. Bromoxynil EPOST controlled A. hispidium, C. occidentalis, C. album, D. tortuosum, S. spinosa, J. tamnifolia, and A. cristata. Control of these species was frequently improved by a second application of bromoxynil POST. Bromoxynil EPOST, POST, or EPOST plus POST did not control Senna obtusifolia (L.) Irwin and Barneby (sicklepod), but the addition of MSMA to bromoxynil EPOST improved S. obtusifolia control. Control of all dicotyledonous weeds was improved by a LAYBY treatment of cyanazine plus MSMA, and yields were improved at three of four locations with this treatment. Gossypium hirsutum was not injured by POST treatments of bromoxynil, and only temporary injury resulted from POST treatments of MSMA.

Field and laboratory investigations were conducted from 1983 through 1985 to evaluate morphological and environmental influences on the performance of imazaquin on 26 weed species common to the Mississippi Delta. Imazaquin applied preplant incorporated or preemergence at 140 g ai ha–1 controlled 16 species but controlled only five species at 140 g ha–1 foliar applied. Contour graphs accurately predicted imazaquin postemergence rates necessary to control a given weed species at a given time after emergence. Imazaquin applied preemergence with a sequential postemergence application controlled entireleaf morningglory and sicklepod better than a single soil application. Imazaquin at 140 g ha–1 applied preemergence required at least 50 mm of supplemental water following application to control sicklepod and was more phytotoxic to sicklepod grown at 25/10 C day/night temperatures than those grown at 32/22 C.