Rates of dissipation of 6,7-dihydrodipyrido [1,2-a:2’,1′-c] = pyrazidiinium salt (diquat) and 1,1′dimethyl-4,4′-dipyridinium salt (paraquat) in water were studied from 1963 to 1965 at Davis, California. Effects of several environmental factors on dissipation of the herbicides, and herbicidal control of 9 to 14 aquatic weeds and toxicity to three kinds of fish and an Asiatic clam also were investigated.

Small amounts of the herbicides were still detectable in water at the end of 12 days. In reservoirs, diquat applied at 1000 ppbw or less dissipated to 9 ppbw or less. In growth pools, a concentration of 4000 ppbw dissipated to between 600 and 900 ppbw. Dissipation of paraquat in reservoirs was slower than diquat and exhibited unpredictable fluctuations in amounts present. When 250 to 2500 ppbw of paraquat were applied in reservoirs, 0 to 180 ppbw remained after 13 days. In growth pools, 80 to 300 ppbw of paraquat persisted on the 12th day after applications of 1000 to 3000 ppbw.

A 4-year study was made at Huntley, Montana. When the seed coats were ruptured, 100% germination of sago pondweed (Potomogeton pectinatus L.) seeds occurred. Tubers grow in soil to a depth of 18 inches. Formation of tubers was greatest in August. Single plants of sago pondweed, grown from a tuber and a seed, in 6 months developed over 36,000 tubers and 63,000 seeds, respectively. Tubers survived winter temperatures well when buried in the soil. When dipped in paraffin tubers survived up to four years in storage.

Soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] were planted in an untilled, stale seedbed and conventionally tilled seedbed of Sharkey clay (Vertic Haplaquept) at Stoneville, Mississippi, in 1979 and 1980 to determine the feasibility of the stale -seedbed approach for soybean production in the Mississippi River Delta. Chemical weed control included applications of preplant, preemergence, and postemergence herbicides. Prickly sida (Sida spinosa L.) was the dominant weed in all tillage and weed-control systems. Perennial species were observed at harvest mostly in the stale - seedbed plots. Preemergence herbicides reduced the total weight of weeds per plot. Conventional seedbed preparation caused delays in planting of 3 weeks or more. In the presence of adequate soil moisture, yields of ‘Bedford,’ ‘Tracy’, and ‘Bragg’ cultivars from the stale - seedbed planting and areas that had been treated preemergence were always equal to or greater than yields from the tilled - seedbed plantings and areas that had been treated postemergence. In 1980, the hot, dry conditions of the growing season apparently negated any effect from either earlier planting or preemergence vs. post-emergence weed control.

Laboratory studies were conducted using 14C-aminocyclopyrachlor (DPX-MAT28) and its 14C-methyl ester formulation (DPX-KJM44) to (1) determine the adjuvants' effects on absorption, (2) compare the absorption and translocation of aminocyclopyrachlor free acid with the methyl ester, and (3) determine the rate at which aminocyclopyrachlor-methyl ester is metabolized to the free acid in Canada thistle. Canada thistle plants were grown from root cuttings and treated in the rosette growth stage. The effect of different adjuvants on absorption was determined by treating individual leaves with formulated herbicide plus 14C-herbicide alone or with methylated seed oil (MSO), crop oil concentrate, or nonionic surfactant with and without urea ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. Plants were harvested 96 h after treatment (HAT). For absorption and translocation experiments, plants were oversprayed with aminocyclopyrachlor or its methyl ester at a rate of 0.14 kg ae ha−1 in combination with 1% MSO. Formulated herbicide plus 14C-herbicide was then applied to a protected leaf, and plants were harvested 24 to 192 HAT. Plants were harvested and radioactivity was determined in the treated leaf and in aboveground and belowground tissues. Metabolism of aminocyclopyrachlor-methyl ester to the free acid was determined 2, 6, and 24 HAT. All aboveground biomass was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography to establish the ratio of methyl ester to free acid. MSO applied with either herbicide formulation resulted in the highest absorption compared with no surfactant. Significantly greater aminocyclopyrachlor-methyl ester was absorbed, compared with the free acid, which was reflected in the greater aboveground translocation for the methyl ester. Both formulations had similar amounts of translocation to the roots, with 8.6% (SE ± 3.3) for the methyl ester compared with 6.2% (SE ± 2.5) for the free acid. Approximately 80% of the methyl ester was converted to the free acid at 6 HAT. Based on this conversion rate, aminocyclopyrachlor translocated as the free acid in Canada thistle.

Weed competition in this experiment had a more marked effect on sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, var. RS 610] grain yields than did row spacings or sorghum populations. Sorghum grown in 20-inch, as compared to 40-inch, rows had higher grain and stover yields and lower weed yields and 1000-seed weight. Sorghum populations of 42,000 to 50,000 plants per acre produced higher grain and stover yields than populations of 26,000 to 28,000 plants per acre which had greater weed yields, heads per plant, seed weight per head, seed moisture at harvest, and 1000-seed weight. In hand weeded plots, sorghum yields were not affected by row spacing or sorghum population; but as weed competition increased, sorghum yields increased with narrower rows and higher plant populations. Sorghum yields were reduced 4, 12, and 18% by delaying weeding of plots 3, 4, and 5 weeks as compared with 2 weeks after planting. Weeds that did not emerge until 4 weeks after planting did not reduce sorghum yields.

Nonindigenous invasive weed species can have substantial negative impacts on the quantity and quality of outdoor recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking, wildlife viewing, and water-based recreation. Despite the significance of impacts on recreation, very little research has been performed to estimate the corresponding economic losses at spatial scales such as regions, states, and watersheds. This is true primarily because in most jurisdictions the data necessary to estimate recreational impacts are scarce and incomplete. Because of the challenges involved in measuring recreational losses precisely, we illustrate a method that can provide indications of the ranges in which the true economic losses likely lie. To reflect underlying uncertainty in parameters such as the number of acres infested in a jurisdiction and the rate at which wildlife-related recreation decreases as a function of increasing weed infestation, we developed a range of estimates using lower, medium, and higher scenario combinations of parameter and variable values. Our case study jurisdiction is a western state (Nevada) in which nonindigenous weed infestations on public lands have expanded rapidly in recent years. Under conservative assumptions, the negative economic impacts stemming from the adverse influence of nonindigenous weeds on wildlife-related recreation in Nevada likely range from $6 million to $12 million per year. Using the most conservative findings for annual recreation losses, the predicted discounted stream of negative economic impacts over a future time horizon of 5 yr ranges from about $30 million to $40 million in Nevada, depending on actual future expansion rates of weeds.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of sunlight perceived by weed seeds during and after soil cultivation with moldboard and chisel plows on induction of seed germination. Daytime cultivation with a moldboard plow increased weed seedling emergence by as much as 200% above the levels recorded following nighttime cultivation; however, the magnitude of this promotion varied depending on season and field history, and occasionally it was nil. In contrast, when a chisel plow was used in primary tillage, no differences in seedling emergence were observed between daytime and nighttime cultivation. The absolute germination level in plots cultivated with a chisel plow was at least 200% greater than in plots cultivated with a moldboard plow. This observation suggests that microenvironmental factors other than light played an important role in promoting seed germination in chisel-plowed plots. Covering moldboard-plowed plots with opaque plastic immediately after cultivation did not reduce weed seedling emergence compared to plots that were either covered with transparent film or left uncovered. Our results suggest that only the light stimulus perceived by the seeds during soil cultivation is effective in triggering germination.

Proactive integrated weed management (IWM) is critically needed in no-till production to reduce the intensity of selection pressure for herbicide-resistant weeds. Reducing the density of emerged weed populations and the number of larger individuals within the population at the time of herbicide application are two practical management objectives when integrating cover crops as a complementary tactic in herbicide-based production systems. We examined the following demographic questions related to the effects of alternative cover-cropping tactics following small grain harvest on preplant, burndown management of horseweed (Erigeron canadensis L.) in no-till commodity-grain production: (1) Do cover crops differentially affect E. canadensis density and size inequality at the time of herbicide exposure? (2) Which cover crop response traits are drivers of E. canadensis suppression at time of herbicide exposure? Interannual variation in growing conditions (study year) and intra-annual variation in soil fertility (low vs. high nitrogen) were the primary drivers of cover crop response traits and significantly affected E. canadensis density at the time of herbicide exposure. In comparison to the fallow control, cover crop treatments reduced E. canadensis density 52% to 86% at the time of a preplant, burndown application. Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) alone or in combination with forage radish (Raphanus sativus L.) provided the most consistent E. canadensis suppression. Fall and spring cover crop biomass production was negatively correlated with E. canadensis density at the preplant burndown application timing. Our results also show that winter-hardy cover crops reduce the size inequality of E. canadensis populations at the time of herbicide exposure by reducing the number of large individuals within the population. Finally, we advocate for advancement in our understanding of complementarity between cover crop– and herbicide-based management tactics in no-till systems to facilitate development of proactive, herbicide-resistant management strategies.

Herbicide-resistant weeds are the result of evolutionary processes that make it easy to think about the problem from a purely biological perspective. Yet, the act of weed management, guided by human production of food and fiber, drives this biological process. Thus, the problem is socioeconomic as well as biological. The purpose of this article is to explain how well-known socioeconomic phenomena create barriers to herbicide-resistance management and highlight important considerations for knocking down these barriers. The key message is that the multidimensional problem requires a multifaceted approach that recognizes differences among farmers; engages the regulatory, academic, extension, seed and chemical suppliers, and farmer communities; and aligns the diverse interests of the members of these communities with a common goal that benefits all—more sustainable weed management. It also requires an adaptive approach that transitions from moreuniform and costly standards and incentives, which can be effective in the near-term but are unsustainable, to more-targeted and less-costly approaches that are sustainable in the long term.

The effect of a,a,a-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine (trifluralin) on the growth of cotton seedlings was studied under greenhouse conditions as influenced by dosage, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 lb/A, and depth of soil-incorporation, 0 to 6 in in 0.5-in increments; the cotton seed were planted 1.5 in deep and watering was by subirrigation.

Trifluralin caused stunting in height of cotton seedlings and prevention of lateral root growth. The dosage of the chemical influenced the degree and persistence of stunting more than did depth of incorporation. Marked stunting occurred at 1 lb/A at all depths of incorporation and persisted for the duration of the experiments, about 1 month; slight to moderate stunting occurred at 0.75 lb/A or less but was of short duration, 1 to 2 weeks. Lateral root growth was affected more by depth of incorporation than by dosage; though the growth of the taproot was essentially unaffected, the growth of lateral roots was completely prevented by even the lowest dosage applied, 0.25 lb/A, incorporated to the greatest depth, 6 in. Root growth was prevented only along that portion of the taproot growing in treated soil; when trifluralin was incorporated above the seed, root development was unaffected. Stunting occurred independently of the effect on root growth.

Wild radish is a major weed of field crops in southern Australia. The effects of various densities of wild radish and wheat on the growth and reproductive output of each other were investigated in field studies in 2003 and 2004. The experiments were established as a factorial combination of wheat (0, 100, 200, and 400 plants m−2) and wild radish (0, 15, 30, and 60 plants m−2) densities. The effect of wild radish density on wheat yield loss and wild radish seed production were described with a rectangular hyperbola model. The presence of wild radish in wheat reduced aboveground dry matter, leaf-area index (LAI), and grain yield of wheat, and the magnitude of this reduction was dependent on weed density. Increasing the density of wheat substantially reduced the adverse effects of wild radish on wheat. As crop density increased, wild radish dry matter, LAI, and seed production per unit area decreased. The maximum seed production of wild radish was achieved at its highest density (60 plants m−2), and was 43,300 and 61,200 seeds m−2 for the first and second year, respectively. The results indicated that higher densities of wheat were able to suppress seed production of this weed species. From a practical viewpoint, this study shows that increased wheat density in the range of 200 to 400 wheat plants m−2 can reduce wild radish seed production and also give some reduction in crop yield loss, and could be an important component of an integrated weed management program.

The influence of seed age, planting depth, and temperature on the germination and emergence of ivyleaf morningglory [Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq. var. hederacea], white morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.), and entireleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula Gray) was studied by using pure seed of each taxa that were collected in 1972, 1973, and 1974. Germination of acid-scarified white and entireleaf morningglory seed ranged from 64 to 98% at continuous 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 C and at an alternating 20/30 C cycle. The ivyleaf morningglory germination range was 50 to 98% at these temperatures, except at 40 C germination was <25%. Germination of nonscarified seed was generally 30 to 60% lower than scarified seed for the three taxa. Germination of seed collected in 1972 for all three taxa was less than 10% with 6 days of exposure to 45 C and 100% relative humidity, and germination of seed collected in 1973 and 1974 ceased with 12 days of exposure. Maximum emergence for all taxa occurred at planting depths of 1.3 and 2.5 cm. Seed age influenced seedling emergence of white morningglory and ivyleaf morningglory but not entireleaf morningglory. Total numbers of seed produced per plant for white, entireleaf, and ivyleaf morningglory were 15,200, 14,600, and 5,800, respectively.

Growth and development of red rice (strawhull) and ‘Lemont’ and ‘Newbonnet’ rice were compared in 1987 and 1988 under noncompetitive field conditions at Stuttgart, AR. Growth and developmental differences were greater between red rice and rice than between rice cultivars. Compared to rice, red rice was taller, produced more culms m−2 and aboveground dry weight, had higher leaf area indices, and had a greater flag leaf area. Also, it had lower leaf to stem ratios late in the season, had greater crop growth rate early in the season but less late in the season, and produced a lower grain weight than rice. Compared to Newbonnet, Lemont plants were shorter at 60 d after emergence or later, produced more culms m−2, had a greater leaf area index, and produced higher grain weight than Newbonnet. Also, Lemont and Newbonnet produced comparable leaf to stem ratios, crop growth rates, and flag leaf areas.

The response of corn (Zea mays L. ‘Sokota TS 46’), flax (Linum usitatissimum L. ‘Culbert 79’), grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Merr. ‘Sokota 466’), soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ‘Corsoy 79’], and sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L. ‘Sokata 4000’) to soil residues 12 and 24 months after application of 17, 34, and 68 g ai/ha chlorsulfuron {2-chloro-N-[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl) amino] carbonyl] benzenesulfonamide} was determined at two locations, Redfield and Watertown, in eastern South Dakota. All crops at Redfield were injured significantly at 17 g/ha, 12 months after application as determined by plant dry weight and visual evaluations. Corn and sorghum were the most susceptible while flax was the least susceptible. Injury at Watertown was significantly less than at Redfield. Differences in carryover were related to a lower soil pH at Watertown.

Ten warm-season and six cool-season weed species were grown in the glasshouse on Hartsells fine sandy loam soil and Lucedale sandy loam soil at pH levels from 4.7 to 6.3. Growth of species varied widely in response to soil pH as measured by herbage yield. Showy crotalaria (Crotalaria spectabilis Roth), coffee senna (Cassia occidentalis L.), and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.] were highly tolerant to low pH soils. Sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia L.), annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.), Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum L.), and buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), were medium to high in tolerance. Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L.), tall morningglory [Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth], crowfootgrass [Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Richter], and prickly sida (Sida spinosa L.) were medium to low in tolerance to low soil pH. Growth of Florida beggarweed [Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC], redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), chickweed [Stellaria media (L.) Cyrillo], common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale (Weber), and wild mustard [Brassica kaber (DC.) L.C. Wheeler var. pinnatifida (Stokes) L.C. Wheeler] was severely reduced in soils with low pH.

Horseweed is an increasingly problematic weed in soybean because of the frequent occurrence of glyphosate-resistant (GR) biotypes. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of crop rotation, winter wheat cover crops (WWCC), residual nonglyphosate herbicides, and preplant herbicide application timing on the population dynamics of GR horseweed and crop yield. A field study was conducted at a site with a moderate infestation of GR horseweed (approximately 1 plant m−2) with crop rotation (soybean–corn or soybean–soybean) as main plots and management systems as subplots. Management systems were evaluated by quantifying horseweed plant density, seedbank density, and crop yield. Crop rotation did not influence in-field horseweed or seedbank densities at any data census timing. Preplant herbicides applied in the spring were more effective at reducing horseweed plant densities than when applied in the previous fall. Spring-applied, residual herbicide systems were the most effective at reducing season long horseweed densities and protecting crop yield because horseweed in this region behaves primarily as a summer annual weed. Horseweed seedbank densities declined rapidly in the soil by an average of 76% for all systems over the first 10 mo before new seed rain. Despite rapid decline in total seedbank density, seed for GR biotypes remained in the seedbank for at least 2 yr. Therefore, to reduce the presence of GR horseweed biotypes in a local no-till weed flora, integrated weed management (IWM) systems should be developed to reduce total horseweed populations based on the knowledge that seed for GR biotypes are as persistent in the seed bank as glyphosate-sensitive (GS) biotypes.

Rate of seedling emergence, relative growth rate (RGR), and phenological development were compared in several accessions of rigid ryegrass belonging to three distinct resistance classes. The aryloxyphenoxypropionate resistant (AOPP-R) class had a faster and less variable seedling emergence than the sulfonylurea resistant (SU-R) and susceptible (S) classes. However, even the fastest of the AOPP-R accessions was within the range of the S and SU-R classes. No significant differences were detected among the resistant classes in seed dormancy, RGR, and the rate of phenological development. The rate of spike emergence, irrespective of the resistance class, was related to the latitude of the origin of the accessions, suggesting adaptation to the local climates since introduction. Due to considerable variation among weed populations for most biological attributes, the need to include several R and S accessions, in studies similar to the one reported here, is of vital importance. Because of the means and variances of the three resistance classes, at least four accessions from each resistance class would have been required to detect the observed differences between emergence rates of the AOPP-R and S classes with a confidence of 95%.

Russian thistle plant movement and seed dispersal were studied in 1991 and 1992 by placing Russian thistle plants in the center of wheat fields in eastern Washington. Three adjacent site treatments, with 24 plants on each site, were used each year; wheat stubble, summerfallow planted to winter wheat, and a “stationary” site. Plants in the “stationary” site were anchored to the ground to prevent tumbling. Plants in the stubble and summerfallow sites were allowed to tumble naturally. Individual plant movement was monitored and recorded weekly by satellite global positioning systems technology. Average estimated seed number per plant at the beginning of the experiment was 57,400 in 1991 and 66,000 in 1992. The direction plants moved correlated highly with wind direction. Some plants moved a maximum distance of 4069 m in 6 wks, while other plants moved only 60 m because of variable winds and being compressed by snow or frozen into wheat stubble. Average percentage seed loss in 1991 and 1992 for stationary plants was 15 and 26%, and for tumbling plants was 48 and 66%, respectively.

Chloroplasts isolated from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves were used to study mechanisms of toxicity from 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (diuron). Light was needed to initiate diuron injury. The addition of ascorbate plus 2,6-dichlorophenylindolephenol (DPIP) as an electron donor system completely protected the chloroplasts from diuron-induced toxicity. The protective effect from the electron donor system occurred only in functional chloroplasts. Diuron caused rapid and extensive chlorophyll degradation at chlorophyll: diuron ratios of 200:1 and lower. At higher ratios the effect was much less measurable. The electron donor system gave complete protection in the presence of methylamine HCl, a known inhibitor of photophosphorylation, indicating that a deficiency of ATP was not the primary cause of diuron toxicity. Time-course studies showed that carotenoid pigments began to degrade before initiation of chlorophyll degradation. These results are interpreted as supporting a hypothesis that diuron induces phytotoxicity by catalyzing lethal photosensitized oxidations in the cell. This may occur as a result of (a) a greater concentration of oxidized chlorophyll caused by an interruption of electron flow and (b) an inhibition of NADPH formation which is necessary to maintain a functional carotenoid protective mechanism.

Growth characteristics and competitive relationships of cotton and three perennial weeds (johnsongrass, purple nutsedge, and yellow nutsedge) were investigated at the USDA Cotton Research Station in Shafter, CA. In growth analysis experiments, yellow nutsedge and johnsongrass had highest values for height, biomass, leaf area production, growth rate, and photosynthetic efficiency. The weeds exhibited greater overall resource use and production efficiency than cotton, while cotton attained greater leafiness and canopy closure than weeds over the 10-wk experiment. Linear correlation indicated that most growth variables were significantly correlated with aggressivity (competitiveness); however, all correlation coefficients were less than 0.80. Stepwise multiple regression, using aggressivity as the dependent variable, defined 4 growth variables out of 12 that best described competitiveness. These were unit leaf rate (ULR), height, relative growth rate (RGR), and initial propagule weight (PWT). Thus, parameters of light utilization (ULR, height) and early establishment (RGR, PWT) were best predictors of competitive success in this system.