In field studies conducted over 2 yr, POST applications of chlorimuron, imazaquin, fomesafen, or acifluorfen following PRE applications of clomazone, metribuzin, or metribuzin plus chlorimuron enhanced wild poinsettia control when compared with the PRE herbicides applied alone. Wild poinsettia control was highest for imazaquin compared with other PRE treatments and with the exception of fomesafen, applications of POST herbicides following imazaquin PRE did not improve weed control. With the addition of POST herbicides, soybean yields were generally not increased, but moisture content in one year and foreign material content both years were reduced. In other studies, early POST applications (2 to 8 cm) of fomesafen, imazaquin, acifluorfen, lactofen, and chlorimuron controlled wild poinsettia better than late POST applications (10 to 15 cm) in only one year. Soybean yields both years were generally similar regardless of herbicide application time.

PRE and POST herbicides were evaluated for their effects on root growth of Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue turf. All PRE treatments, bensulide at 14.0 kg ai ha−1, DCPA at 11.8 kg ha−1, dithiopyr at 0.4 kg ha−1, pendimethalin at 1.7 kg ha−1, and prodiamine at 0.6 kg ha−1, inhibited root growth when cores, 10 cm in diam and 2.5 cm deep, of herbicide-treated Kentucky bluegrass were placed into pots of perlite. Only prodiamine inhibited tall fescue rooting. None of the PRE treatments reduced rooting of grasses when 10-cm diam and 16-cm deep cores were sampled from the field. No differences in rooting were observed among any of the POST treatments on either species.

Field studies were conducted at Charleston, SC to evaluate the effects of six chemical treatments on bahiagrass and the potential of these treatments to reduce mowing operations. Sulfometuron, maleic hydrazide, and imazethapyr plus imazapyr, in decreasing order of effectiveness, were the most consistent treatments evaluated during the 2-yr study. Sulfometuron reduced bahiagrass vegetative height (23%) for 6 to 8 WAT and suppressed 87 to 92% of seedheads without adversely affecting turf quality. All treatments temporarily discolored turf; however, effects were not objectionable for medium- to low-quality turf settings. Sulfometuron, maleic hydrazide, and imazethapyr plus imazapyr controlled growth and maintained acceptable turf quality for an average of 9, 9, and 8 wk, respectively; thereby reducing mowing operations by an average 29%. Mefluidide plus fluazifop-P, mefluidide plus sulfometuron, and chlorosulfuron were the least effective and/or consistent treatments evaluated.

Field applications of the rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain D7 (D7), have selectively suppressed downy brome in winter wheat test plots. A phytotoxin produced by D7 inhibits downy brome root growth. An assay system was developed for future investigations of the mechanism of action of this and other phytotoxins that inhibit root growth. A crude preparation of the phytotoxin, cell-free supernatant (CFS), had little activity on downy brome root elongation in a sand-petri plate system. CFS was very active in a hydroponic system, in which a 6% (v/v) concentration inhibited root elongation within 1.5 h. Inhibition of root elongation was reversible in this system. Root elongation of downy brome seedlings resumed within 3 h after removal from a 9-h incubation in 8% CFS. CFS from genetic variants of D7 did not substantially inhibit root growth and a semi-crystallized precipitation product from D7 CFS inhibited root growth similarly to D7 CFS, indicating that the phytotoxin present in the CFS was responsible for growth inhibition.

Field investigations were conducted for 2 yr to characterize the responses of wheat, kidney bean, field corn, squash, okra, potato, and banana to soil-applied hexazinone, imazapyr, tebuthiuron, and triclopyr at rates used for control of woody perennial plants. Test species were planted at seven selected intervals through the first and second years after herbicide applications to assess residual herbicide activity. Tebuthiuron treatments of 2.2 kg ai ha−1 were not tolerated by any bioassay species planted 436 d after application (DAA). Only potato was tolerant of residual hexazinone 436 DAA. All species except banana generally tolerated residual imazapyr and triclopyr by the second growing season. Indigenous plants repopulated all herbicide-treated areas, except those treated with tebuthiuron, by the third growing season. Plots treated with tebuthiuron were 90% free of indigenous plants 40 mo after herbicide application.

Studies from 1985 to 1989 showed that disking 3, 7, 10, 14, or 30 d after applying chlorsulfuron, clopyralid, dicamba, glyphosate, picloram, or 2,4-D did not improve Canada thistle control in uncropped, dryland fields. Disking after a fall or after a fall plus a spring herbicide application did not influence Canada thistle control for any herbicide regardless of the time of herbicide application or the time between application and disking.

In a 3-yr field study on a Bosket silt loam, dicamba (0.3 and 0.6 kg ai ha−1) and 2,4-D amine (0.6, 1.1, and 2.2 kg ae ha−1) were applied at 3, 9, and 16 d before planting cotton. Most treatments applied 3 or 9 d before planting caused cotton injury and yield reduction. Replanting was necessary when 2,4-D at 2.2 kg ha−1 was applied 9 d before planting, and all treatments except dicamba at 0.3 kg ha−1 when applied 3 d before planting.

Calcium chloride in the spray carrier antagonized the toxicity of diethanolamine 2,4-D and sodium 2,4-D, dimethylamine MCPA, sodium bentazon, dimethylamine dicamba and sodium dicamba, sodium acifluorfen, imazamethabenz, ammonium imazethapyr, and isopropylamine glyphosate to kochia in greenhouse experiments. Diammonium sulfate overcame calcium chloride antagonism of the above herbicides, except for glyphosate and imazethapyr. Diammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate adjuvants overcame calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate antagonism of dicamba toxicity to kochia and enhanced toxicity of sodium dicamba to nearly equal that of dimethylamine dicamba.

Field experiments were conducted from 1989 through 1991 to determine the effect of DPX-PE350 applied postemergence over-the-top on cotton yield and fiber quality. DPX-PE350, at rates ranging from 50 to 280 g ae ha−1 applied to cotton in the VC to R6 growth stages, had no adverse effect on seed cotton yield, micronaire, fiber length, fiber length uniformity, or fiber strength. Cotton injury was 10% or less in all experiments.

In growth room studies, POST applications of fenoxaprop-ethyl at 50 g ai ha−1 at the four- to five-leaf stage of development were non-toxic to barnyardgrass, large crabgrass, and yellow foxtail. POST applications of fenchlorazole-ethyl at 12.5 or 25.0 g ai ha−1 were also nontoxic to these same three species. However, when the two chemicals were applied in combination at the above rates they were toxic to all three species, indicating a synergistic interaction in all three species. In additional studies, a sensitive biotype of wild oat was severely injured by fenoxaprop-ethyl at 50 g ai ha−1 and a resistant biotype of wild oat was only slightly injured by fenoxaprop-ethyl at rates as high as 800 g ai ha−1. However, no significant interactions were observed between fenoxaprop-ethyl and fenchlorazole-ethyl in either of these wild oat biotypes.

An experiment was conducted to determine the interval needed between dithiopyr formulation (EC and G) treatments and seeding of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and creeping bentgrass. The cover of tall fescue 10 wk after seeding was not reduced when the EC formulation was applied at ≤ 0.84 kg ha−1 ≥ 2 wk before seeding. Dithiopyr G at 0.56 kg ha−1 did not reduce tall fescue cover when applied at ≥ 8 wk before seeding; whereas, 0.84 kg ha−1 required a 12-wk interval between treatment and seeding in one of two years. Perennial ryegrass cover 10 wk after seeding was not reduced with dithiopyr at 0.56 kg ha−1 applied from 2 to 12 wk before seeding. When the dithiopyr G was applied at 0.56 kg ha−1, an 8-wk interval before seeding was needed to prevent a reduction in turf cover. When rates of EC and G dithiopyr were increased to 0.84 kg ha−1 an 8-wk interval was needed for the EC and a 12-wk interval was needed for the G formulation to prevent a reduction in cover in one of two years. Creeping bentgrass cover was not reduced when dithiopyr EC was applied at 0.56 kg ha−1 ≥ 8 wk before seeding. When the EC rate was increased to 0.84 kg ha−1 a 12-wk interval was needed between treatment and seeding in one of two years. When dithiopyr G was applied within 12 wk of seeding creeping bentgrass, the cover was reduced to an unacceptable level regardless of application rate.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate and compare herbicide safeners for protection of corn and sorghum from herbicidal injury from metolachlor, primisulfuron, and the interaction of primisulfuron with terbufos, an insecticide. With the exception of CGA-133205 which killed corn, the safeners oxabetrinil, flurazole, naphthalic anhydride, dichlormid, and R-29148 protected against significant injury from the interaction between primisulfuron (40 g ai ha−1) and terbufos (9.8 kg ha−1 equivalent to 750 g per 1000 m of row) and from metolachlor (6.7 kg ai ha−1). No primisulfuron-terbufos interaction was observed in sorghum and none of the safeners protected sorghum from primisulfuron injury. PRE application of the antioxidants, piperonyl butoxide and metyrapone, increased primisulfuron injury to corn. Piperonyl butoxide by itself did not influence the growth of corn seedlings, but metyrapone caused slight injury. The increased injury from piperonyl butoxide plus primisulfuron applied at 40 g ha−1 was protected by naphthalic anhydride, flurazole, and R-29148, whereas at 80 g ha−1 protection was provided by flurazole and R-29148. None of the safeners tested protected against increased injury from metyrapone. Naphthalic anhydride was also an effective safener against increased corn injury when 3000 ppm piperonyl butoxide was applied foliarly 3 d prior to primisulfuron application. 14C-Primisulfuron absorption by corn was not influenced by piperonyl butoxide or the safener, naphthalic anhydride. However, metabolism of 14C-primisulfuron was inhibited by piperonyl butoxide. This inhibition was not totally reversed by the safener, naphthalic anhydride.

Kikuyugrass is an invasive, perennial weed of turf-grass in California. Currently, complete renovation of infested turf is the most practical means of control. A less disruptive method was needed to reduce the competitive ability of kikuyugrass while allowing the regrowth of desirable turf species. Treatment with MSMA, triclopyr, and quinclorac did not control kikuyugrass as single applications, but when applied at 4- to 5-wk intervals over a 5-mo period, kikuyugrass was reduced. Sequential applications of two-way combinations of these herbicides in 1991 resulted in reductions of kikuyugrass from 80% to less than 1% of the sward.

Herbicides were evaluated for control of field violet in strawberries in North Carolina and in Nova Scotia, Canada. DCPA at 11.0 kg ai ha−1 and terbacil at 0.5 kg ai ha−1 PRE controlled field violet 80 to 95%. Control with simazine PRE at 1.0 kg ai ha−1 was 70 to 75%. Oxyfluorfen at 0.6 to 1.1 kg ai ha−1 controlled 95 to 100% of the established field violet in dormant strawberries following a mid-winter application. Control with acifluorfen and lactofen applied during mid-winter was 75 to 90%. Oxyfluorfen applied to dormant plantings at rates in excess of 0.60 kg ai ha−1 caused foliar damage; however, yield was not reduced at rates up to 4.5 kg ha−1. Oxyfluorfen at 0.25 kg ha−1 caused severe injury to newly-transplanted strawberries.

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to characterize wild poinsettia growth response to imazaquin (140 g ai ha−1), fomesafen and acifluorfen (420 g ai ha−1), and chlorimuron (9 g ai ha−1) applied at 5 to 7 cm (POST1), 8 to 10 cm (POST2), and 15 to 20 cm (POST3). Based on reductions in weed height and lateral branch number 28 DAT, wild poinsettia was controlled more effectively in both greenhouse and field studies for all herbicides applied at POST1 than at POST3. In the greenhouse studies, reduction in wild poinsettia biomass with the herbicides 28 DAT was similar when applied at POST1 and POST2 and, with the exception of chlorimuron, was higher at POST2 than at POST3. In the field study, weed biomass reduction measured approximately 4 mo after herbicide application was higher for imazaquin, acifluorfen, and chlorimuron applied at POST2 than at POST1. Wild poinsettia biomass was reduced more with imazaquin applied at POST3 than at POST1. Increased lateral branch production, indicative of decreased weed control, was often manifested in higher seed production per plant. With application of all herbicides at POST3 seed production was equal to the untreated check.

Weed control and cotton yield with a herbicide program of sethoxydim and DPX-PE350 applied postemergence over-the-top was compared with that of a standard herbicide program of trifluralin applied PPI plus fluometuron applied PRE plus methazole and MSMA applied postemergence-directed. Control of pitted and entireleaf morningglory, smooth pigweed, and prickly sida was similar with the postemergence over-the-top program and the standard herbicide program when DPX-PE350 was applied to cotton in the V2 or V4 growth stages. Less weed control and lower yield were observed when DPX-PE350 was applied to V6-stage cotton. Good control of annual grasses was obtained with all herbicide programs.

Efficacy of herbicide programs containing clomazone PPI plus fluometuron PRE or clomazone plus pendimethalin PPI plus fluometuron PRE was compared with that of standard programs of pendimethalin PPI plus fluometuron PRE and norflurazon PPI plus norflurazon and fluometuron PRE. Cotton injury was less than 5% with all treatments when disulfoton or phorate was applied in the seed furrow. Control of fall panicum, goosegrass, large crabgrass, eclipta, entireleaf morningglory, ivyleaf morningglory, pitted morningglory, tall morningglory, prickly sida, redroot pigweed, smooth pigweed, hemp sesbania, spotted spurge, sicklepod, and velvetleaf and cotton yields with 0.8 kg ai ha−1 of clomazone plus fluometuron or 0.6 kg ha−1 of clomazone plus pendimethalin plus fluometuron equalled or exceeded that from the standard herbicide programs. POST-directed application of methazole at 0.8 kg ai ha−1 plus MSMA at 2.2 kg ae ha−1 increased sicklepod and morningglory control and cotton yield. Clomazone applied PRE at 0.6 kg ha−1 with fluometuron controlled broadleaf signalgrass, goosegrass, large crabgrass, prickly sida, and smooth pigweed equally with that of standard treatments of trifluralin or trifluralin plus norflurazon PPI and fluometuron PRE, whereas pitted morningglory control and cotton yield with clomazone plus fluometuron exceeded that with the standards.

Leafy spurge control with four herbicides was evaluated at nine sites in six Great Plains states. Sulfometuron alone did not control leafy spurge satisfactorily 12 mo after treatment (MAT). Sulfometuron plus dicamba at 105 plus 2240 g ai ha−1, when spring- or fall-applied, averaged 26 and 89% control and 31 and 86% grass injury, respectively, 12 MAT. Sulfometuron plus picloram at 105 plus 560 g ai ha−1, when spring- or fall-applied, averaged 63 and 92% control and 19 and 89% grass injury, respectively, 12 MAT.

Broadleaf weed control with DPX-PE350 at 56, 84, 110, 140, and 170 g ae ha−1 applied postemergence was evaluated. DPX-PE350 was less effective and higher rates were required when applied to three- to six-leaf weeds compared to one- to two-leaf weeds. Listed in order of increasing susceptibility are sicklepod, tall morningglory, pitted morningglory = palmleaf morningglory, and entireleaf morningglory = hemp sesbania = velvetleaf.

A 2-yr field experiment was conducted at Fayetteville and Stuttgart, AR, to predict soybean yield loss as a function of barnyardgrass density and total dry weight. Predicted soybean yield reductions were 0 to 78% for original densities of 1 to 500 barnyardgrass plants per m of row. Soybean yield reductions were linear from 0 to 150 barnyardgrass plants per m of row with an average yield reduction of 0.25% for each plant per m of row. Soybean yield was reduced 10, 25, and 50% from original barnyardgrass densities of 42, 110, and 250 plants m of row. Predictions of soybean yield reduction from barnyardgrass dry weight and original density were similar. traspecific interference of barnyardgrass occurred for all variables tested, with individual barnyardgrass plants becoming less competitive as density increased.