Common ragweed is a troublesome weed in many crops. Farmers and crop advisors in the coastal Mid-Atlantic region have reported inadequate control of common ragweed in soybean fields with glyphosate and other herbicide modes of action. To determine whether herbicide resistance was one of the causes of poor herbicide performance, 29 accessions from four states (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia) where common ragweed plants survived herbicide applications and produced viable seeds were used for greenhouse screening. Common ragweed seedlings from those accessions were treated with multiple rates of cloransulam, fomesafen, or glyphosate, applied individually postemergence (POST). All accessions except one demonstrated resistance to at least one of the herbicides applied at twice the effective rate (2×), 17 accessions were two-way resistant (to glyphosate and cloransulam, or to glyphosate and fomesafen), and three-way resistance was present in eight accessions collected from three different states. Based on the POST study, five accessions were treated preemergence (PRE) with herbicides that inhibit acetolactate synthase (ALS), and two accessions were treated with herbicides that inhibit protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO). All accessions treated PRE with the ALS inhibitors chlorimuron or cloransulam demonstrated resistance at the 2× rates. Both accessions treated PRE with the PPO inhibitor sulfentrazone had survivors at the 2× rate. When the same accessions were treated PRE with fomesafen, one had survivors at the 2× rate, and one had survivors at the 1× rate. Results from these tests confirmed common ragweed with three-way resistance to POST herbicides is widespread in the region. In addition, this is the first confirmation that common ragweed accessions in the region are also resistant to ALS- or PPO-inhibiting herbicides when applied PRE.

Preemergence applications of mesotrione, an herbicide that inhibits 4-hydroxyphenolpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), have recently gained regulatory approval in soybean varieties with appropriate traits. Giant ragweed is an extremely competitive broadleaf weed, and biotypes resistant to acetolactate synthase inhibitors (ALS-R) can be particularly difficult to manage with soil-residual herbicides in soybean production. This study investigated control of giant ragweed from preemergence applications of cloransulam (32 g ai ha–1), metribuzin (315 g ai ha–1), and S-metolachlor (1,600 g ai ha–1) in a factorial design with and without mesotrione (177 g ai ha–1) at two different sites over 2 yr. Treatments with mesotrione were also compared with two commercial premix products: sulfentrazone (283 g ai ha–1) and cloransulam (37 g ai ha–1), and chlorimuron (19 g ai ha–1), flumioxazin (69 g ai ha–1), and pyroxasulfone (87 g ai ha–1). At 42 d after planting, control and biomass reduction of giant ragweed were greater in treatments with mesotrione than any treatment without mesotrione. Giant ragweed biomass was reduced by 84% in treatments with mesotrione, whereas treatments without mesotrione did not reduce biomass relative to the nontreated. Following these preemergence applications, sequential herbicide treatments utilizing postemergence applications of glufosinate (655 g ai ha–1) plus fomesafen (266 g ai ha–1) and S-metolachlor (1,217 g ai ha–1) resulted in at least 97% control of giant ragweed at 42 d after planting, which was greater than sequential applications of glufosinate alone in 3 of 4 site-years. Preemergence applications of mesotrione can be an impactful addition to soybean herbicide programs designed to manage giant ragweed, with the potential to improve weed control and delay the onset of herbicide resistance by providing an additional effective herbicide site of action.

Glyphosate application to the rapid-response (RR) biotype of glyphosate-resistant (GR) giant ragweed ensues in loss of foliage via rapid tissue death, thereby reducing glyphosate translocation. Experiments were performed to determine if this GR response, in contrast to a non-rapid response (NRR) GR biotype, results in antagonism of the selective herbicides atrazine, cloransulam, dicamba, lactofen, and topramezone. Application of glyphosate at 1,680 g ae ha–1 in the greenhouse resulted in antagonism between all five selective herbicides for the RR biotype, whereas glyphosate applied at 420 g ha–1 was antagonistic only for cloransulam. Application of selective herbicides 2 d prior to glyphosate treatment avoided the antagonism observed in the RR biotype. In the field, glyphosate mixtures with dicamba and topramezone were antagonistic on the RR biotype across both 2015 and 2016 field seasons. Thus, the RR effectively reduces glyphosate efficacy but also has potential to diminish the activity of glyphosate mixtures with selective herbicides, and the degree of antagonism between these mixtures escalates at increasing glyphosate rates.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) common waterhemp has become a significant problem weed in Nebraska and several Midwestern states. Several populations of GR common waterhemp are also resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides, making them difficult to control with POST herbicides in GR soybean. Glufosinate-resistant (GFR) soybean is an alternate system for controlling GR common waterhemp, justifying the need for evaluating glufosinate-based herbicide programs. The objectives of this study were to compare POST-only herbicide programs (including one-pass and two-pass POST programs) with PRE followed by (fb) POST herbicide programs for control of GR common waterhemp in GFR soybean and their effect on common waterhemp density, biomass, and soybean yield. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 near Fremont, NE in a grower’s field infested with GR common waterhemp. Glufosinate applied early- and late-POST provided 76% control of GR common waterhemp at 14 d after late-POST (DALPOST) compared with 93% control with a PRE fb POST program when averaged across treatments. The PRE application of chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron plus flumioxazin, S-metolachlor plus fomesafen or metribuzin, saflufenacil plus dimethenamid-P fb glufosinate provided ≥95% control of common waterhemp throughout the growing season, reduced common waterhemp density to ≤2.0 plants m─2, caused ≥94% biomass reduction, and led to 1,984 to 2,210 kg ha─1 soybean yield. Averaged across treatments, the PRE fb POST program provided 82% common waterhemp control at soybean harvest, reduced density to 23 plants m─2 at 14 DALPOST, and caused 86% biomass reduction and 1,803 kg ha─1 soybean yield compared with 77% control, 99 plants m─2, 53% biomass reduction, and 1,190 kg ha─1 yield with POST-only program. It is concluded that PRE fb POST programs with multiple effective modes of action are available for control of GR common waterhemp in GFR soybean.

Asiatic dayflower has recently become a troublesome weed in eastern Iowa. This weed demonstrates an extended emergence period and there is anecdotal evidence of glyphosate tolerance. Thus, Asiatic dayflower is difficult to manage in glyphosate-resistant (GR) corn and soybean. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of Asiatic dayflower to glyphosate applied at different rates and growth stages. Field research was conducted in 2005 and 2006 to evaluate different herbicides for Asiatic dayflower control in soybean. PRE herbicides were applied at planting and POST herbicides were applied 21 and 42 d after planting (DAP). In addition, shikimate accumulation in response to glyphosate was compared among Asiatic dayflower and GR and non-GR corn and soybean. Under greenhouse conditions, a single application of glyphosate (0.84 kg ae ha−1) did not control Asiatic dayflower. Only the highest rate evaluated, 13.44 kg ae ha−1 (16X), was lethal to Asiatic dayflower. Even when applied at an early growth stage (two leaves) and using high rates (3.36 kg ae ha−1), glyphosate controlled Asiatic dayflower just 28%. In the field, metribuzin and KIH-485 controlled Asiatic dayflower 80 and 73%, respectively. Early POST applications (21 DAP) of cloransulam or lactofen controlled Asiatic dayflower 80 and 67%, respectively. A single glyphosate application of 0.86 kg ae ha−1 controlled Asiatic dayflower approximately 50%. Glyphosate-treated Asiatic dayflower and non-GR corn and soybeans accumulated shikimate after application. GR corn and soybeans did not accumulate shikimate in response to glyphosate. Twenty-one days after treatment, all the non-GR soybean and corn plants died; however, Asiatic dayflower plants survived.

Previous research revealed that resistance to cloransulam in at least one population of common ragweed was conferred by an altered herbicide target site, specifically, by a tryptophan-to-leucine amino acid substitution at position 574 (W574L) of acetolactate synthase (ALS). In this study, 22 common ragweed populations, several of which were suspected cloransulam resistant, were assayed to determine if the W574L ALS substitution was correlated with resistance to ALS inhibitors. From each population, 16 greenhouse-grown plants were treated with cloransulam, and another 16 were treated with imazamox. Plant dry weights were recorded 20 d after treatment and individual plants were considered resistant if their dry weight exceeded 50% of that of nonherbicide-treated controls. For each herbicide-treated plant, allele-specific primers were used in polymerase chain reactions to determine whether the ALS alleles contained leucine or tryptophan codons at position 574. Of the 352 plants treated with cloransulam, 70 were determined to be resistant, and all but two contained one or more Leu574 alleles. The frequency of imazamox resistance was much higher than that of cloransulam in the populations, with 149 of 352 plants identified as imazamox resistant. However, only about half (80) of the imazamox-resistant plants contained one or more Leu574 alleles. Correlation of imazamox resistance and Leu574 alleles was population dependent. ALS activity assays confirmed that imazamox resistance in plants from at least one population was due to an altered target site, even though plants from that population did not have a W574L substitution. These results lead to the conclusion that a Leu574 allele is the predominant basis for cloransulam resistance in common ragweed; however, other mechanisms of resistance to ALS inhibitors exist in some populations.

Soybean is a major crop cultivated in Brazil, and acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides are widely used to control weeds in this crop. The continuous use of these ALS-inhibiting herbicides has led to the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds worldwide. Greater beggarticks is a polyploid species and one of the most troublesome weeds in soybean production since the discovery of ALS-resistant biotypes in 1996. To confirm and characterize the resistance of greater beggarticks to ALS inhibitors, whole-plant bioassays and enzyme experiments were conducted. To investigate the molecular basis of resistance in greater beggarticks the ALS gene was sequenced and compared between susceptible and resistant biotypes. Our results confirmed that greater beggarticks is resistant to ALS inhibitors and also indicated it possesses at least three isoforms of the ALS gene. Analysis of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences among the isoforms and between the biotypes indicated that a single point mutation, G–T, in one ALS isoform from the resistant biotype resulted in an amino acid substitution, Trp574Leu. Two additional substitutions were observed, Phe116Leu and Phe149Ser, in a second isoform of the resistant biotype, which were not yet reported in any other herbicide-resistant ALS gene; thus, their role in conferring herbicide resistance is not yet ascertained. This is the first report of ALS mutations in an important, herbicide-resistant weed species from Brazil.

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of a carbon band to provide a “safe zone” for seedling emergence and growth of three native grass species. ‘KIKA677’ streambed bristlegrass germplasm, ‘Alamo’ switchgrass, and ‘Waelder’ shortspike windmillgrass germplasm were used in combination with several PRE- and POST-applied herbicides including cloransulam, flumioxazin, imazapic, imazethapyr, and 2,4-D. In a greenhouse experiment, switchgrass emergence was improved when a carbon band was used with imazapic or imazethapyr at 0.04 and 0.07 kg ai ha−1 or 2,4-D at 2.12 kg ae ha−1. Windmillgrass emergence was improved when carbon was used in combination with flumioxazin at 0.05 and 0.1 kg ai ha−1, imazapic at 0.04 and 0.07 kg ha−1, imazethapyr at 0.07 kg ha−1, and 2,4-D at 1.06 kg ha−1, whereas bristlegrass emergence was improved when carbon was used in combination with flumioxazin at 0.1 kg ai ha−1, imazapic at both rates, and imazethapyr at 0.04 kg ha−1. Field studies indicated that flumioxazin at 0.05 and 0.1 kg ha−1, imazapic at 0.04 kg ha−1, and imazethapyr at 0.04 and 0.07 kg ha−1, were safened for bristlegrass and switchgrass emergence when used with carbon. Windmillgrass emergence and growth were improved when carbon was used in combination with flumioxazin at 0.1 kg ha−1.

Field, greenhouse, and laboratory studies were conducted to examine the potential for antagonism of postemergence graminicides when tank-mixed with cloransulam and to determine the role of herbicide absorption and translocation in observed antagonistic responses. Cloransulam antagonized annual grass control with aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicides fluazifop-P, quizalofop, and the prepackaged formulation of fluazifop-P plus fenoxaprop. Cloransulam did not affect annual grass control with the cyclohexandiones clethodim and sethoxydim. In the greenhouse, increasing the rate of the graminicides was a more effective strategy for overcoming antagonism for quizalofop than for fluazifop-P or fluazifop-P plus fenoxaprop, and success was species dependent. Annual grass control with clethodim, sethoxydim, and glyphosate was not adversely affected by tank mixtures with cloransulam. Control of large rhizome johnsongrass was initially reduced when cloransulam was mixed with sethoxydim, fluazifop-P plus fenoxaprop, or quizalofop. By 6 wk after treatment, control of rhizome johnsongrass was antagonized only when cloransulam was mixed with sethoxydim. Rainfall within 1.5 h of application reduced johnsongrass control with glyphosate and sethoxydim but did not affect activity of the other herbicides. Absorption of 14C-fluazifop-P and 14C-quizalofop into broadleaf signalgrass was not affected by cloransulam 6 or 24 h after treatment. Translocation of 14C-fluazifop-P to broadleaf signalgrass shoot tissue above and below the treated leaf was decreased when fluazifop-P was combined with cloransulam. Translocation of quizalofop was not affected by cloransulam.

Greenhouse and field research evaluated yellow nutsedge growth, vegetative control, and tuber production after application of glyphosate, various acetolactase synthase (ALS)–inhibiting herbicides, and tank mixtures thereof. Yellow nutsedge was controlled by the herbicides halosulfuron at 35 g ai/ha, chlorimuron at 12 g ai/ha, and imazethapyr–imazapyr at 62 g ai/ha (> 70% control); imazethapyr at 70 g ai/ha, glyphosate at 840 g ae/ha, cloransulam at 17.5 g ai/ha, and rimsulfuron at 17.5 g ai/ha (40 to 70% control); and imazamox at 45 g ai/ha (< 40% control). Compared with the untreated control, tuber fresh weight in the field was reduced 45 to 91%, and tuber density was reduced 33 to 90% by all herbicide treatments 42 wk after treatment (WAT) except imazamox and rimsulfuron. Tuber sprouting was reduced to 19% in plots treated with halosulfuron and pyrithiobac compared with untreated yellow nutsedge 42 WAT. Chlorimuron and imazethapyr–imazapyr controlled yellow nutsedge at least 90%, prevented panicle formation, and reduced tuber density and fresh weight by 90% or more 14 WAT in the greenhouse. The addition of glyphosate to cloransulam or imazethapyr increased yellow nutsedge control and reduced tuber density and fresh weight when compared with either ALS-inhibiting herbicide or glyphosate applied alone. Tuber density data indicated that there were 8 tubers for every gram of tubers harvested. Yellow nutsedge height was 15 to 20 cm 4 to 5 wk after tillage, using growth analysis data. Long-term yellow nutsedge management may be aided with treatments that reduce tuber production.

Field studies were conducted from 1998 to 2000 at Belleville, IL, to evaluate tolerance and weed control in glyphosate-resistant soybean with sulfentrazone application. Sulfentrazone alone caused 14 to 16% height reduction 14 d after treatment (DAT), and sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron caused 26% height reduction 14 DAT. Minimal height reduction (0 to 11%) was observed 56 DAT. Sulfentrazone alone controlled giant foxtail 97 to 100%, yellow nutsedge 96 to 98%, common waterhemp 97 to 98%, common cocklebur 91 to 94%, and ivyleaf morningglory 100%. Sulfentrazone alone controlled common ragweed 63 to 89% and giant ragweed 50 to 72%. Sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron or cloransulam increased control of common and giant ragweed to 95% or greater. Sulfentrazone followed by glyphosate increased control of yellow nutsedge, common waterhemp, and ivyleaf morningglory compared with a single application of glyphosate. Sequential applications of glyphosate controlled weeds 93 to 100%. Sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron or cloransulam postponed the application of glyphosate at the 10-cm weed height by 12 d. Despite the injury, sulfentrazone did not reduce grain yield. Inadequate giant ragweed control reduced grain yield by approximately 48%.

Field studies were conducted from 1997 to 1999 to evaluate the influence of broadleaf herbicides on double-crop glyphosate-resistant soybean injury and yield at Belleville, IL. Diphenylether herbicides applied postemergence (POST) caused 10 to 48% necrosis 7 days after treatment (DAT). POST herbicides caused 0 to 8%, 8 to 37%, and 0 to 12% height reduction 7 DAT in 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively. In most instances, diphenylether herbicides did not delay soybean maturity, whereas imazethapyr applied POST delayed soybean maturity in 1998 and 1999. Acifluorfen plus bentazon reduced soybean height at maturity in 1997 and 1998, whereas lactofen, imazethapyr, and imazamox reduced height only in 1998. Diphenylether herbicides did not reduce grain yield when compared to the no-herbicide hand-weeded treatment, but imazamox reduced yield by 18%. Furthermore, the soil herbicides applied preemergence and diphenylether herbicides applied POST did not reduce grain yield when compared to glyphosate alone.

Soybean planting has occurred earlier in the Midwestern United States in recent years; however, earlier planting subjects the crop to longer durations of weed interference. This may change the optimum timing of POST glyphosate applications, or increase the need for residual herbicides applied PRE to optimize yield. A field study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 near Arlington, WI to determine the effect of planting date, residual herbicide use, and POST glyphosate timing on weed control and soybean yield. Planting dates were late April, mid-May, and early June. A PRE application of sulfentrazone plus cloransulam was applied to half the plots following each planting date. Glyphosate was applied POST to all plots at the V1, V2, V4, or R1 soybean growth stage. Planting date and glyphosate timing did not affect soybean yield in this study. However, averaged across years, planting dates, and POST glyphosate timings, yield increased from 3,280 to 3,500 kg ha−1 when a PRE herbicide with residual soil activity was used. In POST-only treatments, delaying the planting date to June decreased weed density at POST application timing from 127 to 5 plants m−2 (96%) and from 205 to 42 plants m−2 (80%) in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Where a PRE was used, total weed density at POST application timing was always less within planting date, and also declined from early to late planting date 26 to 3 plants m−2 (89%) and 23 to 6 plants m−2 (74%) in 2012 and 2013, respectively. In conclusion, both PRE herbicide use and delayed soybean planting were effective strategies to reduce the number of in-crop weeds exposed to POST glyphosate and should be considered as strategies to reduce the number of weeds exposed to POST herbicides for resistance management.

Field studies were conducted during the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons to evaluate the effects of various herbicides on smellmelon control and soybean yield response. Pendimethalin applied pre-emergence (PRE) alone controlled smellmelon no better than 70%, whereas pendimethalin plus imazethapyr, flumioxazin, or cloransulam applied PRE provided almost complete smellmelon control (99%). Pendimethalin applied PRE followed by acifluorfen applied early postemergence (EPOST) provided similar control. Glyphosate alone applied late postemergence (LPOST) provided complete control (100%), and pendimethalin followed by glyphosate applied EPOST controlled smellmelon at least 95%. Most herbicides increased soybean yield over the nontreated check.

Cotton boll weevil has been eradicated from much of the U.S. Cotton Belt. After eradication, a containment program is necessary to detect and destroy reintroduced boll weevils. Crops other than cotton are not monitored for boll weevil, hence fruit on volunteer glyphosate-resistant (GR) cotton in GR soybean could provide oviposition sites for boll weevils and allow the insects to build up undetected. An experiment was conducted at five locations to evaluate control of GR cotton and reduction in cotton fruit production by herbicides commonly used on GR soybean. Cotton control by preemergence (PRE) or postemergence (POST) herbicides alone was inconsistent across locations. Flumetsulam at 45 g ai/ha, imazaquin at 137 g ai/ha, and metribuzin at 360 g ai/ha plus chlorimuron at 60 g ai/ha applied PRE controlled cotton 55 to 100% and reduced cotton fruit production 84 to 100%. Sulfentrazone at 167 g ai/ha plus chlorimuron at 34 g/ha PRE controlled cotton 50 to 91% and reduced fruit 48 to 98%. Metribuzin PRE at 420 g/ha controlled cotton 23 to 97% and reduced fruit 32 to 100%. Flumiclorac at 30 g ai/ha, 2,4-DB dimethylamine salt at 35 g ae/ha, chlorimuron at 12 g ai/ha, and the sodium salt of fomesafen at 420 g ai/ha mixed with glyphosate and applied POST controlled cotton 48 to 100% and reduced fruit production 67 to 100%. Cloransulam at 12 or 18 g ai/ha controlled cotton 3 to 66% and reduced fruit production 5 to 85%. Cotton control and fruit reduction were greatest and most consistent with sequential applications of metribuzin plus chlorimuron PRE followed by chlorimuron, flumiclorac, fomesafen, or 2,4-DB POST. These treatments controlled cotton at least 95% at all locations. Cotton fruit was totally eliminated at three locations and reduced at least 97% at a fourth location.

Glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed is one of the most competitive weeds of agronomic crops in the United States. Early emergence and rapid growth rate makes giant ragweed a competitive weed early in the season and reduces crop yields. Therefore, early spring control of giant ragweed using a preplant herbicide is critical. Glufosinate is an alternative POST herbicide for weed control in glufosinate-resistant soybean. Field experiments were conducted at David City, NE, in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the efficacy of preplant herbicides followed by glufosinate applied alone or in tank mixes for control of glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed in glufosinate-resistant soybean. Preplant treatments containing 2,4-D, flumioxazin, glufosinate, paraquat, saflufenacil, and sulfentrazone provided 79 to 99% control of giant ragweed 21 d after treatment (DAT), and subsequent application of glufosinate alone or in tank mixes resulted in 90 to 99% control at 21 DAT. Preplant application of S-metolachlor plus metribuzin or chlorimuron, flumioxazin plus thifensulfuron followed by glufosinate resulted in < 40% control of giant ragweed, and soybean yields were < 870 kg ha−1. Although statistically comparable to several other treatments, preplant application of 2,4-D or saflufenacil tank mixes followed by glufosinate resulted in the highest level of control (> 97%) and soybean yield (2,624 to 3,378 kg ha−1). This study confirms that preplant herbicide options are available for control of glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed, and a follow-up application of glufosinate will provide season-long control in glufosinate-resistant soybean.

In a survey of herbicide responses among Illinois waterhemp half-sib populations, several were observed with differential responses to imazethapyr and thifensulfuron, two acetolactate synthase (ALS)–inhibiting herbicides. Plants from two waterhemp populations were verified resistant to imazethapyr, but susceptible to chlorimuron, using a nondestructive leaf-disc assay. Sequencing of the ALS gene revealed that imazethapyr-resistant waterhemp plants from both populations had inferred amino acid substitutions at position 653 of ALS. Depending on the population, the serine at position 653 of ALS was substituted with either asparagine (S653N) or threonine (S653T). Waterhemp lines were derived from each population to create uniformly imidazolinone-resistant (IR) waterhemp biotypes, designated IR-62 and IR-101. ALS-inhibitor responses of each IR biotype were compared with a previously identified ALS inhibitor–resistant biotype with a tryptophan to leucine substitution at position 574 (W574L) and an herbicide-susceptible control. Whole-plant dose–response experiments with waterhemp biotypes containing W574L, S653N, or S653T mutations indicated that each biotype was resistant to imazethapyr, but only the biotype with a W574L mutation was resistant to thifensulfuron. In vitro ALS-activity assays revealed unique patterns of cross-resistance among protein extracts derived from each biotype in response to imazethapyr, thifensulfuron, cloransulam, and pyrithiobac. In conclusion, three different forms of target-site–based resistance to ALS inhibitors have been identified in waterhemp.

Horseweed populations with mixtures of biotypes resistant to glyphosate and acetolactate synthase (ALS)–inhibiting herbicides as well as biotypes with multiple resistance to glyphosate + ALS-inhibiting herbicides have been documented in Indiana and Ohio. These biotypes are particularly problematic because ALS-inhibiting herbicides are commonly tank mixed with glyphosate to improve postemergence horseweed control in soybean. The objective of this research was to characterize the growth and seed production of horseweed populations with resistance to glyphosate or ALS-inhibiting herbicides, and multiple resistance to glyphosate + ALS-inhibiting herbicides. A four-herbicide by four-horseweed population factorial field experiment was conducted in the southeastern region of Indiana in 2007 and repeated in 2008. Four horseweed populations were collected from Indiana or Ohio and confirmed resistant to glyphosate, ALS inhibitors, both, or neither in greenhouse experiments. The four herbicide treatments were untreated, 0.84 kg ae ha−1 glyphosate, 35 g ai ha−1 cloransulam, and 0.84 kg ae ha−1 glyphosate + 35 g ai ha−1 cloransulam. Untreated plants from horseweed populations that were resistant to glyphosate, ALS-inhibiting, or multiple glyphosate + ALS-inhibiting herbicides produced similar amounts of biomass and seed compared to populations that were susceptible to those herbicides or combination of herbicides. Furthermore, aboveground shoot mass and seed production did not differ between treated and untreated plants.

Recent concerns regarding herbicide spray drift, its subsequent effect on the surrounding environment, and herbicide efficacy have prompted applicators to focus on methods to reduce off-target movement of herbicides. Herbicide applications are complex processes, and as such, few studies have been conducted that consider multiple variables that affect the droplet spectrum of herbicide sprays. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nozzle type, orifice size, herbicide active ingredient, pressure, and carrier volume on the droplet spectra of the herbicide spray. Droplet spectrum data were collected on 720 combinations of spray-application variables, which included six spray solutions (five herbicides and water alone), four carrier volumes, five nozzles, two orifice sizes, and three operating pressures. The laboratory study was conducted using a Sympatec laser diffraction instrument to determine the droplet spectrum characteristics of each treatment combination. When averaged over each main effect, nozzle type had the greatest effect on droplet size. Droplet size rankings for nozzles, ranked smallest to largest using volume median diameter (Dv0.5) values, were the XR, TT, AIXR, AI, and TTI nozzle with 176% change in Dv0.5 values from the XR to the TTI nozzle. On average, increasing the nozzle orifice size from a 11003 orifice to a 11005 increased the Dv0.5 values 8%. When compared with the water treatment, cloransulam (FirstRate) did not change the Dv0.5 value. Clethodim (Select Max), glyphosate (Roundup PowerMax), lactofen (Cobra), and glufosinate (Ignite) all reduced the Dv0.5 value 5, 11, 11, and 18%, respectively, when compared with water averaged over the other variables. Increasing the pressure of AIXR, TT, TTI, and XR nozzles from 138 to 276 kPa and the AI nozzle from 276 to 414 kPa decreased the Dv0.5 value 25%. Increasing the pressure from 276 to 414 kPa and from 414 to 552 kPa for the same nozzle group and AI nozzle decreased the Dv0.5 value 14%. Carrier volume had the least effect on the Dv0.5 value. Increasing the carrier volume from 47 to 187 L ha−1 increased the Dv0.5 value 5%, indicating that droplet size of the herbicides tested were not highly dependent on delivery volume. The effect on droplet size of the variables examined in this study from greatest effect to least effect were nozzle, operating pressure, herbicide, nozzle orifice size, and carrier volume.

Field experiments were conducted in 1996 and 1997 near Arlington, WI, to compare the efficacy of glyphosate applied below registered rates in sequential and tank-mix combinations with residual herbicides to no-till, narrow-row, glyphosate-resistant soybean. In the sequential combinations of preplant (PP) residual herbicides and postemergence (POST) glyphosate study, glyphosate followed one of eight burndown treatments. Clomazone applied PP controlled 86% of common lambsquarters in 1996 when followed by 420 g ae/ha glyphosate early POST (EPOST). All other herbicide treatments controlled 94% or greater regardless of weed species, PP treatment, glyphosate timing, or glyphosate rate. The greatest soybean yields occurred in EPOST glyphosate applications in 1996 and late POST (LPOST) glyphosate applications in 1997. The only time PP residual herbicides were beneficial was prior to the LPOST glyphosate application in 1996. In the tank-mix POST combinations of glyphosate and residual herbicides study, glyphosate was applied alone or in combination with four residual herbicides. Soybean injury did not exceed 5% except in the glyphosate and imazethapyr combination in 1997. Control of common lambsquarters, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail was 90% or greater when averaged across all residual combinations and glyphosate timings and rates. Imazethapyr alone controlled velvetleaf 99% and giant foxtail 92% in 1997. When glyphosate was applied alone, soybean yields were similar at all glyphosate rates and application timings, except the 630 g/ha glyphosate LPOST resulted in a lower yield than 420 g/ha glyphosate LPOST. Only one residual herbicide, SAN 582, combined with glyphosate produced yields equivalent to the highest yielding treatments when averaged over both glyphosate rates and timings. Cloransulam added to 420 g/ha glyphosate EPOST and chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron and imazethapyr added to 420 g/ha glyphosate LPOST resulted in lower soybean yields compared to the same rate of glyphosate applied alone at the respective timings. Thus, no herbicide combination preformed better than glyphosate applied in a timely manner alone. However, in situations where early-season weed competition is severe and a timely glyphosate application is not possible, a PP residual herbicide may be beneficial.