Field experiments were conducted in 1986 and 1987 to evaluate the potential of growth regulators mepiquat chloride and chlormequat chloride as seed treatments to protect cotton from fluometuron injury. Fluometuron at two and three times the recommended use rate reduced cotton stand and height on Taloka and Convent silt loam soils both years. Cotton grown on a Sharkey silty clay soil was not injured by fluometuron. Mepiquat chloride and chlormequat chloride increased cotton stands on a Taloka silt loam soil when averaged over rates and years. In general, fluometuron injury to cotton was not reduced by treating seed with 1000 ppmw concentrations of chlormequat chloride or mepiquat chloride. Chlormequat chloride reduced chlorosis and necrosis of cotton treated with fluometuron, but neither growth regulator eliminated cotton injury or yield reduction caused by fluometuron at two or three times the recommended rates.

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine if activated charcoal can remove norflurazon from water and from a sand matrix, thereby reducing its availability for plant uptake. A ratio of approximately 10:1 activated charcoal:norflurazon completely inactivated norflurazon in water. In a sand matrix, activated charcoal: norflurazon ratios of approximately 100:1 and 200 to 300:1 completely reduced norflurazon injury to cotton and to soybean and corn, respectively. The amount of activated charcoal required to remove norflurazon from soil was estimated from bioassay and regression analyses. The accuracy of this method to eliminate injury to cotton without reducing control of prickly sida and seedling johnsongrass was confirmed by bioassay using a sandy loam soil.