Commercial formulations of 33 herbicides, 12 fungicides, and 16 adjuvants were evaluated for their toxic effects on germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. malvae (C.g.m.) spores. At the recommended rates, none of the herbicides for grass weed control (diclofop, difenzoquat, fenoxaprop-ethyl, flamprop-methyl, and sethoxydim) or formulated herbicides registered for both broadleaf and grass weed control [diclofop plus bromoxynil (23:8), propanil, and propanil plus MCPA (7:2)] were compatible with C.g.m. spores. C.g.m. spore germination and appressorial formation recorded 24 h after exposure were totally inhibited by these herbicides. At recommended rates, herbicides for broadleaf weed control (2,4-D ester, 2,4-D amine, benazolin, bentazon, clopyralid, cyanazine, cyanazine plus MCPA (1:2), dicamba, dicamba plus MCPA (1:4), dicamba plus mecoprop plus MCPA (1:1:4.4), dicamba plus 2,4-D plus mecoprop (4.2:11:3), MCPA amine, MCPA-K, MCPA-Na, and metribuzin), caused no more than a 20% reduction in C.g.m. spore germination, and appressorial formation was not significantly reduced except by benazolin and metribuzin. Cyanazine and dicamba at recommended rates increased appressorial formation without reducing germination compared to the control. At lower concentrations, the other herbicides recommended for broadleaf weed control (2,4-DB, bromoxynil, bromoxynil plus MCPA (1:1), dichlorprop plus 2,4-D (1:1), imazethapyr, linuron, and picloram) were less toxic to C.g.m. spores. The fungicide triadimefon at recommended rate had no effect on C.g.m. spores. Dicloran reduced germination more than 50% at recommended rate and growth was distorted. At recommended rates, spore germination was inhibited by more than 90% with benomyl, carbathiin, chlorothalonil, iprodione, mancozeb, and thiophanate-methyl although germination increased as concentration declined. Spore germination was totally inhibited at all concentrations with ferbam, thiram, and captan. Exposure to the adjuvants—Agral 90, Alkasurf-0P-10, Atplus-555, Citowett Plus, Enhance, Renex 36, Triton XR, and X-77–inhibited C.g.m. spore germination and reduced spore production compared to the control. Spore germination was significantly higher in suspensions containing ammonium sulfate, Assist, Bio-veg, CD-407, and Tween 20, as well as with starch, sucrose, and water (control) than with the other adjuvants. Spore production was higher in suspensions containing starch and Bio-veg than in those with water and the other adjuvants.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. malvae (C.g.m.) was evaluated under greenhouse conditions for round-leaved mallow control in combination with the following herbicides: bromoxynil plus MCPA (1:1), diclofop, imazethapyr, metribuzin, sethoxydim, and 2,4-DB. Treatments consisted of C.g.m. and herbicide applied alone, tank mixed, and C.g.m. applied 48 h before, and 1, 24, and 72 h after herbicide. Split applications with bromoxynil plus MCPA, imazethapyr, metribuzin, (C.g.m. before or after) and sethoxydim (C.g.m. before) enhanced round-leaved mallow control over C.g.m. applied alone. However, diclofop or 2,4-DB tank mixed or applied in a split application with C.g.m. did not improve round-leaved mallow control over C.g.m. applied alone. Bromoxynil plus MCPA, metribuzin, 2,4-DB, and imazethapyr may be tank mixed with C.g.m. without significantly reducing round-leaved mallow control, unlike sethoxydim or diclofop which inhibited C.g.m. development. Dew period did not influence the effectiveness of bromoxynil plus MCPA applied 30 h before C.g.m., but round-leaved mallow control increased with increasing dew period for metribuzin applied 30 h before C.g.m.

Field experiments were conducted to determine factors that predispose winter wheat to injury by sulfonylurea herbicides. Wheat was injured occasionally when herbicides were applied postemergence in November or when tank mixed with malathion. CGA 131036 at 28 or 56 g ha-1 was less injurious than chlorsulfuron or DPX-G8311 at 26 or 53 g ha-1, and preemergence treatments of chlorsulfuron and DPX-G8311 were less injurious than preplant incorporated or postemergence treatments. Wheat growth stage, minimum post-treatment daily temperature, and summed diurnal temperature fluctuations after treatment and after first post-treatment rainfall were correlated with wheat injury. Grazing and cultivar selection did not affect injury.

Field studies were conducted over a four-year period to determine the weed control efficacy of ICIA-0051 and SC-0774 in no-tillage and conventional corn. Treatments consisted of both pre- and postemergence applications of ICIA-0051, alone and in combination with atrazine, and preemergence applications in combination with metolachlor. SC-0774 was applied preemergence, alone and in combination with atrazine. Results indicated good control of triazine-resistant (TR) smooth pigweed and other annual broadleaf weeds present with no adverse effects on crop vigor and yield with ICIA-0051. Generally, the addition of atrazine to ICIA-0051 improved weed control. SC-0774 provided good control of fall panicum, but generally poorer and less consistent control of giant ragweed, common ragweed, common lambsquarters, and ivyleaf and tall morningglory species.

Preplant applied herbicides were compared for their effect on three varieties of sugarbeets when seeds were planted at six depths during 1987 through 1989. More sugarbeet seedlings emerged and at a faster rate as the depth of seeding decreased from 4.5 to 1.6 cm. Herbicide injury to sugarbeet seedlings increased as depth of seeding increased from less than to greater than 2.5 cm. Herbicide treatments reduced sugarbeet stand and decreased early season sugarbeet height but had little effect on root yield or sucrose content.

The effect of common cocklebur interference on snap beans was investigated at Bridgeton, NJ, in 1987 and 1988. Snap bean yields were reduced by increasing weed densities. Yields were reduced 8 to 44% in 1987 and 2 to 55% in 1988 by full-season in-row weed densities ranging from 0.5 to 8/m2. One weed and 4 weeds/m2 were the damage-threshold populations of common cocklebur with full-season interference in 1987 and 1988, respectively. The weed-free requirement, after planting, was to the unifoliolate stage of snap beans. Common cocklebur at 4 weeds/m2 did not affect yield when snap beans were maintained weed free until the unifoliolate stage of snap beans. The critical duration of interference for common cocklebur emerging with snap beans was between the emergence and full-bloom stage of snap beans. Snap bean yield was not reduced with weed removal at full bloom.

The control of wild oat, volunteer wheat, and volunteer barley in a flax crop with sethoxydim was enhanced 20 to 27% by orienting the spray nozzles forward 45°. Control of annual grasses was not influenced by the time of day sethoxydim was applied. However, injury to flax from a tank mixture of sethoxydim and bromoxynil/MCPA (1:1) was greatest when applied between 0500 and 1100 h, and least when applied between 1500 and 2300 h. Flax injury and reduced seed yields also resulted when sethoxydim was applied when air temperatures exceeded 30 C regardless of stage of crop growth.

Studies on the efficacy and economic analysis of Texas panicum management systems in corn were conducted in Georgia on a loamy sand soil in 1987, 1988, and 1989. Management systems that included butylate, EPTC, atrazine plus tridiphane, atrazine plus pendimethalin, atrazine plus trifluralin, paraquat, or ametryn acceptably control Texas panicum. Corn yields were not affected significantly by the Texas panicum management systems. Overall net returns calculated for corn production indicated that systems which included postemergence applications of atrazine, pendimethalin, trifluralin, paraquat, ametryn, or cultivation alone gave the highest net returns. Systems which included butylate, EPTC, or tridiphane frequently had significantly lower net returns.

Weed free field experiments were conducted for 3 yr at one location to measure the response of cotton to glyphosate spot applied once, twice, and three times. Glyphosate treatments frequently used for silverleaf nightshade control were applied at specified intervals after cotton emergence to in-row, uniformly spaced densities of “simulated” weeds. The number and application timing influenced cotton injury each year. Frequently, cotton lint yields following treatments applied once at four, six, or eight sites/9 m of row were not reduced significantly compared to the untreated plots; however, average yield reductions ranged from 10 to 14%. Glyphosate, applied more than once generally, caused more crop injury and reduced lint yields by 13 to 39%.

Adjuvant effectiveness with imazethapyr for kochia control was generally methylated seed oil ≥ nonionic surfactant ≥ petroleum oil in the greenhouse experiments, and methylated seed oil ≥ petroleum oil nonionic surfactant in the field. Oil adjuvants were applied at 2.3 L ha-1 and nonionic surfactants were applied at 0.25% (v/v) of spray volume. None of the adjuvants overcame imazethapyr reduced phytotoxicity caused by simulated rain soon after treatment, posttreatment cold (10 C), low soil moisture, or low soil nitrogen. However, kochia fresh weight reductions usually were the greatest when imazethapyr was applied with methylated seed oil, except in the case when soil had 80 ppm or less soil nitrogen. Kochia control with imazethapyr was enhanced the most by methylated seed oil followed by nonionic surfactant and petroleum oil regardless of relative humidity. High compared to low relative humidity tended to increase control for imazethapyr alone or with nonionic surfactant and decrease control for imazethapyr with oils. Kochia fresh weight reduction following imazethapyr treatment was greatest at 20 C, intermediate at 30 C and least at 10 C posttreatment when used with any of the adjuvants.

Sixteen applications of imazapyr and other herbicides were made to field bindweed from 1982 to 1986. Control with imazapyr was 89% or more 1 yr after treatment at 0.14 kg ai ha-1 when plants were growing vigorously at application. Only 1 of 16 applications of imazapyr at 0.56 kg ha-1 controlled less than 90% regardless of plant vigor. Control at 0.56 kg ha-1 was usually superior to that obtained with dicamba at 1.1 and 2.2 kg ae ha-1, and 2,4-D at 1.1 kg ae ha-1, as well as combinations of picloram with either 2,4-D or dicamba. All herbicides were less effective when applied to field bindweed with poor vigor. Winter wheat planted in the fall up to 122 days after application was injured 20 to 88% by imazapyr at 0.14 kg ha-1. Sorghum planted the next spring was injured 15% or less by imazapyr at 0.14 and 0.28 kg ha-1.

Field studies were established to evaluate several new herbicides for preplant incorporated and postemergence shattercane control in soybeans. Imazethapyr applied postemergence controlled shattercane most consistently. The type of adjuvant tank mixed with sethoxydim did not influence shattercane control, panicle production, or soybean yields. Preplant incorporated applications of imazethapyr, imazaquin, or clomazone either alone or tank mixed with trifluralin or pendimethalin gave inconsistent shattercane control and soybean yields compared to handweeded plots.

Field research from 1986 to 1988 evaluated control of alfalfa, dandelion, orchardgrass, and annual weeds in corn with sequential herbicide treatments. Glyphosate applied the previous fall controlled 95% or more of the dandelion and orchardgrass before postemergence treatments. Atrazine applied early preplant or with paraquat the day before planting only partially controlled the perennial species. Atrazine applied postemergence usually controlled vegetation escaping initial treatment except orchardgrass following the atrazine treatments. Adding tridiphane increased weed control with atrazine or cyanazine applied postemergence only when fall panicum was present. Herbicides applied postemergence increased corn yield compared to the initial treatments alone, and few differences among postemergence treatments were observed. Sequential treatments which included glyphosate applied in the fall controlled 82% or more of each perennial species before the next growing season. Orchardgrass control was 81% or less the following spring when the initial treatment was atrazine or atrazine plus paraquat.

Sulfonylurea herbicide resistance was crossed into a susceptible (S) prickly lettuce biotype and into ‘Bibb’ (B), a domestic lettuce cultivar, and inheritance of the resistance trait was determined. The best fit for Chi Square analysis of the metsulfuron treated F2 generations was a 1:2:1 ratio indicating the trait was controlled by a single nuclear gene with incomplete dominance. F3 generations also were treated with metsulfuron. The F3 seedlings from resistant F2 plants were resistant while the F3 seedlings from intermediate F2 plants segregated.

The potential of imazethapyr as a selective herbicide in four pulse crops was investigated at Melfort, Saskatchewan in 1988 and 1989. Lentil, field pea, faba bean and annual vetch were tolerant to imazethapyr applied preemergence to a silty clay loam soil at 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 kg ai ha-1. Postemergence treatments above 0.05 kg ha-1, however, stunted lentil and vetch in both years. Environmental factors, the dominant weed in the experimental site, as well as timing of application strongly influenced the performance of imazethapyr. Seed yield increases observed with imazethapyr treatments, compared to metribuzin or untreated check, were greater in 1989 when wild oat was the dominant weed and moisture was not a limiting factor in the early stages of crop development, than in 1988 when field pennycress was the dominant weed. Mean seed yield for all imazethapyr treatments, compared to the check, increased 0 and 930%, 24 and 89%, 21 and 600%, and 47 and 44% in 1988 and 1989, for lentil, field pea, faba bean and vetch, respectively. Significant increases in lentil seed density, seed size, and germination were also obtained though protein content decreased 2%.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the critical period for velvetleaf interference with cotton and to assess the reliability of using weed growth variables as predictors of cotton lint yield losses. An inverse linear relationship existed between velvetleaf dry weight and cotton lint yield. The relationship between the number of velvetleaf main-stem nodes or velvetleaf height with cotton lint yield was best described by quadratic regression equations. Weed dry weight appeared to be the most accurate predictor followed by weed height and by number of velvetleaf main-stem nodes. A nonlinear equation best described percent lint yield loss as a function of critical-period interference intervals.

A soilless unit was devised in which host plant (carrot, tomato) roots can be readily infected with broomrape. The simple, inexpensive and reusable unit consists of two glass plates, synthetic cloth, and foam rubber. The host plants are placed (or grown) between the glass plates, being held against one of the plates by foam rubber. The unit provides proper growing conditions, convenient visibility of host roots and parasite from an early stage of infection, and nondestructive access to the roots and parasite. Exposure of the broomrape seeds to a synthetic germination stimulant (GR 24) prior to their application to the host roots, generally, but not always, caused some increase in the number of parasitic infections and/or the rate of broomrape growth.

Freshly collected redroot pigweed seeds were buried 5 cm deep in the field in November of 3 yr in succession. Treatments applied to the soil surface included KNO3 (400 kg ha-1) in midwinter, ethephon (11 kg ha-1) in late spring, and a soil cover (polyethylene sheet for 2 wk) in late spring. Seeds were recovered within 1 yr after treatment, examined for in situ germination, and tested for viability. The 3-yr averages for viable seeds remaining by October in the year after treatment with KNO3 or soil cover, either alone or in combination, did not differ from nontreated checks and averaged 47% of the original population. Viable seeds remaining in soil treated with ethephon either alone or combined with KNO3 were reduced to 21% of the beginning population. The most effective treatments were ethephon either combined with a soil cover or with a soil cover plus KNO3 which reduced the viable seeds to an average of 8% of the original. Ethephon plus a soil cover has the potential to reduce greatly redroot pigweed seed populations in the field.

Cyanazine and 2,4-D were the most effective herbicides for horseweed control before establishing full-season no-till soybeans. Paraquat plus 2,4-D was less effective than 2,4-D alone but superior to paraquat alone. Chlorimuron plus metribuzin or chlorimuron plus linuron was less effective than cyanazine but controlled horseweed better than metribuzin, linuron, or imazaquin. Herbicides were generally more effective when applied early. These studies indicate paraquat was antagonistic to 2,4-D for horseweed control when these herbicides were combined.