Postemergence (POST) herbicides that control troublesome weeds during hybrid bermudagrass establishment via sprigs are limited due to potential turfgrass phytotoxicity and herbicide-resistant weeds. Research experiments were conducted in Blacksburg, VA, and Hope, AR, in 2016 and 2023 to evaluate herbicide programs to control goosegrass and smooth crabgrass and the response of hybrid bermudagrass sprigs to POST herbicides applied 3 to 5 wk after establishment (WAE). Another study was conducted to assess the tolerance of ‘Latitude 36’, ‘Tahoma 31’, and ‘TifTuf’ hybrid bermudagrass sprigs to POST herbicides applied 4 to 5 WAE. Thiencarbazone + foramsulfuron + halosulfuron did not injure hybrid bermudagrass > 6% across four cultivars and a total of 10 site-yr but reduced goosegrass and smooth crabgrass cover equivalent to the best-performing treatments. Topramezone + metribuzin injured turfgrass > 25% at 14 d after treatment (DAT), but tank mixing with thiencarbazone + foramsulfuron + halosulfuron reduced injury by 5% to 22%. Quinclorac injured hybrid bermudagrass 17% to 58%, depending on site, which was more than most other treatments. Mesotrione-, quinclorac-, or topramezone-based programs injured hybrid bermudagrass and also reduced turfgrass cover, the dark green color index, and the normalized difference vegetation index, but turfgrass recovered by 28 DAT. Results suggest that turfgrass managers have a variety of herbicides that can control smooth crabgrass and goosegrass during hybrid bermudagrass sprig establishment, but the margin of selectivity is relatively low for mesotrione, quinclorac, and topramezone and may be dependent on herbicide rate or hybrid bermudagrass cultivar.

Data from surveys are used to help quantitatively diagnose the relative importance of chemical and nonchemical management practices, identify weed problems, and provide potential solutions. However, to our knowledge, such surveys have not been conducted in Argentina. In 2016, advisors and crop producers from cropping areas across Argentina were surveyed through email with the objectives to identify the main weed species problems and assess the use of chemical and nonchemical weed management practices in different crop production areas in Argentina. Fleabane, pigweed, johnsongrass, fingergrass, goosegrass, barnyardgrass, and ryegrass were considered the most important weeds. More than 53% of the producers used only chemical options; 86% used chemical fallow (i.e., keeping weed free with chemical application); 62% used full herbicide rates; 46% used proper herbicide timing; 41% used multiple modes of action; and 32% used rotation of herbicide modes of action. The main nonchemical practices used were crop rotation (45%); avoiding seed production during (31%) and after (25%) the crop cycle; narrow row spacing (19%); and cultivars with greater competitive ability (18%). Less than 15% of the people surveyed used increased crop densities or altered date of sowing. There is a high dependence on chemical control in the main crops grown in Argentina. Extension efforts are needed to emphasize the importance of integrated weed management.