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.

Foliar absorption of 14-chlorimuron at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after application to common cocklebur was reduced when applied in combination with acifluorfen. A maximum reduction of 10% was observed at 48 h. 14C translocation to meristematic tissue above the treated leaves also was reduced by acifluorfen in common cocklebur at 24 and 48 h after treatment. Absorption and translocation of 14C-chlorimuron in sicklepod was not affected by acifluorfen. Thin layer chromatographic analysis of treated leaf extracts showed two metabolites in common cocklebur (Rf values of 0.0 and 0.42) and four metabolites in sicklepod (Rf values of 0.0, 0.16, 0.33, and 0.50). All metabolites were more polar than the parent compound (Rf value of 0.64). Addition of acifluorfen did not affect chlorimuron metabolism in common cocklebur but reduced metabolism in sicklepod. Absorption, translocation, and metabolism of acifluorfen in common cocklebur or sicklepod were not affected by the addition of chlorimuron.

Experiments were conducted in 1985 and 1986 to determine and compare the efficacy, phytotoxicity, and soil persistence of imazquin, imazethapyr, and clomazone in no-till double-crop soybeans. All herbicides controlled 93% or greater jimsonweed, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail. Imazaquin and imazethapyr controlled more common cocklebur and ivyleaf morningglory than clomazone. Soybeans were injured from imazaquin and imazethapyr applications in 1986 but yields were not reduced. First-order kinetics described the dissipation of each herbicide. Imazaquin and imazethapyr were more persistent in the soil than clomazone. Averaged over both years, half-lives of 10, 43, and 60 days were calculated for clomazone, imazaquin, and imazethapyr, respectively. Clomazone was not detected 10 to 20 cm in the soil profile. More imazethapyr was detected 10 to 20 cm in the soil profile than imazaquin in 1985. Slight corn injury (≤10%) was observed in 1987 following previous year applications of imazaquin to no-till double-crop soybeans but corn yields were not reduced.

Field experiments were established to observe the effects of adjuvants and time of application on weed control and ‘Terra-Vig 515’ soybean tolerance with POST applications of AC 263,222. A nonionic surfactant or a crop oil concentrate increased sicklepod control with AC 263,222 applied at either V2 or V6 soybean growth stages. Sicklepod control increased as AC 263,222 was increased from 35 to 70 g ai ha–1 only when applied without an adjuvant. Late in the season, there was no difference in sicklepod control between V2 and V6 applications. Adjuvants and application timing within herbicide treatments had no effect on pitted morningglory control, and, though adjuvants increased common cocklebur control, all treatments controlled more than 85% of both species. AC 263,222 with adjuvants at all rates and timings injured and stunted soybean more 2 wk after treatment compared to AC 263,222 alone. AC 263,222 at 35 or 70 g ha–1 with crop oil concentrate reduced yields more than AC 263,222, with either a surfactant or no adjuvant when applied to V2 soybeans.

In 1987 and 1988, effects of full-season interference of individual weeds on cotton yield were measured with area of influence procedures. In 1987, one spurred anoda, common cocklebur, large crabgrass, jimsonweed, common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, common ragweed, or prickly sida plant per 3 m of row reduced cotton yield between 1% and 7%. Sicklepod did not cause a detectable yield loss. Redroot pigweed, common cocklebur and common ragweed caused 7%, 6% and 5% yield loss, respectively, in 1987. In row weed influence varied from 17 cm (large crabgrass interference) to 86 cm (common cocklebur interference). In 1988, yield losses by individual weeds ranged from 3% to 27%. Common cocklebur, jimsonweed, and common ragweed reduced cotton yields 28%, 15% and 12%, respectively. Spurred anoda and common cocklebur influenced 160 cm and 136 cm of cotton row, respectively. Sicklepod influenced only 47 cm of cotton row.

Clomazone was evaluated preplant incorporated (PPI) or post-transplant (PT) for weed control in sweet potatoes. No crop injury by clomazone was detected. Clomazone controlled (≥90%). broadleaf signalgrass, large crabgrass, barnyardgrass, and prickly sida at all rates and methods of application (MOA). Common cocklebur was controlled (≥93%) by clomazone at 1.1 kg ai ha-1 applied PT or at 3.4 kg ai ha-1 PPI in 1988 and at all rates and MOA in 1989. Clomazone did not control carpetweed.

Glasshouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of preemergence applications of metribuzin, pendimethalin, alachlor, and imazaquin on the competitive relationship between soybean and sicklepod, tall morningglory, or common cocklebur. An equal-ratio series design was employed where the proportion of species in a mixture remained constant and total plant density was varied. The ratio of soybean:sicklepod fresh weights was altered by alachlor and imazaquin while the ratio of soybean:tall morningglory fresh weights was altered only by imazaquin. The ratio of soybean:common cocklebur fresh weights was altered by metribuzin and imazaquin. Increasing herbicide rates resulted in higher soybean:weed fresh weight ratios and higher herbicide response coefficients.

Experiments were conducted in 1985 to 1987 to evaluate the effects of conventional and no-tillage systems on the weed control provided by clomazone applied preemergence in soybeans. The persistence of clomazone in soil of the two tillage systems was also determined. Increasing the clomazone rate from 0.8 to 1.4 kg/ha did not increase weed control. Clomazone controlled 80% or more of jimsonweed, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail. Common cocklebur control ranged from about 50 to 70% in no-till and from 80 to 90% in conventional tillage. Generally, soybean pods/plant and yields were lower from clomazone treatments than from handweeded treatments due to inadequate common cocklebur control. Over 40% of the clomazone applied did not reach the soil surface; it was either intercepted by wheat straw, volatilized, or both. Clomazone persisted longer in conventional tillage than in no-tillage in. However, in 1986, clomazone was equally persistent in the two tillage systems. The half-life of clomazone was 34 and 6 days in 1985 in conventional and no-tillage, respectively, and in 1986, 18 and 16 days in conventional and no-tillage, respectively. Significant clomazone concentrations were not found below 10 cm in the soil profile. Corn planted without tillage (no-till) approximately 1 yr after clomazone application was not injured and yields were not reduced due to prior clomazone use.

Field studies evaluated response of soybean to Rhizoctonia foliar blight (RFB) disease in combination with varying densities of common cocklebur, hemp sesbania, or johnsongrass. Soybean plants at both V10 and R1 growth stages were not inoculated or inoculated with suspensions containing equal concentrations of Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA and IB mycelia. Intensity of RFB was rated weekly beginning at V1 soybean growth stage, and data were used to determine area under disease progress curves. Intensity of RFB was greater in 1993 than in 1994. When averaged across weed species and weed densities, soybean yield in 1993 was reduced 18% in plots inoculated with R. solani compared with those not inoculated. Intensity of RFB, however, did not differ between inoculated and noninoculated plots in 1994. Interactions between R. solani and weed density for RFB intensity and yield were not significant either year. Soybean yields in 1994, however, were reduced by hemp sesbania and johnsongrass in inoculated plots. Soybean maturity was delayed both years when hemp sesbania was present.

Tolerance of species to foliar applications of the ethyl ester of chlorimuron as determined in greenhouse studies with 21-day-old seedlings was: soybean = peanut > prickly sida > sicklepod > Florida beggarweed > common cocklebur. Absorption of foliar-applied 14C-chlorimuron 72 h after application was similar in soybean, peanut, sicklepod, common cocklebur, and prickly sida, but much less in Florida beggarweed. Slight symplasmic and apoplasmic translocation of the herbicide was evident in all species. Metabolism of chlorimuron 72 h after application was greatest in soybean and least in common cocklebur. Species tolerance to chlorimuron was directly correlated (r2 = 0.93) to the amount of unmetabolized chlorimuron (dpm/g dry wt) in the plant. Peanut exhibited increased tolerance to chlorimuron with age; this result was attributed to reduced absorption and translocation and more extensive metabolism of the absorbed herbicide by older plants.

A random mail survey of Ohio growers was conducted to determine the geographic distribution of weeds across Ohio and the influence of production practices on the severity of agronomic weed problems. Statewide, the ten most severe weed problems, in descending order, were Canada thistle > foxtail spp. > velvetleaf = common ragweed > common cocklebur > giant ragweed = annual morningglory spp. > quackgrass = common lambsquarters = Pennsylvania smartweed. Distribution of most weeds varied geographically. Infestations of common and honeyvine milkweeds, hemp dogbane, and tree seedlings increased as tillage was reduced. Infestations of common cocklebur and common ragweed decreased as tillage was reduced. As crop rotation became more diverse, infestations of velvetleaf, common cocklebur, giant ragweed, Pennsylvania smartweed, and jimsonweed decreased. Where rotations included forage or hay crops, infestations of large crabgrass, common chickweed, wild carrot, and common dandelion increased.

Eight field studies were conducted in soybeans at seven locations in Kansas over a 3-yr period to examine the efficacy of using reduced rates of the herbicides acifluorfen, bentazon, chlorimuron, and tank mixes of acifluorfen and bentazon. POST applications of these herbicides at 1/2X rates at 2 wk after planting (WAP) resulted in broadleaf weed control similar to that obtained from standard treatments of 1X rates applied at 4 WAP at six of seven studies with acifluorfen, bentazon, and acifluorfen plus bentazon and at five of seven studies with chlorimuron. One-quarter rates applied 2 WAP were equivalent to standard treatments for broadleaf weed control in four of seven studies with acifluorfen and chlorimuron, five of seven studies with bentazon, and six of seven studies with acifluorfen plus bentazon. One cultivation at 4 WAP, increased the broadleaf weed control with all herbicide treatments.

Field experiment were conducted to determine interactions of chlorimuron or imazaquin with fomesafen, lactofen, or acifluorfen on three-leaf and eight-leaf common cocklebur, hemp sesbania, pitted morningglory, and prickly sida. Antagonism was the most common interaction with common cocklebur, and was most severe with chlorimuron combined with fomesafen or acifluorfen, whereas lactofen did not antagonize common cocklebur control. Reductions in control were greater when low rates of chlorimuron were used. On three-leaf prickly sida, control synergistically increased when imazaquin was combined with fomesafen or acifluorfen, but the majority of these combinations were additive on eight-leaf prickly sida. Three-leaf pitted morningglory control synergistically increased when 36 g ai ha–1 imazaquin was combined with 210 g ai ha–1 fomesafen or 110 or 220 g ai ha–1 lactofen. With eight-leaf pitted morningglory, synergism occurred when 2 g ai ha–1 chlorimuron was combined with the high rate of any diphenylether herbicide tested, and when 36 g ha–1 imazaquin was combined with 110 g ha–1 lactofen or 210 g ai ha–1 acifluorfen; however, at higher rates of chlorimuron or imazaquin, several antagonistic interactions occurred. Hemp sesbania was controlled over 90% by all combinations, and no interactions occurred.

Biotypes of common cocklebur were identified, which were assumed to differ only with respect to sensitivity to MSMA. Water use of these biotypes when grown as isolated plants in a growth chamber was determined with stem flow gauges. The MSMA-tolerant biotype exhibited less whole-plant sap flow at media moisture levels above 17%. Furthermore, only in the tolerant biotype did sap flow differ between the upper and lower canopy; the upper canopy had greater sap flow. Field experiments were conducted to compare growth parameters, water use and competitive ability toward cotton of the MSMA-sensitive and -tolerant biotypes. Sensitive biotype plants were taller and had greater leaf area than those of the tolerant biotype; dry weight was equivalent. The tolerant biotype used less water and reduced seed cotton yield more than the sensitive biotype.

An area of influence method with biweekly destructive harvests 5 through 19 wk after planting (WAP) was used to monitor the reciprocal interference of common cocklebur and cotton in 1987 and 1988. Plant heights, leaf area, and leaf, stem, boll, fiber, and total plant biomass dry weights were measured in 15-cm increments away from common cocklebur or from a randomly selected cotton plant out to 105 cm. Data indicated that cotton less than 60 cm from common cocklebur was shorter, had less leaf area and lower leaf, stem, boll, and biomass dry weights than cotton beyond 60 cm from common cocklebur or cotton grown without common cocklebur interference. Differences in leaf area and biomass between cotton grown with and without common cocklebur interference were greater at and beyond 13 WAP sample dates than before 13 WAP. By 15 WAP, cotton leaf area and biomass were reduced an estimated 11% and 15%, respectively, averaged over the entire 105 cm of row. Cotton yield, harvested 27 WAP, was reduced an estimated 31% on plants grown with one common cocklebur plant per 2.1 m. Cotton yield was reduced on plants out to 99 cm from common cocklebur. Common cocklebur and cotton plants grown alone were taller, had greater leaf area, and greater leaf, stem, and biomass dry weight than those respective plants grown adjacent to cotton. Common cocklebur grown alone produced 67% more biomass than did cotton grown alone. Cotton plants grown adjacent to other cotton plants produced 89% and 96% less boll and fiber weight, respectively, than plants grown alone.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the interactions of tillage systems with imazaquin and imazethapyr on weed control and soybean injury and yield. Control of jimsonweed, common cocklebur, ivyleaf morningglory, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail from imazaquin and imazethapyr in conventional tillage was generally equal to or greater than control in no-tillage. However, under limited rainfall, weed control in no-tillage was generally equal to or greater than control in conventional tillage. Reductions in soybean heights due to herbicide treatment were evident in both tillage systems in 1985 and 1986 but not in. Soybean yields were reduced in 1985 from imazaquin at 140, 210, and 250 g/ha and imazethapyr at 105 and 140 g/ha. Yields were not reduced in 1986 and. Imazaquin and imazethapyr appear to provide adequate control of jimsonweed, common cocklebur, ivyleaf morningglory, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail in conventional and no-till systems.

Soybean seed yield losses due to interference from common cocklebur, velvetleaf, and jimsonweed, with and without a PPI application of 0.42 kg ai ha-1 metribuzin, were determined in 1986, 1987, and 1988. Damage functions were calculated based on weed density, weed leaf density, and relative weed leaf area index, respectively. Functions relating crop yield losses to weed density varied significantly among treatments and years for each species. Weeds which escaped soil-applied metribuzin were shorter with fewer leaves at 3 wk after planting, and caused lower crop yield losses than control plants at equal densities. Yield loss estimates based upon relative weed leaf area at 3 wk after planting showed least variation between years and treatments.