Common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. #3 CYNDA] and johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. # SORHA] ecotypes were collected from seven locations in Texas. Ecotype responses to glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine], SC-0224 (trimethylsulfonium carboxymethylaminomethylphosphonate), sethoxydim {2-[l-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one}, fluazifop {(+)-2-[4-[[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl] oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid}, haloxyfop {2-[4-[[3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl] oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid}, and quizalofop {(+)-2-[4-[(6-chloro-2-quinoxalinyl)oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid} were evaluated in 1982, 1983, and 1984. Johnsongrass ecotype-by-herbicide interactions and ecotype differences were detected in only one of three years. Differences were observed consistently among the herbicide treatments. Numerous bermudagrass ecotype-by-herbicide interactions were detected each year with greater diversity occurring with less-than-optimum herbicide rates. The interactions were herbicide-by-ecotype specific and were not predictable with respect to geographic site of collection.

Field experiments were established to evaluate the effect of herbicide treatments on control of tall fescue before spring or fall no-till alfalfa planting and to determine the effect of fescue control on alfalfa seedling establishment, forage yield, and forage quality. No treatment provided significantly greater tall fescue control than the standard two applications of paraquat at 13- to 21-day intervals. Fescue control values with this treatment ranged from 86 to 99% over experiments and were associated with maximum values for alfalfa ground-cover and alfalfa yield percentage parameters, 52 to 83% and 64 to 96%, respectively. Glyphosate and SC-0224 at 2.2 kg/ha and greater generally gave tall fescue control equivalent to the paraquat treatment in both spring and fall seedings as did sethoxydim at 0.6 kg/ha in spring seedings. Applications of fluazifop or HOE-0661 did not result in satisfactory tall fescue control or alfalfa establishment. Adding nonionic surfactant to glyphosate or SC-0224 did not increase tall fescue control. There was a direct linear relationship between tall fescue control and both alfalfa seedling establishment and yield percentage.

Field experiments were established in 1991 and 1992 on silty clay and sandy loam soils to evaluate combinations of non-selective and selective herbicides for stale seedbed soybean weed control. Metribuzin PRE controlled sicklepod and pitted morningglory more consistently than other treatments. At 9 wk after planting, antagonism occurred in most cases on sicklepod control when metribuzin was tank-mixed with a non-selective herbicide. Other selective herbicides required addition of a non-selective herbicide at planting to effectively control sicklepod and pitted morningglory. Sicklepod and pitted morningglory control was better with POST selective herbicides when following glufosinate or paraquat than when following glyphosate or SC-0224. In most instances a follow-up POST treatment was needed to maintain weed control from non-selective herbicides applied PRE. Metribuzin and metribuzin plus chlorimuron increased soybean yields when tank-mixed with paraquat compared with yields obtained with paraquat alone.

Field experiments were conducted to compare the timing of non-selective herbicide application on common lambsquarters under reduced tillage culture after wheat harvest. Common lambsquarters was controlled more effectively with herbicides applied to plants that were allowed to recover from removal of topgrowth during wheat harvest. When herbicides were applied immediately after wheat harvest, only glufosinate (HOE-39866) at the low and medium rates provided greater than 70% control.

The effects of rainfall on the efficacy of 11 foliar-applied herbicides were evaluated for their control of seedling johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. # SORHA] in greenhouse experiments during 1984 and 1985 at Stoneville, MS. Time intervals between herbicide application and rainfall (at 1.27 cm in 10 ± 0.5 min) ranged from 5 to 60 and 30 to 240 min depending on herbicide classification. In general, the phosphonic acid herbicides glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] and SC-0224 (trimethylsulfonium carboxymethylaminomethylphosphonate) at 0.99 kg ai/ha required rain-free periods ≥240 min to control seedling johnsongrass effectively. The selective postemergence grass herbicides generally required ≥60 min to control seedling johnsongrass effectively when control without rainfall was ≥85%. Among the selective herbicides tested, haloxyfop {2-[4-[[3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid} and DPX-Y6202 {ethyl[2-[4-(6-chloro-2-quinoxalinyl)oxy] phenoxy] propionic acid} at 0.06 kg ae/ha required the shortest time between herbicide application and rainfall to be effective. As herbicide rates were reduced, the effects of rainfall increased.

A rainfall simulator was used to evaluate the effects of washoff on 10 foliar-applied herbicides on johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. # SORHA] in greenhouse experiments during 1983 and 1984 at Stoneville, MS. Time intervals between herbicide application and rainfall ranged from 20 to 240 min. Johnsongrass topgrowth control was equivalent to rain-free treatments using DPX-Y6202 {ethyl [2-[4-(6-chloro-2-quinozalinyl)oxy] phenoxy] propionate} at 0.03 and 0.06 kg/ha at time periods of 90 and 40 min between herbicide application and rainfall, respectively, at 28 days after treatment (DAT). A period of 120 min was required for johnsongrass control equivalent to rain-free treatments using sethoxydim {2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one} at 0.06 kg/ha, haloxyfop {2-[4-[[3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid} at 0.03 and 0.06 kg/ha, and cloproxydim {(E,E-2-[1-[[(3-chloro-2-propenyl)oxy] imino] butyl]-5-[2-ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one} at 28 DAT. Neither glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] and SC-0224 (trimethylsulfoniumcarboxy methylaminomethylphosphonate) at 0.45 and 0.99 kg/ha nor other selective herbicides at 0.03 and 0.06 kg/ha gave equivalent johnsongrass topgrowth control to rain-free treatments when rainfall occurred within 240 and 120 min, respectively.

Field studies were conducted to compare preplant-postemergence-applied paraquat, glyphosate, SC-0224, and HOE-39866 on subterranean clover, crimson clover, and hairy vetch cover crops. Subterranean clover control with paraquat at 1.1 kg ai/ha was about 80 and 100% when applied in early April and early May, respectively, regardless of spray volume (190 vs. 370 L/ha). Glyphosate and SC-0224 at 1.7 and 2.8 kg ai/ha applied in April controlled about 53% of subterranean clover. Subterranean clover control with HOE-39866 at 0.8 kg ai/ha applied in April was excellent. Paraquat at 0.6 kg ai/ha and HOE-39866 at 0.8 kg/ha regardless of application time controlled both crimson clover and hairy vetch. Grain sorghum and soybean yields following the legume cover crops generally were similar for the herbicide treatments.

Grower response from a mail survey indicated that musk thistle is a common and spreading problem in Tennessee nurseries. Poor herbicide selection and timing were reasons for the lack of control in most nurseries. At 31 wk after treatment preemergence herbicides or herbicide mixtures that gave 80% or greater musk thistle control in evaluation studies were atrazine, simazine, simazine + metolachlor (1.1 + 4.4 kg ai ha-1), oryzalin + isoxaben, or dithiopyr. Oryzalin, metolachlor, napropamide, or simazine + metolachlor (0.5 + 2.2 kg ha-1) gave 65, 35, 0 and 78% control of musk thistle, respectively. Glyphosate or SC-0224 at 1.7 and 2.2 kg ha-1 gave 89% or greater control of emerged musk thistle. Lactofen or HOE-39866 at 0.8 kg ha-1 gave less than 66% control of emerged musk thistle at 8 wk after treatment.

Barnyardgrass and morningglory control POST with glufosinate at 840 g a.i./ha 28 d after treatment was 79 to 85% and 83 to 90%, respectively, when no more than 35 d elapsed between initial spring soil tillage and herbicide application. For the same rate of glufosinate, prickly sida and hemp sesbania were controlled 68 and 92%, respectively. Comparable barnyardgrass control was obtained with glufosinate at 560 and 840 g/ha, which was greater than at 420 g/ha. Hemp sesbania control was similar for all rates of glufosinate. In comparison, paraquat at 1050 g a.i./ha controlled 40 to 65% barnyardgrass, 44 to 75% morningglory, 41% prickly sida, and 92% hemp sesbania. With 840 g a.i./ha glyphosate and SC-0224, barnyardgrass, morningglory, prickly sida, and hemp sesbania were controlled 55 to 89%, 55 to 81%, 45 to 61%, and 56 to 68%, respectively. Soybean yield was 5.8, 7.6, 6.0, and 5.9 times greater than the nontreated check for 1050 g/ha paraquat and 840 g/ha glufosinate, glyphosate, and SC-0224, respectively.