An isolate of the fungus Dactylaria higginsii obtained from purple nutsedge in Florida was highly pathogenic to Cyperus spp. The potential of this isolate as a bioherbicide was field tested in natural populations of purple nutsedge in Gainesville and Jay, FL. The fungus was applied in 0.5% Metamucil® as a carrier, and the treatments were: carrier only, 105 conidia/ml + carrier, and 106 conidia/ml + carrier. Treatments were applied as single, double, or triple postemergence (POST) sprays at biweekly intervals. The disease and secondary infections developed in about 5 and 15 d after inoculation, respectively, killing most of the infected leaves. All weed growth parameters and disease progress rates were affected by inoculum dosage and inoculation frequencies. Three inoculations, each at 106 conidia/ml, provided effective control of purple nutsedge compared to a single inoculation, as measured by shoot dry weight, tuber numbers, and tuber dry weight. Higher rates of disease progress and disease levels, defined by the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), occurred with three inoculations at 106 conidia/ml. Disease progress was slower and the level of weed control was lower at 105 conidia/ml compared to the higher inoculum level. Three applications of 106 conidia/ml provided >90% nutsedge control. Dactylaria higginsii appears to be an effective bioherbicide candidate deserving further development for commercial use.

Buried feral rye seeds were rapidly depleted in soil in the first year due to in situ germination. Less than 1% of the viable seeds persisted after 45 mo of burial. Although after 5 yr, a small number of seedlings still emerged, soil seedbank decline was rapid when seed production was prevented. A low level of induced dormancy was detected and may explain the small populations of feral rye that persisted. Seed and seedling population shifts were large over a 5-yr period and were related to environmental conditions. Tillage or chemical control of feral rye in the fallow period reduced populations compared to the untreated weedy check. Moldboard plowing provided the greatest feral rye control compared to shallow tillage and chemical fallow. Feral rye seedbank populations rebounded following a wet final year of the study. These results help explain feral rye persistence in a wheat–fallow agroecosystem by the persistence of a small portion of the seedbank and by large seed inputs into the system during environmentally favorable years. Feral rye reduced wheat yield as much as 92% and represented up to 73% contamination in harvested wheat.

Experiments were conducted to determine whether antagonism between atrazine and glyphosate on shattercane observed in field studies could be duplicated under greenhouse conditions on ‘Rox Orange’ forage sorghum and whether it could be overcome by the addition of ammonium sulfate, other adjuvants, or additional glyphosate. Atrazine or surfactant added to glyphosate did not significantly affect sorghum dry weights compared to glyphosate alone. The Colby equation for synergism indicated that atrazine did not antagonize sorghum control with glyphosate in the greenhouse. Glyphosate at 0.43 kg ae/ha plus ammonium sulfate provided greater control of sorghum than glyphosate at 0.43 kg/ha without ammonium sulfate; however, glyphosate at 0.84 kg/ha plus ammonium sulfate did not provide greater control of sorghum than glyphosate at 0.84 kg/ha without ammonium sulfate. Reduced activity of glyphosate at 0.43 kg/ha in the absence of ammonium sulfate was likely due to an abundance of calcium cations in the carrier water that associated with glyphosate molecules and subsequently reduced herbicide uptake by plants. Thus, antagonism observed under cool conditions in field studies was not evident in controlled-temperature greenhouse studies.

New weed management tools and growth regulators make production of ultra narrow row (UNR) cotton possible. Weed control, cotton yield, fiber quality, and net returns were compared in UNR bromoxynil-resistant, glyphosate-resistant, and nontransgenic cotton. Weeds included broadleaf signalgrass, carpetweed, common cocklebur, common lambsquarters, common ragweed, goosegrass, jimsonweed, large crabgrass, Palmer amaranth, pitted morningglory, prickly sida, sicklepod, smooth pigweed, and tall morningglory. Pendimethalin preplant incorporated (PPI) in conventional-tillage or preemergence (PRE) in no-till systems plus fluometuron PRE did not adequately control many of these weeds. Pyrithiobac plus MSMA early postemergence (POST) often was more effective than pyrithiobac alone. Pendimethalin plus fluometuron at planting followed by pyrithiobac plus MSMA early POST controlled sicklepod 82%, goosegrass 89%, Palmer amaranth 92%, and the other species at least 95% late season. Pyrithiobac at mid-POST did not improve control. Bromoxynil plus MSMA early POST was more effective than bromoxynil alone only on sicklepod. Pendimethalin plus fluometuron at planting followed by bromoxynil plus MSMA early POST controlled sicklepod 62%, Palmer amaranth 81%, goosegrass 83%, and all other species at least 95%. Glyphosate early POST did not adequately control many species due to sustained weed emergence. Glyphosate early POST followed by glyphosate late POST (after last effective bloom date) controlled all species except pitted morningglory and tall morningglory at least 93%. Pendimethalin plus fluometuron followed by glyphosate early POST was the most effective glyphosate system overall, and it controlled sicklepod 88%, pitted morningglory 90%, and other species at least 93%. Glyphosate late POST did not increase control in systems with pendimethalin plus fluometuron at planting followed by glyphosate early POST. Yields and net returns were similar with all herbicide/cultivar systems at two of five locations. At other locations, yields and net returns were similar with systems of pendimethalin plus fluometuron at planting followed by pyrithiobac plus MSMA early POST, pendimethalin plus fluometuron followed by bromoxynil plus MSMA early POST, and glyphosate early POST. Greatest yields and net returns were obtained with pendimethalin plus fluometuron at planting followed by glyphosate early POST. Herbicide systems did not affect fiber quality.

Experiments compared the effect on weed control and potato yield of banded applications of metolachlor plus linuron with or without flex-tine, rolling, and shovel cultivation prior to hilling. Cultivation without banded herbicide resulted in greater prehilling in- and between-row weed densities and reduced late-season weed control as compared to broadcast herbicides or cultivation with banded herbicides. Although the flex-tine and rolling cultivators were expected to provide improved in-row weed control, there were few differences between these and the other cultivation implements. Despite reduced weed control with cultivation alone, potato yields were not reduced.

Weeded check plots are an integral part of most weed control experiments. They provide a measure of the maximum crop yield without weed competition in a given site-year environment. The traditional way to create weeded check plots is to hoe and pull weeds by hand in the row and hoe weeds between rows. But erratic heavy rainfall can prevent timely hoeing. The objective of this experiment was to compare faster, less-laborious mechanized ways to control weeds between crop rows as alternatives to hoeing in corn and soybean. Hoeing, the traditional method for controlling weeds between crop rows, was compared with either repeated mowing using a cord-mower or a string-trimmer or shallow tilling with a rototiller between rows. Weeds growing in rows were controlled by hand-pulling and hoeing because the focus of the experiment was on speeding weed control between rows. All four methods for controlling weeds between crop rows were equally effective when measured as either corn or soybean yield, visual rating of weed control, or weed ground cover in two years under contrasting rainfall patterns. Cord-mowing or string-trimming between rows was possible when soil was dry enough to walk upon but too wet to hoe or rototill.

Producers in the semi-arid Great Plains are starting to grow corn in sequence with winter wheat and proso millet. However, volunteer proso millet (hereafter referred to as proso) is difficult to control in corn with conventional practices. This study characterized growth and interference of proso in corn to aid producers in developing control strategies. Proso seedlings began emerging May 18 with 78% of seasonal emergence occurring by June 22; initial proso emergence occurred within 2 wk of corn emergence in all years. Seed production was related to time of emergence; proso seedlings emerging in mid-May produced approximately 2,800 seeds per plant, whereas seedlings emerging 4 wk later produced 88% fewer seeds. Controlling proso in late June prevented loss of corn grain yield caused by competition. When corn was planted in early May, the height difference between corn and proso was sufficient to allow postemergence-directed applications of graminicides for proso control. Corn yield was highest when planted in early May.

Field studies were conducted to evaluate the tolerance of peanut cultivars ‘Florunner’, ‘Georgia Green’, ‘Sunoleic 95R’, ‘AgriTech GK7’, ‘NC-7’, ‘ViruGard’, and ‘Spanco’ to sulfentraone. Herbicide treatments included sulfentrazone applied as a single treatment preemergence (PRE) at 0.14, 0.21, 0.28, 0.35, or 0.42 kg ai/ha or as a PRE followed by (fb) an at cracking (AC) application (0.14 kg ai/ha PRE fb 0.14 kg ai/ha AC, 0.21 kg ai/ha PRE fb 0.14 kg ai/ha AC, 0.21 kg ai/ha PRE fb 0.21 kg ai/ha AC, 0.28 kg ai/ha PRE fb 0.07 kg ai/ha AC, or 0.28 kg ai/ha PRE fb 0.14 kg ai/ha AC). Imazapic and paraquat applied early postemergence (EPOT) were included along with a weed-free control. NC-7 exhibited higher early-season injury (ranging from 1 to 29%) than other cultivars across all sulfentrazone applications. However, this injury did not affect yield when compared with the untreated weed-free check. Overall, peanut tolerance to sulfentrazone was high across all varieties.

Field experiments were conducted in 1997 and 1998 near Columbia and Novelty, MO, and Urbana, IL, to evaluate crop injury, weed control, corn yield, and net economic returns provided by weed control programs in glyphosate-resistant corn. The herbicide programs evaluated included acetochlor preemergence (PRE) followed by (fb) glyphosate with or without atrazine postemergence (POST) and total POST programs consisting of single and sequential applications of glyphosate alone and tank-mixed with actochlor, atrazine, or both. Metolachlor PRE fb dicamba plus atrazine POST and metolachlor plus atrazine PRE were included for comparison. In the total POST treatments, mid-post (MPOST) applications provided better control than early-post (EPOST) applications on weeds that germinated throughout the growing season such as shattercane and common cocklebur, but also resulted in yield reductions of up to 23% caused by early-season weed competition. The addition of atrazine to glyphosate POST generally increased control of common cocklebur, morningglory species, and common waterhemp. EPOST or PRE fb EPOST applications generally provided higher yields than MPOST treatments, although MPOST treatments often provided equal or greater weed control at midseason. Treatments including two herbicide applications tended to provide greater weed control, yield, and profit than those with a single application. Input costs for glyphosate-resistant corn are slightly higher than nontransgenic hybrids. However, net economic returns are similar and the use of glyphosate POST allows greater flexibility in POST weed management decisions.

In field experiments, nicosulfuron at 35 g ai/ha controlled itchgrass in corn 28 d after treatment better than primisulfuron at 39 g ai/ha (80 vs. 44%). Control with both herbicides was greater when applied to six-leaf itchgrass than to 10-leaf and with the addition of nonionic surfactant than with an organosilicone surfactant and methylated seed oil blend. Weed control for nicosulfuron plus nonionic surfactant resulted in corn yield approximately 1.5 times that of primisulfuron plus nonionic surfactant and 1.6 times that of nicosulfuron plus an organosilicone surfactant and methylated seed oil blend. When primisulfuron was applied with organosilicone surfactant and methylated seed oil rather than nonionic surfactant, corn yield was reduced by 25%. For nicosulfuron with nonionic surfactant, corn yield averaged approximately twice that of the nontreated check. In other field experiments, itchgrass control 28 d after treatment with nicosulfuron was enhanced with addition of an organosilicone and nonionic surfactant blend or methylated seed oil (83 and 78%, respectively) compared with nonionic surfactant (69%). Nicosulfuron was less effective when applied with crop oil concentrate or organosilicone surfactants compared with nonionic surfactant.

A 4-yr field study was conducted to evaluate yellow nutsedge suppression in ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass. Herbicide programs included preemergence (PRE) applications of metolachlor (3.4 kg ai/ha) and postemergence (POST) applications of imazaquin (0.28 kg ai/ha) plus MSMA (2.2 kg ai/ha) or halosulfuron (0.07 kg ai/ha) plus MSMA (2.2 kg/ha). Herbicides were applied to the same plots each year. Yellow nutsedge shoot suppression and tuber numbers were determined each year. Suppression of yellow nutsedge shoots increased over the 4-yr period from <74% in 1993 to >83% by 1996 with two annual applications of imazaquin plus MSMA or halosulfuron plus MSMA. PRE metolachlor applications did not suppress shoot production in any year; nor did they enhance suppression from POST treatments. Sequential applications of halosulfuron plus MSMA and imazaquin plus MSMA increased shoot suppression by 17 to 24% at 3 mo after initial treatment (MAIT) compared to single applications. All treatments reduced tuber numbers (>60%) after 4 years compared to untreated plots.

An experiment was conducted at six locations in North Carolina to compare weed-management treatments using glufosinate postemergence (POST) in glufosinate-resistant soybean, glyphosate POST in glyphosate-resistant soybean, and imazaquin plus SAN 582 preemergence (PRE) followed by chlorimuron POST in nontransgenic soybean. Prickly sida and sicklepod were controlled similarly and 84 to 100% by glufosinate and glyphosate. Glyphosate controlled broadleaf signalgrass, fall panicum, goosegrass, rhizomatous johnsongrass, common lambsquarters, and smooth pigweed at least 90%. Control of these weeds by glyphosate often was greater than control by glufosinate. Mixing fomesafen with glufosinate increased control of these species except johnsongrass. Glufosinate often was more effective than glyphosate on entireleaf and tall morningglories. Fomesafen mixed with glyphosate increased morningglory control but reduced smooth pigweed control. Glufosinate or glyphosate applied sequentially or early postemergence (EPOST) following imazaquin plus SAN 582 PRE often were more effective than glufosinate or glyphosate applied only EPOST. Only rhizomatous johnsongrass was controlled more effectively by glufosinate or glyphosate treatments than by imazaquin plus SAN 582 PRE followed by chlorimuron POST. Yields and net returns with soil-applied herbicides only were often lower than total POST herbicide treatments. Sequential POST herbicide applications or soil-applied herbicides followed by POST herbicides were usually more effective economically than single POST herbicide applications.

Experiments were conducted in 1996 and 1997 in water-seeded and drill-seeded production systems to determine rice response to clomazone applied at rates ranging from 0.28 to 2.2 kg ai/ha on silt loam and silty clay soils. Clomazone-induced bleaching of rice seedlings was 15% or less when clomazone was applied at 0.28 or 0.56 kg/ha. Increasing the rate of clomazone increased bleaching in most experiments. Clomazone at 0.84 kg/ha or higher delayed seed head emergence in five of eight experiments. Clomazone at lower rates did not delay seed head emergence. Although clomazone at 0.28 and 0.56 kg/ha did not reduce grain yield, clomazone at 0.84 and 1.1 kg/ha reduced grain yield in one experiment while clomazone at 1.7 and 2.2 kg/ha reduced yield in two experiments. The influence of soil type and seeding method on rice's tolerance to the microencapsulated formulation of clomazone could not be demonstrated in these experiments. Clomazone was more injurious in drill-seeded production than in water-seeded production.

Leaching and runoff losses of the postemergence-applied herbicide dicamba were evaluated over a 3-yr period (1989 to 1991). Dicamba was applied at the recommended rate (0.56 kg ai/ha) to conventional and mulch tillage planted corn fields on Hagerstown silty clay loam (fine, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalf). Mulch tillage followed several years of no-tillage corn. Root zone leachates were collected utilizing pan lysimeters placed 1.2 m below the soil surface. Surface runoff was monitored and collected with an HS-flume and automated sampling equipment. Leaching was greatest during 1989, and runoff events were recorded only during this season. Leachate samples containing measurable levels of dicamba were obtained within 21 d of herbicide application or within slightly more than one soil half-life of this chemical. More dicamba leached under mulch tillage than conventional tillage management. Tillage rotation (no tillage to mulch tillage) did not alter the leaching loss potential of dicamba beneath the minimally tilled soil surface, as postulated, compared with the previous untilled surface. The mulch tillage surface reduced runoff water losses compared with conventional tillage, but early-season leaching activity, coupled with the minimal persistence of dicamba in soil, negated runoff transport of this herbicide from either tillage system when the first runoff event occurred 12 d after its application.

Sulfentrazone dissipation in soil was examined in field experiments in 1995, 1996, and 1997 at Knoxville, TN, on a Sequatchie loam soil. Sulfentrazone 50% disappearance time (DT50) varied from 24 to 113 d. Cotton injury was observed the year following sulfentrazone application when half-lives were ≥85 d. Sulfentrazone degradation under controlled laboratory conditions was slower in autoclaved soil than in nonautoclaved surface soil and subsurface soil, with DT50 of 198, 93, and 102 d, respectively. The difference due to autoclaving the soil implied that sulfentrazone degradation was influenced by both microbial and chemical mechanisms.

The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy and risk of controlling weeds at reduced herbicide rates under various environmental and biotic conditions, through analysis of published data on the use of below-labeled rates of herbicides. A database was established by extracting information from previously published papers on weed control at below-labeled rates of herbicides in crop production systems over large geographical and temporal scales. The database was then analyzed to evaluate the efficacy and risk of using herbicides at various reduced rates under different management systems. Using below-labeled herbicide rates in conjunction with interrow cultivation is an effective way of reducing herbicide input in agricultural systems while maintaining satisfactory weed control. There are greater opportunities for herbicide reduction using preemergence (PRE) than preplant incorporated (PPI) or postemergence (POST) herbicides, in coarse-textured than in fine-textured soils, and in corn than in soybean or wheat. The success of reducing herbicide rates does not depend on whether the herbicides are applied in conventional or conservation tillage systems or whether they are used with or without adjuvants. The above conclusions are based on studies conducted in experimental fields where weed pressures may be subjectively chosen to be high. Greater potential for herbicide reduction may exist at locations or in cropping systems were weed pressure is low.

Pitted morningglory control with norflurazon or fluometuron preemergence (PRE), each at 1.12 kg/ha, was 72% or less 14 d after a postemergence (POST) application of pyrithiobac in 1993 and 1994. Pyrithiobac POST at 70 g/ha following fluometuron or norflurazon PRE cultivated at any timing controlled pitted morningglory at least 76%. Pyrithiobac POST controlled common cocklebur equal to the weed-free in 1993 at 14 d after the POST application. In 1994, when rated 28 d after pyrithiobac POST, cultivation 3 d before a single application of pyrithiobac controlled less common cocklebur than any other herbicide treatment containing pyrithiobac. At 28 d after pyrithiobac POST, no treatment controlled common cocklebur as well as the weed-free. In 1993 and 1994, seed cotton yield was equal to the weed-free when pyrithiobac followed fluometuron PRE cultivated at any timing or a single application of pyrithiobac cultivated prior to 7 d after POST application.

The impact of Palmer amaranth on mechanical harvesting, ginning, and fiber quality in dryland cotton was documented. Only the highest Palmer amaranth density (3,260 weeds/ha) reduced lint and seed yields. However, all weed densities increased harvesting time 2- to 3.5-fold. Two factors increased the time required for stripper harvesting: slower ground speeds due to large weeds and work stoppages that required hand removal of weed stems lodged in the harvester. Ninety-eight percent of the weedy plant material was discarded in the field by the harvester, and the remaining 2% was successfully removed in ginning and lint-cleaning processes. Weed infestations did not result in any differences in moisture content of seed cotton, ginning time, fiber quality, or the percentage of cleaned lint.

Three commercial formulations of glyphosate were spiked with 14C-glyphosate and applied via a spray nozzle to velvetleaf plants. The use of 14C-glyphosate as a marker caused minimal alteration to formulation properties, and the use of spray application simulated field practices. Formulation retention, calculated based on maximum plant-leaf area, showed that only 27 to 33% of the available area retained the spray. The small differences in retention among the formulations suggest that they contribute little to differences in efficacy. Following spray application, plants were harvested at various times to measure the levels of glyphosate uptake into the plant and translocation into roots. Significant differences were observed among the formulations in the rate of glyphosate uptake. The most efficient formulation absorbed about one third of the dose by 24 hr after treatment. Root translocation of glyphosate was approximately proportional to uptake and accounted for less than one third of the absorbed dose. The relationship between uptake and rainfastness was examined in greenhouse studies with simulated rainfall at various times after glyphosate application. A direct correlation was observed between rainfastness with the speed and quantity of glyphosate uptake.

Field experiments were conducted in 1997 and 1998 near Rossville in northeast Kansas to evaluate control of imazethapyr-resistant common sunflower with selected herbicides in corn and soybean. In soybean, common sunflower control was unacceptable with imazethapyr, chlorimuron, CGA-277476, and cloransulam applied alone. Lactofen or acifluorfen applied with these herbicides slightly improved control, whereas glyphosate applied with them controlled more than 97% of common sunflower. All herbicides reduced common sunflower populations in the corn. The greatest reductions occurred when atrazine was applied with dicamba, 2,4-D, RPA 201772, or CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron. These herbicide combinations also stunted common sunflower that survived treatment. Several herbicide alternatives are available to control imazethapyr-resistant common sunflower in corn. However, glyphosate was the only herbicide that gave adequate control in soybean.