Field trials were conducted during 1998 and 1999 to evaluate the effects of sequential herbicide treatment, herbicide application timing, and mowing on mugwort control. In the first field trial dicamba, triclopyr, clopyralid, picloram, metsulfuron, glufosinate, glyphosate, and the dimethylamine salt and the isooctyl ester of 2,4-D were applied to mugwort at 7-wk intervals to evaluate mugwort control after one, two, and three herbicide applications. When applied in three sequential applications, all herbicides except triclopyr, metsulfuron, and glufosinate provided at least 70% mugwort control 1 yr after treatment (YAT). At least 70% mugwort control was also achieved with just two sequential applications of dicamba, and only one application of picloram or clopyralid provided 100 and 84% mugwort control 1 YAT, respectively. In the second field trial the influence of application timing was investigated by applying herbicides to mugwort in the vegetative and the flowering stages of growth. Additionally, the effect of sequential mowing was evaluated by applying herbicides to mugwort regrowth after either one or two mowings. Generally, there was no difference in the level of mugwort control achieved with applications of these herbicides to mugwort in the flowering vs. the vegetative stage of growth. However, when averaged over all the herbicides included in these trials, two sequential mowings conducted before herbicide application enhanced the control of mugwort compared with either unmowed mugwort or mugwort that had been mowed once before herbicide application. Additionally, with the exception of picloram and glyphosate, all the herbicides evaluated in these trials provided higher mugwort control when applied to unmowed mugwort compared with mugwort that had been mowed only once. The results from these trials indicate that sequential herbicide treatment and sequential mowing are strategies that will enhance the control of mugwort when used with the majority of herbicides evaluated in these trials.

Broomsedge control studies were conducted on six broomsedge-infested pastures in southeastern Oklahoma from 1995 to 1997. Glyphosate applied in spring at 2.24 kg ai/ha decreased broomsedge plant density by 58% 3 mo after treatment (MAT), on areas where the previous year's forage was grazed, and by 95% 3 MAT, where spring fire had removed the old top-growth before glyphosate application. Broomsedge plant density was not affected where glyphosate was applied in spring to sites with old-standing top-growth. Paraquat applied in spring at 0.56 kg ai/ha and spring burning without a herbicide treatment had no effect on broomsedge plant density. Glyphosate at 0.56 and 1.12 kg ai/ha applied in late summer reduced the number of broomsedge stems 1 yr after treatment (YAT) by an average of 65 and 80%, respectively. Paraquat at 0.56 kg/ha applied in late summer of 1995, followed by burning 1 wk after treatment (WAT), decreased broomsedge stem density by more than 60% 1 YAT at four of six locations when compared with mowing in late summer. Burning in November after an October frost decreased broomsedge stem density by more than 47% 1 YAT at four locations. Two consecutive years of burning after frost and paraquat applied in late summer followed by burning 1 WAT reduced broomsedge dry matter production by 68 and 96%, respectively, when compared with mowing in late summer. These data suggest that good to excellent control of established broomsedge is possible with herbicides alone, with a combination of herbicides and late-summer burning, and with fall burning after an early frost in a dry fall. However, broomsedge control was short-lived with all the treatments because of the establishment of new broomsedge seedlings. Thus, it will be important to integrate the destruction of broomsedge plants with proper fertility and grazing management in order to provide satisfactory broomsedge control.

Field trials were conducted in Virginia during 2000 and 2001 to evaluate long-term trumpetcreeper control in corn with dicamba, BAS 654 plus dicamba, 2,4-D, CGA 152005 plus primisulfuron, halosulfuron, primisulfuron, and mesotrione. Each of these herbicides was applied alone as a single postemergence (POST) treatment or as a component of a POST herbicide combination. Trumpetcreeper suppression ratings 3 mo after treatment (MAT) revealed a general trend toward higher levels of suppression with combinations of dicamba, BAS 654 plus dicamba, or 2,4-D with any of the sulfonylurea herbicides and lower levels of suppression with applications of any of the sulfonylurea herbicides alone. Combinations of dicamba, BAS 654 plus dicamba, or 2,4-D with mesotrione also provided some of the highest levels of trumpetcreeper suppression 3 MAT in both years. At 1 yr after treatment (YAT), 2,4-D alone, BAS 654 plus dicamba, CGA 152005 plus primisulfuron plus 280 g ai/ha dicamba, primisulfuron plus 280 g/ha dicamba, primisulfuron plus 2,4-D, mesotrione plus BAS 654 plus dicamba, and mesotrione plus 2,4-D reduced trumpetcreeper stem density by at least 52% when compared with that of the nontreated control. These herbicide treatments were the only ones that provided reductions in trumpetcreeper stem density 1 YAT when compared with that of the nontreated control. In 2000 and 2001, there were few differences in corn yield among the treatments evaluated in these trials, and no treatment resulted in corn yields that were lower than the nontreated control. Acceptable trumpetcreeper suppression may be achieved during the season of treatment with any of these herbicide combinations, but only a few treatments will provide long-term trumpetcreeper control.

Field and greenhouse studies were conducted near Painter, VA, in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to evaluate mesotrione postemergence for control of horsenettle in corn. Mesotrione at 105 g ai/ha controlled horsenettle at least 80% in all studies, and in 2001, after two consecutive annual applications, mesotrione controlled horsenettle up to 91%. Additions of primisulfuron, dicamba, and 2,4-D to mesotrione did not increase horsenettle control. Occasionally, combinations of dicamba with mesotrione controlled horsenettle less than did mesotrione alone, and primisulfuron combinations with mesotrione delayed or reduced development of bleaching symptoms associated with mesotrione. Initial horsenettle response to mesotrione was increased by addition of 280 g ai/ha atrazine; however, late-season horsenettle control was not improved by atrazine. Two consecutive annual applications of mesotrione alone decreased horsenettle biomass > 89%. Treatments of primisulfuron plus dicamba, primisulfuron plus CGA 152005 plus dicamba, and 2,4-D plus dicamba provided similar horsenettle control and biomass reductions as did 105 g/ha mesotrione alone.

Field trials were conducted in Virginia to evaluate trumpetcreeper control with glyphosate and conventional herbicide systems in double-crop glyphosate-resistant soybean. When compared with the untreated control, none of the conventional herbicide systems evaluated in these trials provided any reductions in the trumpetcreeper stem density at 1 yr after treatment (YAT). Glyphosate systems generally provided much higher levels of trumpetcreeper stem reduction than conventional herbicide systems. By 1 YAT, densities of trumpetcreeper that received conventional herbicide treatments ranged from 97 to 141% of the initial population, whereas densities of trumpetcreeper that received preemergence (PRE) followed by postemergence (POST) or POST-only applications of the isopropylamine (IPA) or diammonium (DIA) salts of glyphosate ranged from 30 to 66% of the initial population. However, PRE applications of the IPA or DIA salts of glyphosate generally provided lower levels of trumpetcreeper stem reduction than PRE followed by POST or POST-only applications. These results indicate that glyphosate applications made later in the growing season will provide greater trumpetcreeper stem reductions than those made at or close to soybean planting in double-crop soybean production systems. Glyphosate systems did not provide higher soybean yields than the untreated control that contained trumpetcreeper only when densities averaged 6 trumpetcreeper stems/m2 in 2000, but 12 of the 16 glyphosate-containing treatments provided higher soybean yields than the untreated control that contained trumpetcreeper only when densities averaged 13 stems/m2 in 2001.