Field, greenhouse, and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effect of MCPA ester, fertilizer type, and fertilizer rate on feral rye control with imazamox. In field studies near Sidney, NE, increasing the concentration of liquid ammonium phosphate (10–34–0) from 2.5 to 50% of the spray solution decreased feral rye control with imazamox by as much as 73%. Conversely, adding MCPA ester to imazamox significantly increased feral rye control in field studies by up to 77%. Initial greenhouse studies confirmed the liquid ammonium phosphate antagonism effect, but subsequent greenhouse studies were inconsistent with regard to the interaction between fertilizer and imazamox. At least one source of liquid ammonium phosphate was shown not to be antagonistic, and therefore fertilizer source or contaminants may be responsible for initial field observations. Greenhouse studies confirmed the synergistic interaction between MCPA and imazamox. MCPA ester applied at 560 g ai ha−1 decreased the rate of imazamox required to cause 50% reduction in feral rye dry weight (GR50) to 13 g ha−1 compared to 35 g ha−1 for imazamox alone. Although addition of MCPA ester increased 14C-imazamox absorption by 8% in laboratory studies, less 14C translocated out of the treated leaf; therefore the mechanism of synergism does not appear to be related to imazamox absorption or translocation.

Feral rye, commonly referred to as cereal, winter, common, or volunteer rye, is an important weed in winter wheat production in many parts of the United States and the world. Feral rye reduces net profits in the United States by more than $27 million due to lower grain yields, increased dockage, and reduced land values. To date, limited research has been conducted on components that make feral rye a problem in various cropping systems. Herbicide-tolerant wheat technology can be used to manage feral rye, but current efficacy levels are not adequate for high feral rye densities. In addition, the long-term effects that individual management strategies may have on feral rye populations are unknown. This review addresses the physical, environmental, and genetic characteristics of Secale cereale. Current economic impact, management, and research data gaps are also discussed.

There is increasing demand for the implementation of effects-based monitoring and surveillance (EBMS) approaches in the Great Lakes Basin to complement traditional chemical monitoring. Herein, we describe an ongoing multiagency effort to develop and implement EBMS tools, particularly with regard to monitoring potentially toxic chemicals and assessing Areas of Concern (AOCs), as envisioned by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Our strategy includes use of both targeted and open-ended/discovery techniques, as appropriate to the amount of information available, to guide a priori end point and/or assay selection. Specifically, a combination of in vivo and in vitro tools is employed by using both wild and caged fish (in vivo), and a variety of receptor- and cell-based assays (in vitro). We employ a work flow that progressively emphasizes in vitro tools for long-term or high-intensity monitoring because of their greater practicality (e.g., lower cost, labor) and relying on in vivo assays for initial surveillance and verification. Our strategy takes advantage of the strengths of a diversity of tools, balancing the depth, breadth, and specificity of information they provide against their costs, transferability, and practicality. Finally, a series of illustrative scenarios is examined that align EBMS options with management goals to illustrate the adaptability and scaling of EBMS approaches and how they can be used in management decisions.

Environmental Practice 15:409–426 (2013)

When citizens contact local government agencies, they generally attempt to influence service delivery decisions made by these bureaucracies. This paper examines the nature of citizen contacts, and the results of such contacts, with respect to the enforcement of environmental ordinances in Detroit, Michigan. We first examine the mechanisms responsible for the generation of citizen contacts. Assuming relations among citizen awareness, service need, and social well-being, we derive a downward-opening parabola as appropriate for describing the relationship between social well-being and propensity to contact a service agency. Using data on citizen contacts from City of Detroit agencies merged with census data, we find the expected relationship in evidence. We find that the Environmental Enforcement Division generally responds to citizen contacts, but the quality of the response varies with social characteristics of neighborhoods.