Florida beggarweed is native to the Western Hemisphere but is naturalized around the world. During the last century, the mechanization of agriculture has transitioned Florida beggarweed from an important forage component to a weed of significance in the coastal plain of the southeast United States. This herbaceous annual is naturalized and found in fields and disturbed areas throughout the southern United States. The characteristics that made Florida beggarweed a good forage crop also make it a formidable weed. This review describes the importance of Florida beggarweed as a weed in the southern United States and the taxonomy of this species and details the distribution throughout the world and within the United States. The ecology of Florida beggarweed and its interactions with crop plants, insects, nematodes, and plant pathogens also are summarized. Finally, management of Florida beggarweed in agricultural systems using cultural practices and herbicides is reviewed.

Field studies were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to evaluate response of eight peanut cultivars to diclosulam applied preplant incorporated at 36 g ai/ha in a weed-free environment. Peanut cultivars evaluated included ‘NC 12C’, ‘NC 7’, ‘VAC 92R’, ‘NC-V 11’, ‘NC 10C’, ‘AT VC 1’,‘NC 9’, and the experimental breeding line N90010E. Visible injury 3 wk after planting was less than 5% regardless of cultivar. No injury was observed at 21 d after planting. Diclosulam did not influence the incidence of early leaf spot, late leaf spot, southern stem rot, cylindrocladium black rot, or tomato spotted wilt virus. Diclosulam did not affect percentage of extra large kernels, sound mature kernels, other kernels, and yield.