Five PRE herbicides were applied at below maximum registered use rates to the same bermudagrass turf plots for three consecutive years for large crabgrass and goosegrass control. In most instances, full labeled herbicide rates were needed for acceptable large crabgrass and goosegrass control during the 1st year of treatment. All herbicides controlled large crabgrass but not goosegrass during the 1st year. Weed management programs that utilized the lowest herbicide rates while maintaining ≥ 80% control during the 2nd and 3rd years varied with herbicides. The programs for large crabgrass were prodiamine at 0.8 kg ha−1 the 1st year followed by 0.2 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 3rd years; oryzalin at 2.2 kg ha−1 the 1st year followed by 0.6 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 3rd years; dithiopyr at 0.3 kg ha−1 the 1st year followed by 0.1 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 3rd years; pendimethalin at 1.7 kg ha−1 the 1st year followed by 0.8 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 3rd years; and oxadiazon at 3.4 kg hha−1 the 1st year followed by 2.5 kg ha−1 the 2nd year and 1.7 kg ha−1 the 3rd year. The programs for goosegrass were prodiamine at 0.8 kg ha−1 followed by 0.6 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 0.4 kg ha−1 the 3rd year; dithiopyr at 0.8 kg ha−1 the 1st year followed by 0.4 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 3rd years; pendimethalin at 3.4 kg ha−1 the 1st year followed by 1.7 kg ha−1 the 2nd year and 0.8 kg ha−1 the 3rd year; and oxadiazon at 3.4 kg ha−1 followed by 0.8 kg ha−1 the 2nd and 3rd years. Because goosegrass control with oryzalin at reduced rates was unacceptable during the 1st and 2nd years, this herbicide should not be used in a reduced rate program. The quality of common bermudagrass was not affected by reduced herbicide rates.

Applications of metribuzin plus MSMA have been used to control goosegrass in bermudagrass turf for over 20 yr. In 2003, two goosegrass biotypes on the island of Kauai, Hawaii were found to be resistant to applications of metribuzin plus MSMA. Metribuzin plus MSMA applied at rates of 0.28 kg ai/ha plus 2.2 kg/ha, respectively, followed by MSMA at 2.2 kg/ha 7 d later, provided 100% control of two susceptible goosegrass biotypes, but no control of two resistant biotypes. At the flowering growth stage, metribuzin applied at a rate of 0.28 kg/ha controlled both susceptible biotypes (> 92%), but did not control the two resistant biotypes. Two applications of MSMA applied at a rate of 2.2 kg/ha (7 d apart) did not control any of the four biotypes at the flowering growth stage. The two resistant biotypes were approximately 100 to 200 times less sensitive to increasing rates of metribuzin than the two susceptible biotypes. The two biotypes that were resistant to metribuzin plus MSMA were also resistant to applications of simazine plus MSMA. However, all four biotypes were susceptible to applications of glyphosate and foramsulfuron.

Perennial weeds constitute a serious problem in Greek cotton-growing areas, as they strongly competing against the crop and downgrade the final product. Monitoring weeds at a regional scale and relating their occurrence with abiotic factors will assist in the control of these species. Purple nutsedge, field bindweed, bermudagrass, and johnsongrass were studied in cotton crops for three consecutive growing seasons (2007 through 2009) in a large area of central Greece. Weed densities and uniformities per sampling site were assessed in relation to soil and climatic data. Abundance index (AI), which is highly dependent on abiotic factors, was also estimated, and revealed purple nutsedge to the most persistent and damaging species among the recorded weeds. Field bindweed showed the highest correlation with soil properties and especially with clay content. Furthermore, correlation analysis was used over the sampling years in order to assess the stability of weed occurrence in the sampling sites. Purple nutsedge, field bindweed, and bermudagrass proved to be stable in location and intensity. The weed density spatial distribution was evaluated by using local indicators of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) statistics, and was mapped by ordinary kriging and co-kriging interpolation methods. Only 1 to 3 spatial outliers were identified in each 1 of the 3 yr. Between the two interpolation methods co-kriging delivered better results for field bindweed and purple nutsedge, indicating that soil data could improve the estimation of weed occurrence. These co-kriging interpolated weed maps would be a very useful tool for decision makers in taking appropriate weed control measures.

Path rush can become problematic on golf course fairways, especially on roughs where continuous golf cart or maintenance equipment traffic occurs. Research trials conducted in 2003 and 2004 compared the efficacy of 2,4-D and mixtures containing 2,4-D in single or sequential applications to herbicides without 2,4-D for path rush control in bermudagrass roughs. Sequential applications of 1.1 kg ae/ha 2,4-D or 0.8 + 0.2 + 0.1 kg ae/ha 2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba provided 95% path rush control with no injury to bermudagrass, 15 wk after initial treatment (WAIT). Single applications of 1.1 + 0.3 + 0.1 kg/ha 2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba or 1.1 kg/ha 2,4-D provided at least 81% path rush control, 15 WAIT. Treatments without 2,4-D did not provide acceptable levels of control (34% or less, 15 WAIT). 2,4-D applied alone or in preformulated mixtures provided excellent path rush control compared to treatments without 2,4-D. Sequential applications of these treatments provided greater path rush control than single applications. However, only the sequential application of 0.8 + 0.2 + 0.1 kg/ha 2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba provided greater path rush control than the single application. Results from these studies suggest that 2,4-D is a key herbicide for path rush control.

Field studies were conducted near Oxnard, CA, to assess propagule survivability of two annual and two perennial weed species in 7.6 m3 static piles of fresh or aged yard waste mulch over a 56 d period. Mulch temperatures > 60 C generated at depths > 30 cm in fresh mulch caused all weed propagule mortality, whereas sublethal temperatures at shallower depths in fresh, and at all depths in aged piles allowed propagule survival. A controlled environment laboratory experiment suggested ≥ 1 d exposure provides 100% mortality of seed of little mallow at 72 C, California burclover seed (without burs) at 85 C, rhizomes of bermudagrass at 69 C, and nutlets of yellow nutsedge at 70 C. These studies indicate that reinfested, aged mulch does not produce sufficient heat to destroy weed propagules and, therefore, may become a weed-carrying substrate. Fresh mulch should be mixed to expose surviving weed propagules at shallow depths to lethal temperatures found at 30 cm or deeper in fresh mulch piles.

Certain sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides are used to remove overseeded cool-season species from bermudagrass. The effects of nitrogen (N) on the efficacy of a new SU herbicide, flazasulfuron, have not been determined. Field and laboratory studies were conducted in 2008 and 2009 evaluating the efficacy of flazasulfuron for control of overseeded perennial ryegrass contaminated with annual bluegrass. Flazasulfuron was applied at rates of 4.4, 8.8, and 17.5 g ha−1 alone, and in between sequential applications of N fertilizer at 73 kg N ha−1. N was granularly applied immediately prior to herbicide treatment and 4 wk later. In both years, the level of annual bluegrass control with flazasulfuron and two applications of N at 73 kg N ha−1 was significantly greater than following treatment with flazasulfuron alone. This response was observed for all application rates of flazasulfuron on every rating date. The level of annual bluegrass control with flazasulfuron at 4.4 g ha−1 and two applications of N at 73 kg ha−1 was greater than flazasulfuron at 17.5 g ha−1 alone each year. No significant differences in perennial ryegrass control were observed for flazasulfuron with and without N fertility. In laboratory studies with annual bluegrass, treatment with N fertilizer at 73 kg N ha−1 increased translocation of 14C flazasulfuron (and any potential metabolites) from treated annual bluegrass leaves to other shoot tissues by 18% at 1 h after treatment and 22% at 4 h after treatment compared to plants not treated with N fertilizer. This increase in translocation may explain the increased level of annual bluegrass control observed in the field.

The effect of formulation and adjuvants on absorption and translocation of 14C-clethodim was determined at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after treatment (HAT) in bermudagrass under greenhouse conditions. Absorption of 14C-clethodim with the 0.12 kg L−1 (15 to 85%) formulation was higher than with the 0.24 kg L−1 (5 to 40%) formulation, regardless of presence or absence of adjuvant. There was considerable variation in the effect of adjuvant on 14C-clethodim absorption. When either ammonium sulfate (AMS) or AMS plus crop oil concentrate (COC) was added to the 0.12 kg L−1 formulation, 14C-clethodim absorption increased significantly at all harvest times except at 12 HAT compared with 0.12 kg L−1 formulation alone, whereas, 14C-clethodim absorption after addition of COC to the 0.12 kg L−1 formulation was similar to the 0.12 kg L−1 formulation alone up to 24 HAT. Conversely, COC enhanced 14C-absorption at all harvest times when added to 0.24 kg L−1 formulation. Most of 14C-clethodim (79 to 100% of absorbed) remained in the treated leaf, independent of formulation or adjuvant. Formulation did not have an impact on distribution of absorbed 14C-clethodim; however, presence of an adjuvant increased movement of 14C-clethodim out of treated leaf. Of the absorbed 14C-label, most remained in the treated leaf. 14C-clethodim that translocated out of the treated leaf remained in the shoot, and negligible amount of 14C-clethodim translocated to roots. These results demonstrated improved absorption of clethodim with formulations containing half the active ingredient (0.12 kg L−1) and inclusion of both AMS and COC.

An experiment was conducted at one location in 1999 and two locations in 2000 to determine the critical weed-free period for peach in North Carolina. The cultivars for the three locations were ‘Contender’, ‘Norman’, and ‘Summerprince’. Weed-free intervals of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 wk after peach tree bloom were established. Paraquat at 1.1 kg ai/ha plus nonionic surfactant at 0.25% v/v was applied every 10 d, after treatments were initiated at peach bloom, to maintain weed-free plots. Large crabgrass, hairy vetch, and smooth crabgrass were the primary weeds in Contender. Horseweed, smooth crabgrass, and large crabgrass were the primary weeds in Norman. Bermudagrass, smooth pigweed, and common lambsquarters were the primary weeds in Summerprince. No differences in trunk cross-sectional area were observed between the weed-free periods. Maintaining the orchard floor weed-free for 12 wk after peach tree bloom resulted in the greatest fruit size (individual fruit weight and diameter), total yield, and fruit number.