Treatments of dimethenamid-p at 0.7 kg ai/ha applied PRE in tank mixtures with EPTC (3.4 kg ai/ha), metribuzin (560 g ai/ha), pendimethalin (1.1 kg ai/ha), or rimsulfuron (26 g ai/ha) were compared with the same herbicides applied PRE alone in field efficacy trials in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Common lambsquarters, kochia, and redroot pigweed control was generally improved with dimethenamid-p tank mixtures compared with control by any herbicide applied alone except metribuzin. Hairy nightshade control at two locations was generally improved with tank mixtures compared with control by any herbicide applied alone. At Washington, where row spacing was narrower than at other locations, dimethenamid-p alone or in tank mixtures provided similar hairy nightshade control, and this control was greater than control by EPTC, metribuzin, or pendimethalin applied alone. ‘Alturas’, ‘Bannock Russet’, ‘Ranger Russet’, ‘Russet Burbank’, ‘Russet Norkotah’, and ‘Shepody’ potato tolerance to dimethenamid-p PRE at 0, 0.7, or 1.4 kg ai/ha was assessed in weed-free field trials conducted at Aberdeen, ID, in 2002 and 2003. Little or no crop injury was evident during the growing seasons and there were no reductions in U.S. No. 1 and total tuber yields regardless of dimethenamid-p rate or potato variety.

Field experiments were conducted in 2003 and 2004 to determine the tolerance of direct-seeded leafy turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, and collard to selected preemergence and postemergence herbicides and to determine the efficacy of these herbicides against weeds that are common to the southeastern coastal plains of the United States. Pendimethalin applied preemergence controlled large crabgrass, goosegrass, carpetweed, and common purslane, but it injured turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, and collard. Dimethenamid at 0.31 and 0.63 kg ai/ha controlled large crabgrass and goosegrass but did not control hairy nightshade or common purslane at the lower rate. In 2003, dimethenamid at 0.63 kg/ha injured mustard greens, kale, and collard more than 40%. S-metolachlor applied preemergence at 0.45 kg ai/ha controlled large crabgrass, goosegrass, hairy nightshade, and common purslane while causing little or no injury to turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, and collard. Clopyralid at 0.10 kg ai/ha controlled common lambsquarters 76 to 95% and hairy nightshade 93% but did not control carpetweed, common purslane, large crabgrass, and goosegrass. Turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, and collard generally were tolerant of clopyralid, but mustard was injured 29% in 2003. Phenmedipham alone or in combination with desmedipham injured mustard greens 54 to 82% in 2003 and failed to control weeds. Of the herbicides evaluated, S-metolachlor provides the best potential to improve weed control in direct-seeded leafy greens in the southeastern United States.

Studies were conducted at Clayton, Lewiston-Woodville, and Rocky Mount, NC, to evaluate weed and cotton response to herbicide systems in glyphosate-resistant cotton in 1995 and 1997. Herbicide systems evaluated included various combinations of soil-applied (trifluralin and fluometuron) and postemergence (POST) (glyphosate or pyrithiobac) herbicides with or without late postemergence-directed (LAYBY) treatments of cyanazine plus MSMA. Glyphosate-resistant cotton injury was less than 5% with all herbicide treatments. Glyphosate POST systems were as efficacious in weed control as other herbicide systems. Depending on location, glyphosate and pyrithiobac POST systems usually required cyanazine plus MSMA LAYBY for season-long control of common lambsquarters, goosegrass, large crabgrass, pitted morningglory, prickly sida, and Texas panicum. Glyphosate POST applied as needed provided weed control equivalent to soil-applied plus POST herbicides, although lint yield was slightly reduced depending on location. Herbicide systems that included soil-applied herbicides required one to two treatments of glyphosate POST and post-directed for season-long weed control and high cotton lint yields, whereas the same herbicide systems without soil-applied herbicides required two to three glyphosate treatments. In all herbicide systems, a residual soil-applied or LAYBY herbicide treatment increased yield compared with glyphosate POST only systems. Location influenced weed control and cotton yield. Generally, as herbicide inputs increased, yield increased.

Field experiments were conducted at four locations (Larissa, Halkidona, Thessaloniki, and Halastra) in Greece to evaluate weed and cotton response to various pyrithiobac rates applied preplant incorporated (PPI), preemergence (PRE), or postemergence (POST). Pyrithiobac applied PPI or PRE at 0.068, 0.102, or 0.136 kg ai/ha controlled black nightshade, pigweeds, and common purslane at Larissa. However, pyrithiobac applied PRE at Thessaloniki and Halkidona was more effective against black nightshade and pigweeds than pyrithiobac applied PPI. Pyrithiobac applied PPI or PRE at 0.068 or 0.102 kg/ha did not control common lambsquarters at Thessaloniki. Weed control with trifluralin plus fluometuron applied PPI and alachlor plus fluometuron applied PRE at Larissa was slightly lower than that obtained with pyrithiobac. At Halkidona, trifluralin plus fluometuron applied PPI and alachlor plus fluometuron applied PRE provided weed control similar to that obtained with pyrithiobac. But at Thessaloniki, these treatments provided better weed control than pyrithiobac. Furthermore, pyrithiobac applied early postemergence (EPOST), midpostemergence, or in sequential systems controlled black nightshade and pigweeds, but it resulted in fair to good control of common purslane, velvetleaf, and common cocklebur. None of the POST treatments controlled common lambsquarters. Fluometuron EPOST controlled black nightshade, common lambsquarters, and common purslane ≥70, 86, and 67%, respectively. Fluometuron EPOST did not control pigweeds, velvetleaf, and common cocklebur. Cotton treated with pyrithiobac, regardless of method of application, yielded similar to the weed-free control. Cotton treated with pyrithiobac PPI at the highest rate (0.136 kg/ ha) yielded less at Halkidona, although adverse effects after its application were not visually apparent. Yield of cotton treated with herbicides was similar, with no difference among treatments.

Plant competition studies designed to quantify interference between species provide valuable information on competitive interactions and on the effects of agronomic practices on those interactions. The effect of each species' density on the growth of itself and on the growth of the other species is quantified in a series of regression models. Traditionally, the models' regression coefficients have been combined in a series of ratios to quantify relative competitive ability and niche differentiation. Coefficients that are negative (positive interference—facilitation, mutualism) or zero (neutral interference or nonsignificant coefficient) do not lend themselves well to ratio-based methodology because of sign cancellation or undefined values, respectively. As a result, ratio-based methodology is limited to using only positive coefficients (negative interference—amensalism, competition). Rather than using ratios, the absolute-log method uses addition and subtraction of coefficients converted to a pseudologarithmic scale, thus allowing for use of coefficients with values that are negative or zero. As a result, the absolute-log method can be used to quantify relative competitive ability and niche differentiation involving all types of interference—negative, positive, and neutral. The absolute-log method includes an optional statistical procedure constructing confidence intervals for the estimates of relative competitive ability and niche differentiation.

The increased use of conservation tillage in cotton production requires that information be developed on the role of cover crops in weed control. Field experiments were conducted from fall 1994 through fall 1997 in Alabama to evaluate three winter cereal cover crops in a high-residue, conservation-tillage, nontransgenic cotton production system. Black oat, rye, and wheat were evaluated for their weed-suppressive characteristics compared to a winter fallow system. Three herbicide systems were used: no herbicide, preemergence (PRE) herbicides alone, and PRE plus postemergence (POST) herbicides. The PRE system consisted of pendimethalin at 1.12 kg ai/ha plus fluometuron at 1.7 kg ai/ha. The PRE plus POST system contained an additional application of fluometuron at 1.12 kg/ha plus DSMA at 1.7 kg ai/ha early POST directed (PDS) and lactofen at 0.2 kg ai/ha plus cyanazine at 0.84 kg ai/ha late PDS. No cover crop was effective in controlling weeds without a herbicide. However, when black oat or rye was used with PRE herbicides, weed control was similar to the PRE plus POST system. Rye and black oat provided more effective weed control than wheat in conservation-tillage cotton. The winter fallow, PRE plus POST input system yielded significantly less cotton in 2 of 3 yr compared to systems that included a winter cover crop. Use of black oat or rye cover crops has the potential to increase cotton productivity and reduce herbicide inputs for nontransgenic cotton grown in the Southeast.

Field studies investigated possible interactions associated with early-season coapplication of the herbicide pyrithiobac and various insecticides. Pyrithiobac at 70 g ai/ha, in combination with the insecticides acephate or dicrotophos at 370 g ai/ha, fipronil at 56 g ai/ha, imidacloprid at 52 g ai/ha, lambda-cyhalothrin at 37 g ai/ha, or oxamyl, carbofuran, or dimethoate at 280 g ai/ha did not reduce cotton leaf area, height, main stem node number, main stem nodes to first square, days to first square or flower, main stem nodes above white flower, or seed cotton yield compared with pyrithiobac alone. Pyrithiobac alone reduced dry weight of pitted morningglory, hemp sesbania, prickly sida, velvetleaf, and entireleaf–ivyleaf morningglory 28 d after treatment (DAT) 86, 98, 51, 94, and 91%, respectively, and weed control was not affected by the coapplication of insecticides. Control of thrips (adult plus larvae) 5 DAT with insecticides was unaffected by pyrithiobac addition at the P = 0.05 level of significance. At the P = 0.1 level, however, addition of pyrithiobac to dimethoate resulted in a reduction in insecticide efficacy in one of three experiments. Efficacy of other insecticides was unaffected.

Herbicides and herbicide prepackaged mixtures registered for use on established bermudagrass turf may cause significant injury to recently seeded bermudagrass cultivars, delaying full establishment. Research was conducted to evaluate the use of 12 herbicide treatments applied at onset of uniform stolon development (4 to 8 wk after seeding) to recently seeded ‘Princess 77,’ ‘Riviera,’ ‘Savannah,’ and ‘Yukon’ bermudagrass cultivars. In general, Yukon was more susceptible to herbicide injury than other cultivars. Atrazine at 1.1 kg ai/ha injured all cultivars 55 to 59% 14 d after initial treatment (DAIT), which lead to reduced bermudagrass cover 21 DAIT. Triclopyr + clopyralid at 0.63 + 0.21 kg ae/ha, respectively, injured Savannah and Yukon greater than other broadleaf weed herbicides (2,4-D + mecoprop + dicamba or 2,4-D + clopyralid + dicamba). Foramsulfuron did not injure or reduce bermudagrass cover of any cultivar evaluated at any rating date. The only adverse effect of trifloxysulfuron was a reduction in Riviera and Yukon ground cover at 21 DAIT. MSMA applied sequentially and quinclorac treatments did not injure or reduce ground cover of Savannah or Princess 77. MSMA applied sequentially and/or quinclorac injured and reduced ground cover of Riviera and Yukon; however, both cultivars completely recovered from MSMA or quinclorac injury by 42 DAIT.

The degree of resistance to linuron of a common ragweed biotype was investigated. Suspected linuron-resistant plants collected from a carrot field near Sherrington, Québec, were subjected to increasing rates of linuron under glasshouse conditions. Resistance to linuron of the common ragweed biotype was suspected because 33% of plants survived to reproduction after they were sprayed at a rate of 4.5 kg ai/ha, two times the dose rate recommended for linuron in carrots, and also because 3% of plants survived to reproduction after they were sprayed at a rate of 22.5 kg ai/ ha, 10 times the recommended dose. Susceptible plants collected from a field with no prior history of linuron use were all killed when sprayed at the lowest dose rate recommended, 1.125 kg ai/ha. The herbicide-resistance ratio was 29.0 for linuron, and for cross-resistance to atrazine, the ratio was 1.3, indicating that these plants exhibit greater resistance to linuron than to atrazine.

Field research was conducted in Arkansas for 3 yr to evaluate imazamox for control of diclofop-resistant Italian ryegrass in imidazolinone-tolerant wheat. Italian ryegrass was controlled at least 89% 49 d after wheat emergence (DAE) in year 2 and 3 by imazamox at 36 g ai/ha applied to one- to two-leaf wheat (POST1), by imazamox at 54 g ai/ha applied sequentially at POST1 followed by (fb) application to three- to four-leaf wheat (POST2), by pendimethalin at 1120 g ai/ha preemergence (PRE) fb imazamox at 36 or 54 g/ha POST1, and by chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron at 22 plus 4 g ai/ha PRE. Italian ryegrass was controlled at least 95% 150 DAE with all applications in year 1 because of extremely cold temperatures and snowfall in December and January. Only sequential imazamox applications or pendimethalin PRE fb imazamox POST1 equaled the commercial standard, chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron, for control of Italian ryegrass 150 DAE in years 2 and 3. These treatments controlled Italian ryegrass greater than 80% 150 DAE. Sequential postemergence applications of imazamox or programs containing pendimethalin PRE fb imazamox POST1 are necessary to optimize Italian ryegrass control and wheat yield in an imidazolinone-tolerant wheat production system.

Volunteer potato is becoming increasingly detrimental in potato production regions. We assessed methods to manage the weed in field corn with herbicides and arthropod herbivory. In greenhouse trials, new tuber production was reduced at least 95% in ‘Ranger Russet’, ‘Russet Burbank’, ‘Russet Norkotah’, and ‘Shepody’ potato varieties by mesotrione applied at 0.11 kg/ha. In field studies conducted near Paterson, WA, a single application of mesotrione at 0.07 or 0.11 kg/ha applied at the time of tuber initiation (mid-postemergence [MPOST]) controlled potato top growth 96 to 98% in 2002 and 2003. Mesotrione applied at earlier stages of potato growth, preemergence or early postemergence, controlled potatoes less than mesotrione applied MPOST. All herbicide treatments prevented yield loss in field corn compared with nontreated checks. Mesotrione reduced new potato tubers and tuber weight more than any other herbicide. Herbivory of volunteer potato by Colorado potato beetle reduced tuber number 21% and tuber density 23% in the absence of herbicides and appeared to further suppress the weed in combination with herbicides. Whereas treatments containing mesotrione were most effective against volunteer potato, arthropod herbivory supplemented weed suppression and may be an important component in reduced or low-input weed management systems.

Field and greenhouse studies were conducted in 2000, 2001, and 2002 to evaluate the response of imidazolinone-resistant (IR) corn and selected weeds to trifloxysulfuron applied postemergence (POST). Treatments included a nontreated control and S-metolachlor applied preemergence at 1,075 g ai/ha followed by (fb) trifloxysulfuron POST at 0, 3.8, 7.5, 11.2, and 15 g ai/ha. IR corn visible injury was less than 6% from field applications of trifloxysulfuron. Visual symptoms were transient, and IR corn yield was not affected by trifloxysulfuron. Common ragweed, common lambsquarters, annual grass species (giant foxtail and large crabgrass), and carpetweed were controlled at least 95% by S-metolachlor fb trifloxysulfuron applications. Morningglory species (ivyleaf morningglory, pitted morningglory, and tall morningglory) were controlled at least 97% in 2000 and greater than 77% in 2001 from S-metolachlor fb trifloxysulfuron. Jimsonweed was not adequately controlled. S-metolachlor alone controlled annual grass species 90% but did not control the broadleaf weeds that were present. Wheat was planted following IR corn harvest, and non-IR corn was planted the following spring. No visible response was observed to rotational wheat or non-IR corn crops. Rotational non-IR corn yield was not affected by trifloxysulfuron and was not different from the yield of corn treated with S-metolachlor alone. In greenhouse studies, IR corn was injured 10% at 10 d after treatment with 380 g/ha trifloxysulfuron POST, but recovery was rapid. Based upon results, trifloxysulfuron may be used as an herbicide in IR corn, and rotational wheat and non-IR corn may be planted at normal intervals after cotton harvest.

Field studies were conducted in 1999 to 2000 on a clay soil and a sandy-loam soil in Londrina and Palmeira, PR, Brazil, respectively, to determine the persistence and carryover effect of a mixture of imazapic and imazapyr, applied to imidazolinone-tolerant corn, on rotational crops of soybean, edible bean, wheat, and corn in two different planting systems (no till and tillage). Main plots were herbicide treatments (0, 52.5 + 17.5, and 105 + 35 g ai/ha for imazapic and imazapyr, respectively) and subplots were five intervals (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 d) between the herbicide application and rotational crop planting. Soil samples were collected for a cucumber bioassay and chemical residues analysis at each time interval. The dissipation time (DT50) of the herbicides in the soil was greater in Londrina than Palmeira, for both imazapic (54 d vs. 27 d, respectively) and imazapyr (40 d vs. 33 d, respectively), probably due to the lower pH and greater clay content of the soil in Londrina compared with Palmeira. The DT50 for both herbicides tended to increase slightly in no-till compared with conventional tillage but the differences were not great. Soybean was the least sensitive rotational crop, with a period for no yield drag (PINYD) of 87 d in Londrina and 88 d in Palmeira. Wheat and edible bean showed intermediate sensitivity. The PINYD for wheat and edible bean was 99 and 98 d for Londrina and 91 and 97 d for Palmeira, respectively. Corn was the most sensitive, with a PINYD of 117 d in Londrina and 97 d in Palmeira. Cucumber was more sensitive to imazapic and imazapyr residues than the rotational crops and should be an effective bioassay to indicate when rotational crops can be safely planted.

Experiments were conducted during 1999, 2002, and 2003 to evaluate sicklepod control by 2,4-DB applied alone or in mixture with selected fungicides and insecticides registered for use in peanut. The fungicides boscalid, chlorothalonil, fluazinam, propiconazole plus trifloxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, or tebuconazole and the insecticides acephate, carbaryl, esfenvalerate, fenpropathrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, methomyl, or indoxacarb applied in mixtures with 2,4-DB did not reduce sicklepod control by 2,4-DB compared with 2,4-DB alone. The fungicide azoxystrobin reduced control in some but not all experiments. Sicklepod control was highest when 2,4-DB was applied before flowering regardless of fungicide treatment. Seed production and germination were reduced when 2,4-DB was applied 81 to 85 d after emergence when sicklepod was flowering. Applying 2,4-DB before flowering and at pod set and pod fill did not affect seed production.

Pendimethalin plus atrazine (1,120 + 2,240 g ai/ha) or metolachlor plus atrazine (2,170 + 1,790 g ai/ha) applied PRE over 2 yr controlled broadleaf signalgrass and itchgrass 78 to 88% 30 d after treatment (DAT). The imazethapyr plus imazapyr prepackaged mixture (PREMIX) applied PRE at 47 + 16 g ai/ha controlled these weeds no more than 35%. With pendimethalin, metolachlor plus atrazine, or atrazine PRE followed by (fb) imazethapyr plus imazapyr POST, broadleaf signalgrass was controlled 89 to 98% and itchgrass 76 to 83% 28 d after POST application. When only imazethapyr plus imazapyr was applied POST, broadleaf signalgrass control was 88% the first year, but only 64% the second year. Itchgrass was controlled 71% when imazethapyr plus imazapyr was applied alone POST, but control was nearly 86% when pendimethalin or nicosulfuron was applied POST with imazethapyr plus imazapyr. Consistently high corn yields were obtained when pendimethalin was applied POST with imazethapyr plus imazapyr, and these corn yields were greater than those following POST-only applications of imazethapyr plus imazapyr in 1 of 2 yr. When imazethapyr plus imazapyr was applied alone POST, corn yield was at least 1.3 times that when imazethapyr plus imazapyr was applied alone PRE. Weed control with imazethapyr plus imazapyr POST at 47 + 16 g/ha was not improved when ammonium sulfate was added with nonionionic surfactant or when methylated seed oil with or without ammonium sulfate or organosilicone adjuvants were used in the spray solution compared with using only nonionic surfactant in the spray solution. When imazethapyr plus imazapyr plus the various adjuvants was applied to weeds 5 to 8 cm tall, broadleaf signalgrass was controlled 93%, itchgrass 74 and 88%, and pitted morningglory 87 and 93% 28 DAT over 2 yr.

Field studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of using imazethapyr applied preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) for weed control in sericea lespedeza. In the POST experiment, imazethapyr was applied at 0, 71, 142, and 213 g ai/ha to mature, recently mowed stands of sericea lespedeza. Regardless of rate, yellow nutsedge and cutleaf groundcherry control at 2 mo after treatment, as determined by weed foliage biomass relative to the nontreated plants, was 90 and 80%, respectively. Sericea lespedeza forage yield (weeds removed) was not reduced by POST-applied imazethapyr even at 213 g/ha. The same imazethapyr rates were used with newly seeded sericea lespedeza in the PRE-applied experiment. Imazethapyr at 71 g/ha provided at least 78% control of large crabgrass, stinkgrass, yellow nutsedge, sicklepod, and cutleaf groundcherry as well as maximum sericea lespedeza performance, as indicated by seedling height, weight, and stand count. Results indicated that imazethapyr can be used for either PRE- or POST-applied weed control in sericea lespedeza. However, margin of safety is greater with imazethapyr applied POST to mature stands than with PRE applications to germinating seeds.

Experiments were conducted in North Carolina during 2002 and 2003 to evaluate broadleaf signalgrass and large crabgrass control by clethodim and sethoxydim applied in two-, three-, or four-way mixtures with fungicides, insecticides, and foliar fertilizer–plant growth regulator treatments. Broadleaf signalgrass and large crabgrass control by clethodim and sethoxydim was not reduced by the insecticides esfenvalerate, indoxacarb, or lambda-cyhalothrin. The fungicides azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, pyraclostrobin, and tebuconazole reduced large crabgrass control by clethodim or sethoxydim in one or more of three experiments for each herbicide. Disodium octaborate and the plant growth regulator prohexadione calcium plus urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) mixed with clethodim and fungicides improved large crabgrass control in some experiments. In contrast, prohexadione calcium plus UAN and disodium octaborate did not affect broadleaf signalgrass or large crabgrass control by sethoxydim.

Field studies were conducted from 2000 through 2002 to evaluate the effects of atrazine, pendimethalin, and trifluralin applied alone or in combination followed by cultivation when weeds and grain sorghum were less than 7 cm tall (early postemergence [EPOST]) or when weeds and grain sorghum were 10 to 15 cm tall (late postemergence [LPOST]). Atrazine plus pendimethalin applied EPOST caused 9 to 14% sorghum stunting all 3 yr while atrazine plus trifluralin applied EPOST caused 1 to 4% grain sorghum stunting. When applied LPOST, atrazine plus pendimethalin or trifluralin resulted in no greater than 3% stunting. Tumble pigweed was controlled at least 99% with atrazine plus pendimethalin or trifluralin applied EPOST or LPOST, whereas Texas panicum was controlled at least 97% with atrazine plus pendimethalin or trifluralin applied EPOST, and 76 to 100% with LPOST application. Sorghum yields were reduced with atrazine plus pendimethalin applied EPOST when compared with all herbicide combinations in one of 3 yr.

An experiment was conducted at four locations in North Carolina in 1996 and 1997 to evaluate weed control and cotton response in conventional-tillage bromoxynil-resistant cotton. Weed management systems evaluated included a factorial arrangement of bromoxynil postemergence (POST) at 0, 0.28, 0.42, or 0.56 kg ai/ha in mixture with pyrithiobac POST at 0, 0.018, 0.032, or 0.072 kg ai/ha. Additional treatments evaluated included trifluralin preplant-incorporated (PPI) plus fluometuron preemergence (PRE). All systems received a postemergence-directed (PDS) treatment of fluometuron plus MSMA. Bromoxynil at 0.42 kg/ha POST followed by (fb) fluometuron plus MSMA PDS controlled common lambsquarters, common ragweed, eclipta, prickly sida, redroot pigweed, spurred anoda; and entireleaf, ivyleaf, pitted, and tall morningglory at least 93%, whereas smooth pigweed and volunteer peanut were controlled 73 and 86%, respectively. Pyrithiobac at 0.036 kg/ha POST fb fluometuron plus MSMA PDS controlled eclipta, common ragweed, prickly sida, redroot, and smooth pigweed, and spurred anoda at least 94%. Volunteer peanut was controlled 84% by pyrithiobac at 0.032 kg/ha, whereas pitted, ivyleaf, and entireleaf morningglory were controlled by 63, 78, and 83%, respectively. Pyrithiobac at 0.072 kg/ha fb fluometuron plus MSMA PDS controlled common lambsquarters 48%. Cotton yield with bromoxynil plus pyrithiobac POST mixtures were equivalent to trifluralin PPI plus fluometuron PRE at three locations and better at the fourth location. Bromoxynil-resistant cotton ‘47’ and ‘57’ had excellent tolerance to all POST herbicide treatments.