Field research was conducted near Saint Joseph, LA, in 2008 and 2009 to evaluate Texasweed interference in drill-seeded rice. Season-long Texasweed interference at 1 plant m−2 was estimated to cause 5% yield loss. Yield loss from 10 and 50 plants m−2 was 31 and 61%, respectively. Yield loss was primarily due to a reduction in effective tillers per square meter. Thousand-grain weight of rice was not affected by season-long Texasweed interference. Path analysis indicated yield component compensation, i.e., a reduction in effective tillers per square meter probably caused an increase in grains per panicle. However, that effect was not strong enough to reverse the detrimental effect of reduced effective tillers per square meter on rice yield. The critical period of Texasweed interference to cause more than 5% yield loss was estimated to be between 0 and 6 wk after rice emergence.

Field, laboratory, and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the seed production potential and effect of environmental factors on germination, emergence, and survival of texasweed. Texasweed produced an average of 893 seed per plant, and 90% were viable. Seed exhibited dormancy, and prechilling did not release dormancy. Percent germination ranged from 56% for seed subjected to no prechilling to 1% for seed prechilled at 5 C for 140 d. Seed remained viable during extended prechilling conditions, with 80% of seed viable after 140 d of prechilling. Texasweed seed germinated over a range of 20 to 40 C, with optimum germination (54%) occurring with a fluctuating 40/30 C temperature regime. Seed germinated with fluctuating 12-h light/dark and constant dark conditions. Texasweed seed germinated over a broad range of pH, osmotic potential, and salt concentrations. Seed germination was 31 to 62% over a pH range from 4 to 10. Germination of texasweed ranged from 9 to 56% as osmotic potential decreased from − 0.8 MPa to 0 (distilled water). Germination was greater than 52% at less than 40 mM NaCl concentrations and lowest (27%) at 160 mM NaCl. Texasweed seedlings emerged from soil depths as deep as 7.5 cm (7% emergence), but emergence was > 67% for seed placed on the soil surface or at a 1-cm depth. Texasweed seed did not germinate under saturated or flooded conditions, but seed survived flooding and germinated (23 to 25%) after flood removal. Texasweed seedlings 2.5 to 15 cm tall were not affected by emersion in 10-cm-deep flood for up to 14 d. These results suggest that texasweed seed is capable of germinating and surviving in a variety of climatic and edaphic conditions, and that flooding is not a viable management option for emerged plants of texasweed.

Field experiments were conducted in 2006, 2007, and 2008 at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center's Northeast Research Station near St. Joseph, LA, to evaluate imazosulfuron programs involving rate, application timings, and tank mixes for PRE and POST broadleaf weed control in drill-seeded rice. Imazosulfuron showed residual activity against both Texasweed and hemp sesbania. PRE-applied imazosulfuron at 168 g ai ha−1 and higher rates provided 83 to 93% Texasweed control at 4 WAP. At 12 WAP, Texasweed control with 168 g ha−1 and higher rates was 92%. Hemp sesbania control with 168 g ha−1 and higher rates was 86 to 89% at 4 WAP and 65 to 86% at 12 WAP. Imazosulfuron at 224 g ha−1 applied EPOST provided 84 to 93% Texasweed control and 82 to 87% hemp sesbania control, and it was as effective as its tank mixture with bispyribac-sodium. When applied LPOST, four- to five-leaf Texasweed, imazosulfuron alone at 224 g ha−1 was not effective against Texasweed and hemp sesbania, but did improve weed control when mixed with bispyribac-sodium at 17.6 g ai ha−1.

Experiments were conducted on potted plants under field conditions in 2007 and 2008 at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center's Northeast Research Station near St. Joseph, LA, to evaluate Texasweed response to shade. Shade levels of 30, 50, 70, and 90% were achieved using 1.8-m by 1.8-m by 1.8-m tents built using 2.54-cm-diam polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and polypropylene fabric. Shade had no effect on Texasweed emergence but significantly reduced its growth. There were significant growth differences between plants transferred directly and gradually to a given shade level. At 100 d after emergence, plants gradually exposed to 30, 50, 70, and 90% shade had 13, 22, 37, and 58% less total dry matter per plants, respectively, than did those in 0% shade. Texasweed height in 70 and 90% shade was increased by 28 and 20%, respectively. Texasweed seemed to mitigate the adverse effect of shade by increasing specific leaf area (SLA) and percentage of leaf biomass. Increasing SLA and the percentage of leaf biomass appears to be a strategy for efficient allocation of biomass for light capture and carbohydrate synthesis, which can be used for height increase until the plant rises above the crop canopy. Although fruit production was significantly reduced, Texasweed was able to reproduce in 90% shade.

Spray carrier pH affects the solubility of sulfonylurea herbicides and, therefore, could affect absorption and subsequent translocation of these compounds in weeds. Trifloxysulfuron is a sulfonylurea herbicide developed for POST weed control in cotton, sugarcane, and turfgrass with a pKa of 4.81. The objective of this study was to evaluate the absorption and translocation of foliar-applied 14C-trifloxysulfuron in Palmer amaranth and Texasweed at pH 5, 7, and 9 over a period of 4 to 72 h after treatment (HAT). For absorption, effects of time, species, and pH were significant. Absorption averaged over species and pH increased logarithmically from 4 to 72 HAT. Absorption was greater for Palmer amaranth (88%) than for Texasweed (29%) when averaged over time and pH. Absorption averaged over species and time increased in the order of pH 5 (52%) < pH 9 (60%) = pH 7 (61%). Consequently, this translated into greater translocation of 14C-trifloxysulfuron in Texasweed when sprayed with the higher pH spray solutions. These data indicate that absorption and translocation of trifloxysulfuron in some weed species may be enhanced by increasing the pH of the spray solution by 2 pH units above the pKa.

Texasweed is an annual broadleaf plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family and is an emerging problem in southern U.S. rice fields. Field studies were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to study the effect of flood depth on Texasweed survival and growth. The trearments were five flood depths: 0, 10, 15, 20, and 30 cm and two Texasweed growth stages: two- to three-leaf stage and four- to five-leaf stage. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized split-plot design with three replications. Flooding conditions were created by placing potted plants in 1.3 m by 0.7 m by 0.7 m polyvinyl chloride troughs. The effect of flood depth on Texasweed growth and fruit production was evaluated using ANOVA and regression analysis. Texasweed plants were able to survive in floods up to 30 cm; however, growth and fruit production were reduced. Increasing flood depths resulted in increased plant height and greater biomass allocation to stem. Texasweed plants produced adventitious roots and a thick spongy tissue, secondary aerenchyma, in the submerged roots and stem, which may play a role in its survival under flooded conditions. The recommended flood depth for rice in Louisiana is 5 to 10 cm. A 10-cm flood in the present study caused about 30 and 15% biomass reduction in two- to three-leaf and four- to five-leaf stage Texasweed, respectively. The results, thus, suggest that flooding alone may not be a viable option for Texasweed management in drill-seeded rice. However, appropriate manipulation of flooding could enhance the effectiveness of POST herbicides. This aspect needs further investigation.