The influence of temperature and relative humidity on the activity of acifluorfen, fomesafen, lactofen, and acifluorfen plus bentazon on prickly sida, pitted and entireleaf morningglory, and common cocklebur was evaluated in a growth chamber. Reduced control of all species was observed at 50% relative humidity as compared to 85% relative humidity when temperatures were higher (32/55 C day/night). Similar response to relative humidity was observed at the lower temperature (25/15 C) when treatments were applied 14 days after emergence (DAE). Changes in temperature at the same relative humidity did not alter herbicidal activity. Delaying application timing from 7 to 14 DAE decreased control by all herbicides except lactofen applied at high relative humidity, which controlled prickly sida at both 7 and 14 DAE.

The weed control spectrum of clomazone, the influence of clomazone on the performance of other herbicides, and the performance of tank mixtures containing clomazone were evaluated from 1985 through 1987. Clomazone applied preemergence at 280 g ai/ha controlled 90 to 100% of barnyardgrass, giant foxtail, goosegrass, large crabgrass, seedling johnsongrass, prickly sida, and velvetleaf. Clomazone at reduced rates was more effective applied preemergence than preplant-incorporated for 10 of 23 weed species. Clomazone enhanced imazaquin activity on entireleaf morningglory and sicklepod in 1986. A tank mixture of clomazone, imazaquin, and metribuzin at half the labeled rates reduced soybean injury, increased soybean yield, and controlled weeds as well as the mixture at labeled rates.

Field experiments were conducted in 1988 and 1989 to evaluate timing of POST herbicide application in peanut for annual broadleaf weed control, peanut yield, and net returns. Bentazon tank-mixtures with either acifluorfen or paraquat controlled common lambsquarters, prickly sida, and morningglory species equally when applied either at ground-cracking (GC) or 2 wk after ground-cracking (2WGC). Paraquat controlled common lambsquarters least (32 to 33%). Bentazon plus acifluorfen plus BCH 81508S controlled 82% common lambsquarters at 2WGC compared with 66% control from bentazon plus acifluorfen plus a crop oil concentrate. Lactofen controlled 86% common lambsquarters when applied at GC compared to 34% at 2WGC. All applications applied at 4 wk after GC (4WGC) controlled essentially no annual broadleaf weeds. Higher yields and net returns were generally obtained with earlier herbicide applications. Bentazon tank-mixtures with acifluorfen provided equivalent peanut yields and net returns for GC and 2WGC applications.

Field trials were conducted from 1991 to 1993 in the northern cotton-producing area of Alabama to evaluate the interaction of various production inputs for pest management and cotton development, maturity, and yield. Two levels of tillage (conventional and no-till), herbicide (1.12 and 2.24 kg ai ha−1 fluometuron, preemergence, with post-directed herbicides), insecticide (0.5 and 0.85 kg ai ha−1 aldicarb, in-furrow), and fungicide (0.9 kg ai ha−1 quintozene plus ethridazole, in-furrow or 0.14 kg ai ha−1 metalaxyl, hopper-box) programs were evaluated. The inputs investigated did not interact significantly to change the overall production strategy. Prickly sida required a higher level of herbicide input than did the entireleaf/ivyleaf morningglory complex. Both species were sufficiently controlled using reduced levels of fluometuron without sacrificing yield; however, cultivation was necessary in conventional tillage treatments to maintain control. A postemergence-directed herbicide treatment was also necessary for weed control, regardless of tillage. Decreasing the levels of each input simultaneously did not interact to affect cotton stand, height, early-season thrips counts, cotton maturity, or yield. Cotton was shorter in no-till than conventional plots.

Field experiments were conducted using entireleaf morningglory seed collected from areas of adaptation throughout the United States to determine whether biotypes or ecotypes exist and whether differences in susceptibility to acifluorfen exist. Initiation of first flower for the entireleaf morningglory populations ranged from 63 to 81 d after emergence. The interval between emergence and initiation of first flower decreased 2.8 d for each increase in degree of latitude from which the seed was collected. Plants originating from southern latitudes remained in the vegetative phase longer and tended to produce more total dry-weight biomass than plants originating from northern latitudes. Thus, ecotypes do exist for entireleaf morningglory because of adaptation to a specific environment. The adaptation allows ecotypes to utilize the length of the growing season associated with the area of origin. Trichome density on the adaxial leaf surface ranged from 147 to 206 cm−2 across the ecotypes and was not correlated with latitude or differences in acifluorfen susceptibility. Ecotypes differed in susceptibility to acifluorfen, but resistance among ecotypes was not evident.