Fall-planted cover crops are becoming popular among growers in the Midwest for various reasons, including their ability to suppress weeds. Cereal rye is the cover crop most often planted in Nebraska. Glyphosate availability was limited in 2022, so growers sought information about glyphosate alternatives for terminating cover crops such as cereal rye. The objectives of this study were to evaluate glyphosate alternative acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting herbicides for terminating cereal rye 15 d before soybean planting (DBSP), at soybean planting day (SPD), and 15 d after soybean planting (DASP) and their effect on weed control, density, biomass, soybean plant stand, and soybean grain yield. Field experiments were conducted from 2018 to 2020 at South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center, Nebraska. Cereal rye biomass collected 15 d after termination was 394, 1,697, and 3,700 kg ha−1 in 2019 and 330, 1,304, and 4,550 kg ha−1 in 2020, respectively, at the 15 DBSP at SPD and 15 DASP termination timings. Clethodim provided 77% control of cereal rye 15 DBSP compared with greater than 94% control with applications of fluazifop-P-butyl, fluazifop-P-butyl/fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-ethyl, and glyphosate. Similarly, at the SPD and 15 DASP termination timings, 66% and 31% control of cereal rye, respectively, were recorded after clethodim was used compared with greater than 92% control after other ACCase-inhibitors and glyphosate were used. Palmer amaranth control at the R5 soybean growth stage was 70%, 88%, and 96%, respectively, at 15 DBSP, SPD, and 15 DASP. Soybean yield was reduced to 2,184 kg ha−1 when cereal rye was terminated at 15 DASP compared with 4,566 kg ha−1 when it was terminated at SPD, and 4,460 kg ha−1 at 15 DBSP.

Amid widespread occurrence of herbicide-resistant weeds in the United States, the use of PRE herbicides and cover crops have resurged once again as important strategies for weed management in cropping systems. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the length of soil residual weed control from PRE soybean herbicides and the detrimental impact of these herbicides on cover crop species using field treated soil in greenhouse bioassays. Greenhouse bioassays were conducted using soil from field experiments conducted in 2018 and 2019 in Arlington and Lancaster, WI. PRE herbicides consisted of imazethapyr, chlorimuron-ethyl, and cloransulam-methyl (acetolactate synthase [ALS] inhibitors); metribuzin (photosystem II [PS II] inhibitor); sulfentrazone, flumioxazin, and saflufenacil (protoporphyrinogen oxidase [PPO] inhibitors); acetochlor, S-metolachlor, dimethenamid-P, and pyroxasulfone (very long-chain fatty acid [VLCFA] inhibitors); and a nontreated control. Greenhouse bioassays were conducted using soil (depth, 0 to 10 cm) sampled at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 d after treatment (DAT). Palmer amaranth and giant foxtail (weeds), and radish and cereal rye (cover crops) were used as bioindicators of herbicide levels in the soil. Bioassay results showed extended soil residual control of Palmer amaranth with sulfentrazone and pyroxasulfone; extended residual control of giant foxtail was observed with pyroxasulfone and S-metolachlor. Chlorimuron-ethyl and metribuzin were the most injurious herbicides to radish and cereal rye shortly after application, respectively, but minimal injury was observed from soil samples collected 50 DAT, indicating the use of PRE and fall-seeded cover crops in southern Wisconsin can be compatible. These results can support growers and practitioners with selection of effective PRE herbicides for Palmer amaranth and giant foxtail control and reduced impact on fall-seeded radish and cereal rye cover crops, altogether leading to more effective, diverse, and sustainable weed management programs.

In 1985, when weed densities were low (169 plants/m2 in untreated control), imazaquin applied at 0.07 kg ai/ha early preplant controlled over 90% of all weeds before no-till planting of soybeans. In 1986 and 1987 when weed densities were higher (589 plants/m2 in untreated control), addition of 1.1 kg ai/ha or more of metolachlor to imazaquin (0.07 kg/ha) before soybean planting controlled 95% or more of the grass weeds and 83% or more of the broadleaf weeds. Imazaquin plus metolachlor applied less than 1 day after soybean planting controlled less than 70% of the emerged weeds in 1986 and 1987; common lambsquarters was most tolerant. Early preplant treatments controlled more weeds throughout the growing season than treatments applied after planting. Splitting herbicide treatments among application times generally did not increase weed control compared to single applications. Early preplant applications resulted in higher soybean densities and taller soybeans 30 days after planting in 1986 and 1987 than treatments applied after planting. Soybean yields increased as weed control increased. Weed control and soybean yields were greater with early preplant treatments than paraquat plus alachlor plus metribuzin applied preemergence in 1986 and 1987. No carryover of imazaquin residue was detected through corn bioassay in the field.

A new phytotoxin, pyridazocidin, was produced in shake-flask cultures of a Streptomyces sp. soil isolate. A combination of solvent partitioning, size-exclusion chromatography, and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to isolate the material. The structure was assigned based on mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Greenhouse evaluations indicated rapid necrosis and chlorosis of treated weeds, particularly of giant foxtail. Isolated chloroplasts consumed oxygen in the presence of pyridazocidin over a concentration range also inhibiting plant growth. Pyridazocidin represents the first reported natural product that appears to act via reversible oxidation/reduction linked to photosynthetic electron transport.

The objective of this study was to evaluate growth and seed production of giant foxtail under different N sources (NO3 and NH4) and N fertilizer application rates. Nitrate and NH4 fertilizers plus nitrification inhibitor were applied at 56, 112, and 225 kg N ha−1 under field conditions, and in the greenhouse four N rates (1, 5, 10, and 25 mM N) were applied in three NO3: NH4 ratios (100 : 0, 50 : 50, 0 : 100). Growth of giant foxtail was affected by N rates under both greenhouse and field conditions. In 1993, abundant rainfall in May and June allowed a rapid and earlier uptake of N by giant foxtail, resulting in larger plants with greater N accumulation and higher numbers of heads and seeds than in 1994. Total dry weight increased with increasing N rates; however, seed production reached a maximum at approximately 150 kg N ha−1. Nitrogen translocation efficiency decreased with increasing N rates. Giant foxtail did not show any preference to N form; however, seed production was reduced when the high N rate was applied as NH4 compared to NO3. These results suggest that NH4 fertilizer applications with a long-term nitrification inhibitor could reduce the seed production of giant foxtail and its contribution to the soil seedbank for subsequent growing seasons.

Field studies were conducted in 1998 and 1999 to evaluate the sensitivity of a common sunflower population to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides and evaluate alternative control methods for ALS-resistant common sunflower in soybean. Imazaquin, imazethapyr, imazamox, flumetsulam, chlorimuron, cloransulam, and CGA277476 provided 35 to 73% control of common sunflower with labeled rates. Postemergence glyphosate and sequential applications of bentazon effectively controlled ALS-resistant common sunflower. Although pendimethalin + imazaquin + imazethapyr preemergence followed by glyphosate postemergence with and without cultivation provided 100% control of ALS-resistant common sunflower, sequential applications of glyphosate provided net incomes approximately $50 to $110/ha higher than the alternative control methods. Pendimethalin preemergence followed by acifluorfen + bentazon postemergence followed by bentazon 10 d later provided the lowest overall weed control and net income. In treatments with a soil-applied herbicide followed by glyphosate postemergence, cultivation generally did not improve weed control. Soybean yields were the same comparing glyphosate with a soil-applied herbicide followed by glyphosate.