Weed science is responsible for reducing weed competition with crops, within constraints, allowing food production for a growing world population. We have been successful, but with an increasing reliance on the fantastic arsenal of herbicides. Heavy herbicide usage and the concomitant loss of control due to changing weed species spectra, as well as evolved herbicide resistance, along with cancellations of registrations, limit chemical options. Old “innovations” such as well-conceived rotations and various mechanical procedures partly alleviate chemical dependency. We must try innovative, meaningful herbicide mixtures, whether synergistic or additive, mixtures of crop varieties, more competitive varieties, including allelopathic varieties, which could all help to lower chemical dependency. Three cases where innovative genetic-engineering coupled with chemistry seem to be needed are: (a) for the control of parasitic higher plant weeds such as broomrapes (Orobanche spp.), dodders (Cuscuta spp.), witchweeds (Striga spp.) that cannot be controlled by mechanical or selective chemical means with a sufficient margin of user error; (b) for the control of weeds in wheat (Triticum spp.) that are evolving multiple and cross resistances to all wheat-selective herbicides; and (c) to replace the major s-triazine and chloroacetamide herbicides in corn (Zea mays L.) that are under attack and where many local restrictions and cancellations have been imposed. We need better replacements than the resistance-prone inhibitors of acetolactate-synthase and acetyl-CoA-carboxylase. Much of the long-term innovative planning and research must come from the public sector as no one else seems willing to fill the needs.

Data from field studies at Fayetteville, AR, were used to predict the herbicide rate needed to provide 70, 80, or 90% control of a weed based upon weed age. Reduced herbicide rates generally needed to be applied within 6 to 12 d after emergence to control weeds 90%. Reduced rates (280 g ai ha–1 or less) of acifluorfen controlled hemp sesbania, smooth pigweed, Palmer amaranth, and pitted and entireleaf morningglory 90%. Bentazon at 350 to 650 g ai ha–1 controlled common cocklebur and prickly sida 90%. Common cocklebur, smooth pigweed, and pitted morningglory were controlled 90% with chlorimuron at 2 to 5 g ai ha–1 and imazaquin at 20 to 80 g ai ha–1. Prickly sida and hemp sesbania were controlled 90% with imazaquin at 70 g ha–1 and chlorimuron at 6 g ha–1, respectively. Barnyardgrass, large crabgrass, red rice, and sicklepod were not controlled with reduced herbicide rates.

The acceptance of no-till crop production systems has been limited due to expected problems with weed management. Field experiments were established at two locations in Ontario in 1988 and one location in 1989. Band or broadcast applications of preemergence (PRE) combinations of high or low label rates of atrazine with or without metolachlor or inter-row cultivation, were evaluated for their effectiveness in controlling annual weeds in no-till corn. At each location, different herbicide and cultivation combinations were required to achieve adequate weed control. Corn grain yield was equivalent regardless of whether herbicides were applied as a band or broadcast treatment at all three sites. At two of the three sites, one cultivation combined with herbicides applied as a band was adequate to maintain weed control and corn grain yields. Selective application of herbicides in bands represented an approximate 60% reduction in total herbicide applied into the environment. The integration of a shallow post-plant inter-row cultivation combined with the soil conservation attributes of no-till, would enhance the sustainability of a modified no-till corn production system.

Field studies were conducted in 1989 and 1990 to determine if corn seed treated with naphthalic anhydride (NA) at 0.5% (w/w) would result in a reduction in corn injury caused by clomazone applied preplant incorporated (PPI) or preemergence (PRE) at 0.56 and 0.70 kg a.i. ha–1. NA significantly reduced corn injury, especially where clomazone was incorporated. Plant population, height, ear number, and grain yield also were higher in plots where NA was used. In most instances, corn injury was less and plant population, height, ear number, and grain yield were higher in plots where clomazone was applied PRE compared with PPI.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) sprayed on intact jimsonweed plants at 10 to 200 μg ml–1 caused chlorosis and necrosis on three- to four-leaf plants and reduced their height and biomass. Excised leaves of jimsonweed were necrotic on both surfaces after treatment with FB1 at 10 to 200 μg ml–1. The degree of damage increased with the concentration of FB1. The minimum amount of FB1 that damaged excised leaves was 0.05 μg. The symptoms of toxicity on sensitive plants varied with concentration of FB1. Symptoms observed included: chlorosis (creeping cucumber), necrosis (jimsonweed and common sunflower), black leaf lesions (sicklepod), curl of tissues (soybean), stunting, defoliation (hemp sesbania and northern jointvetch), and death (prickly sida, spurred anoda, northern jointvetch, and jimsonweed). Monocots (barley, bermudagrass, corn, johnsongrass, rice, sorghum, and wheat) were not visibly affected by FB1. This is the first evidence of the phytotoxic properties of fumonisin B1 against a wide variety of weeds and crop cultivars.

Field experiments evaluating 11 cereal cover crops were established at two locations in Ontario over a two-year period. Cover crops were interseeded into a ridge-tillage corn crop and evaluated in terms of biomass production and winter annual, biennial, and perennial weed species suppression. Seedling establishment and aboveground biomass production of cover crops were variable between locations and years. At both locations over two years, ‘Danko’ winter rye, ‘OAC Halton’ winter barley and ‘Rodeo’ spring barley were the most consistent cover crops in biomass production. However, cover crop residues had no significant effect on weed biomass or density due to a high degree of spatial variability present in the weed populations. Corn grain yields were not reduced by the presence of inter-seeded cover crops when compared with the bare ground control treatment.

Diammonium sulfate often is used as an adjuvant with glyphosate. Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine the effectiveness of diammonium sulfate in overcoming calcium antagonism of glyphosate toxicity to wheat, sunflower, kochia, and soybean. Each species was a separate experiment and treatments varied with the experiment. Diammonium sulfate at 0.5% (w/v) in a spray carrier containing calcium chloride (500 ppm calcium) overcame calcium antagonism of glyphosate toxicity to wheat, overcame antagonism and enhanced toxicity to sunflower, but only partly overcame calcium antagonism of toxicity to kochia and soybean. With glyphosate at 100 g ae ha–1, diammonium sulfate at 2% (w/v) in a distilled water spray carrier enhanced toxicity to sunflower from a 11% to a 55% fresh weight reduction but was antagonistic to glyphosate toxicity to kochia and soybean.

Four corn hybrids were evaluated for tolerance to sethoxydim at 110 and 220 kg ha–1 applied post-directed at two growth stages (V6–7 and V10–11). Dryland corn grain yields did not respond to sethoxydim, while irrigated corn yields were sensitive to sethoxydim treatments. Sethoxydim at 220 g ha–1 reduced the grain yield of hybrid 3377 by 12% at both growth stages. Sethoxydim at the same rate reduced grain yield of hybrid 3379 by 15% when applied to V6–7 corn. Hybrid 3475 had an 11% grain yield reduction from sethoxydim applied at either dosage to V10–11 corn. Under irrigated conditions, a trend toward reduced grain yield was observed for hybrid 3183 at all application times and sethoxydim rates. Corn ear weights and kernel weights differed among hybrids but did not exhibit a response to sethoxydim within hybrids. Visual evaluation for crop injury and measured corn heights did not indicate a response to sethoxydim. There was no yield response in any hybrid to 110 g ha–1 applied to V6–7 stage corn indicating this treatment was safe to use on all hybrids evaluated.

Field experiments were conducted in the summers of 1988 and 1989 to evaluate sericea lespedeza control with POST herbicides. Triclopyr, picloram, 2,4-D, metsulfuron, dicamba, and selected herbicide mixtures were evaluated in 1988 and 1989. Clopyralid was evaluated in 1988 and fluroxypyr in 1989. Triclopyr at 0.56 and 1.12 kg ha–1 controlled sericea lespedeza both years. Fluroxypyr at 0.56 kg ha–1 also controlled sericea lespedeza. Control with picloram and metsulfuron was variable. Other treatments evaluated did not control sericea lespedeza.

CGA 163935 was evaluated for its growth regulating effect on common bermudagrass for two years and ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass for four years. The vegetative growth of mowed common bermudagrass was suppressed for 5 wk when CGA 163935 was applied at 0.2 kg ha–1 followed by 0.1 kg ha–1 2 wk later and mowed Tifway bermudagrass was suppressed for 4 wk after application of 0.2 kg ha–1. CGA 163935 suppressed vegetative growth of non-mowed common bermudagrass for 9 wk and non-mowed Tifway bermudagrass for 2 to 8 wk at the same rates. Common bermudagrass tolerated CGA 163935 when applied initially at 0.2 kg ha–1 and followed by 0.1 kg ha–1 at a 2-wk interval for a total 0.3 kg ha–1 rate. However, common bermudagrass was severely injured (> 30%) when CGA 163935 was applied at 0.2 kg ha–1 in each of two applications for a total rate of 0.4 kg ha–1. Tifway bermudagrass tolerated CGA 163935 when applied at 0.2 kg ha–1 as a single application or when the 0.2 kg ha–1 was followed by 0.1 kg ha–1 at a 4-wk interval. Tifway bermudagrass was severely injured (> 30%) when CGA 163935 was applied at 0.4 kg ha–1 as a single application or when 0.2 kg ha–1 was followed by 0.1 kg ha–1 at 2- or 3-wk interval. Seedheads were suppressed in common bermudagrass for 1 to 2 wk with CGA 163935 at 0.4 kg ha–1.

The soil organic matter and/or humic matter fraction was highly correlated with the adsorption of ICIA-0051 herbicide onto five soils; clay content and other soil factors were less correlated. The Freundlich equation was used to describe the adsorption of ICIA-0051 by the various soils. Based on the K constants, the general order for adsorption for each soil was Hyde silty clay loam > Frederick silt loam > Davidson clay = Bojac sandy loam > Appling loamy sand. Across all soils, 25 to 50% of the amount adsorbed was removed by two desorptions. Appling, Bojac, and Davidson soils retained less herbicide after two desorptions than did Frederick and Hyde.

Trifluralin-resistant Palmer amaranth populations were confirmed at eight locations within two of the ten-county cotton growing region of South Carolina. Different levels of resistance to six dinitroaniline herbicides were observed, but no resistance was observed to herbicides from nine other chemical groups. Five to six times more trifluralin was required to control a resistant than a susceptible biotype under field conditions.

The effect of methylated seed oil (MSO), the organosilicone adjuvant DC-X2-5394, and ammonium sulfate on the efficacy, absorption, and spray retention of primisulfuron applied alone or with atrazine, dicamba, and bentazon to shattercane and giant foxtail was evaluated. Primisulfuron efficacy on both species was reduced by the three tank-mix combinations. Atrazine antagonism was not explained by decreases in foliar absorption and/or spray retention. Reductions in primisulfuron absorption and/or foliar spray retention appeared to cause bentazon antagonism on both weeds and dicamba antagonism on shattercane. MSO, DC-X2-5394, and ammonium sulfate completely reversed dicamba and bentazon antagonism on shattercane and partially reversed bentazon antagonism on giant foxtail by increasing foliar absorption and/or spray retention. Compared with non-ionic surfactant, MSO and DC-X2-5394 consistently increased giant foxtail control with primisulfuron by increasing foliar absorption and/or spray retention.

Germinability and viability of leafy spurge seeds following ingestion by sheep and goats were evaluated. Four sheep and four goats were separated into eight pens and fed individually a known number of leafy spurge seeds. Following ingestion, goats and sheep passed leafy spurge seeds for 4 and 9 d, respectively. Eighteen percent of the seeds fed were recovered in the fecal material of both species of livestock. Number of seeds recovered, expressed as percent of total seeds fed, decreased with time (P < 0.01). Germinability and viability of the recovered seeds were less than the control (P < 0.01). Sheep were more effective than goats in reducing germinability and viability of leafy spurge seeds (P < 0.01). Results indicate that sheep and goats are effective biological tools for reducing spread of leafy spurge seeds. However, animals grazing mature leafy spurge should be confined for 5 d, until all viable seeds have passed through the digestive system, before they are rotated onto pastures that are devoid of leafy spurge.

Largeseed dodder is the most troublesome weed in alfalfa fields in the high desert of Southern California. Preemergence treatment with trifluralin controls dodder early in the season, but, as the season progresses, control declines. A method was needed to control attached dodder plants that escaped preemergence treatment. Flail mowing was compared to burning with a handheld propane-fueled weed burner. These methods were equally effective for controlling attached dodder, but flail mowing was more economical, and less injurious to alfalfa yield and stand density. Burning dodder patches at the end of the season reduced dodder seed viability by an average of 99%. Thus, we propose the use of a three tiered integrated approach consisting of PRE herbicide treatment followed by flail mowing in mid-season to control escaped dodder and burning at the end of the season to reduce dodder seed.

Temperature, soil moisture, green foxtail density, relative emergence dates, and soil fertility effects on green foxtail and spring wheat competition were evaluated in controlled environments. Green foxtail competition was highest at 30 C and without moisture stress. Early green foxtail emergence increased competition with wheat more than changes in temperature, soil moisture, or green foxtail density. At 30 C, wheat fresh weight was reduced 50% by green foxtail seeded 4 d before wheat, but only 13% by foxtail seeded 4 d after wheat. Doubling the nitrogen and total nutrient concentration did not increase wheat growth, but increased foxtail weight 41 and 75%, respectively.

In recent years considerable research in the private and public sectors has been directed toward introducing herbicide tolerance into normally susceptible crop species (9). Interest in developing herbicide-tolerant crop cultivars, clones, or hybrids (HTCs)3 has been spurred by the reduction in the rate of discovery of new herbicidal compounds, the rising expense of developing new herbicides, and new tools of biotechnology that greatly increased our ability to develop HTC genotypes. Potential benefits of developing HTCs include: a) an increased margin of safety with which herbicides can be used with subsequent reduced crop losses due to herbicide injury, b) reduced risk of crop damage from residual herbicides from rotational crops, and c) introduction of new herbicides for use on normally susceptible crops. The last objective can be considered to be similar to breeding for resistance to diseases or insects. The most serious weed problems for a crop can be solved by developing crop tolerance to herbicides that control the weeds. This approach is particularly promising for minor crops for which new herbicide development is essentially lacking. However, the reluctance of herbicide manufacturers to register their products for minor crops may impede this approach. By developing tolerance to nontoxic, nonpolluting herbicides that are suitable for conservation tillage, the negative environmental effects of weed control can be reduced.

At least 57 weed species, including both dicots and monocots, have been reported to have biotypes selected for resistance to the triazine herbicides. In addition, at least 47 species have been reported to have biotypes resistant to one or more of 14 other herbicides or herbicide families. These herbicides include the aryloxyphenoxypropionics, bipyridiliums, dinitroanilines, phenoxys, substituted areas, and sulfonylureas, with two or more resistant biotypes each, as well as several other herbicides in which resistance is less well documented. Although evolved resistance presents a serious problem for chemical weed control, it has also offered new potential for transferring herbicide resistance to crop species. Mechanisms of resistance that are due to single or a few genes have become the focus of biotechnology, as the probability of their successful transfer to crop species is high.