A new encapsulated saflufenacil formulation has been developed and premixed as a single product with pyroxasulfone to provide control of small-seeded annual grass and broadleaf weeds and to extend the application window to early postemergence when applied to field corn. Pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil applied preemergence alone and in mixtures with other herbicides were examined for crop response and weed control efficacy. We hypothesized that applying pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil with a tank-mix partner would expand the spectrum of weed species that can be controlled and improve overall weed control efficacy compared to pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil applied alone. Six field experiments were completed at three locations in southwestern Ontario in 2022 and 2023. Pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil was applied alone, at 146 g ai ha−1 (pyroxasulfone 90 g ai ha−1, saflufenacil 56 g ai ha−1) or 245 g ai ha−1 (pyroxasulfone 150, saflufenacil 95 g ai ha−1), and with the following herbicide partners: atrazine, dicamba, or mesotrione + atrazine. All herbicide treatments were applied prior to corn and weed emergence. Weed control, density and biomass, and corn injury and yield were assessed. All pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil treatments caused no injury to corn. At 8 wk after emergence (WAE) pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil (245 g ai ha−1) controlled common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, and foxtail species by 42%, 59%, and 41%, respectively. Applications of pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil (146 or 245 g ai ha−1) with dicamba or mesotrione + atrazine improved common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed control at 8 WAE compared with pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil applied alone. Pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil (146 or 245 g ai ha−1) applied with dicamba or mesotrione + atrazine provided similar control of common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, and foxtail species to that of S-metolachlor/atrazine/mesotrione/bicyclopyrone, which is a standard herbicide used to control these weeds. Corn yield for all pyroxasulfone + encapsulated saflufenacil herbicide mixtures was similar to that of the weed-free control and the standard herbicide.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the response of stevia to several herbicide modes of action applied 2 wk after transplanting. At 1 wk after treatment (WAT), stevia was injured 34% to 39% by aciflourfen, metribuzin, and carfentrazone. In contrast, at 1 WAT, injury to stevia was <20% from S-metolachlor, linuron, halosulfuron, ethalfluralin, pyroxasulfone, pendimethalin, and trifloxysulfuron. By 4 WAT, stevia injury was ≤19% regardless of treatment, except metribuzin and trifloxysulfuron, with 84% and 69% injury, respectively. S-metolachlor, linuron, ethalfluralin, pendimethalin, and pyroxasulfone did not reduce aboveground biomass compared to the nontreated check at 4 WAT. Belowground biomass was not reduced by ethalfluralin, linuron, pendimethalin, and pyroxasulfone. Linuron, ethalfluralin, and pendimethalin may provide new modes of action for post-transplant weed management in stevia. However, further research is needed to evaluate the effect of these herbicides on stevia growth and quality in the field.

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%.

The tolerance of broad bean (Vicia faba L. Moruna and Alameda) to glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] was studied under field conditions. Chlorosis, rolling of apical leaves, and reduced growth were the typical symptoms caused by glyphosate on broad bean plants. Visual phytotoxicity from glyphosate at 60 and 120 g ae/ha was very slight. Moderate or severe crop injury was caused by glyphosate at 360 and 600 g ae/ha, when applied before blooming. Seed yields were 2, 4, 9, 23, and 47% lower than the control after glyphosate applications at 60, 120, 240, 360, and 600 g ae/ha, respectively, when averaged over stages of growth and locations. Broad bean was more susceptible to glyphosate at the vegetative stage, when the plants had five to seven nodes, and less susceptible at the late-flowering and pod-bearing stage. Double applications of glyphosate at 120 g ae/ha reduced seed yield more than 10% compared with similar treatments at 60 g ae/ha, regardless of growth stage. Glyphosate decreased seed yields mainly by reducing the number of pods per plant, but germination, fiber content, and gross energy of the seeds were not altered.

Glyphosate, alone and in combination with other herbicides or additives, was evaluated as a spot or shielded treatment for the control of silverleaf nightshade in cotton in three experiments over four years. Glyphosate used at 10.8 g ae/L in 1985 on dryland cotton controlled 81 to 98% of the silverleaf nightshade, but cotton lint yields were reduced by all treatments compared to the weed-free check. Glyphosate used at 7.2 g ae/L in 1986 on irrigated cotton controlled 6 to 83% of the silverleaf nightshade, and lint yields were reduced only when multiple spot applications were made. Spot applications of glyphosate were effective for silverleaf nightshade control when applied 7 wk after crop emergence in 1988. Weed control and cotton injury were lower with shielded applications than spot applications. In 1989, retreatments during a season or the next year resulted in 95% or greater silverleaf nightshade control. Cotton yield increases from herbicide treatment were not observed in 1988; however, yield increases were observed in 1989 when spot treatments were applied to the more successful 1988 plots.

A 3-yr study was conducted to evaluate efficacy and soybean tolerance of cinmethylin. Cinmethylin was applied preemergence alone at 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 kg ai/ha or in combination with metribuzin at 0.3 kg/ha. These treatments did not injure soybeans in field trials in 1984, 1985, and 1986. The combination of cinmethylin at 0.7 kg/ha and metribuzin at 0.3 kg/ha controlled more than 90% of large crabgrass, fall panicum, and yellow foxtail. Redroot pigweed and common lambsquarters control was also excellent. Residual control of all grass species was excellent for 8 weeks after preemergence application, followed by reduced control in two of the three grasses. The combination of cinmethylin and metribuzin at 0.7 and 0.3 kg/ha, respectively, significantly increased soybean yields compared to those of untreated plots. These yields were comparable with those obtained from the combination of alachlor and metribuzin at 2.0 and 0.3 kg/ha, respectively. Cinmethylin treatments had no adverse effects on soybean yield components including pods/plant, seed/pod, and seed weight. Cinmethylin shows potential as a preemergence herbicide for full-season weed control in soybean production.

Growth chamber experiments were conducted in the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007 to determine winter wheat, flixweed, and henbit response to POST treatments of saflufenacil at 13, 25, and 50 g ai ha−1 applied alone and in combinations with bentazon at 560 g ai ha−1 or 2,4-D amine at 533 g ae ha−1 and nonionic surfactant (NIS) at 0.25% v/v. Mixtures of saflufenacil and 2,4-D amine were also applied without NIS. Necrosis was observed on wheat leaves within 1 d after treatment (DAT) and peaked at 5 to 7 DAT. Saflufenacil at 13, 25, or 50 g ai ha−1 applied alone or in combination with 533 g ae ha−1 of 2,4-D amine plus NIS caused 19 to 38% (alone) and 24 to 40% (in combination) wheat foliar necrosis, respectively. Foliar necrosis of wheat was 14% or less when saflufenacil, at any rate, was mixed with bentazon or 2,4-D amine without NIS. Combinations of saflufenacil at any of the rates tested plus bentazon and NIS did not reduce wheat dry weight. Saflufenacil plus 2,4-D amine without adjuvant resulted in similar wheat dry weights as 2,4-D amine. Saflufenacil plus 2,4-D amine without NIS provided 99% control of flixweed at 21 DAT, but henbit control ranged from 81 to 88%. In comparison, saflufenacil at 50 g ha−1 mixed with bentazon and NIS controlled flixweed at 92% and henbit at 63% at 21 DAT. This research indicates saflufenacil has potential for POST use in winter wheat to control winter annual broadleaf weeds when tank-mixed with 2,4-D amine without NIS, but additional research is needed to discover ways to improve crop safety without reducing weed control.

Conventional grain sorghum is highly susceptible to POST grass control herbicides. Development of aryloxyphenoxypropionate-resistant grain sorghum could provide additional opportunities for POST herbicide grass control in grain sorghum. Field experiments were conducted at Hays and Manhattan, KS, to determine the effect of quizalofop rate and crop growth stage on injury and yield of aryloxyphenoxypropionate-resistant grain sorghum. Quizalofop was applied at 62, 124, 186, and 248 g ai ha−1 at sorghum heights of 8 to 10, 15 to 25, and 30 to 38 cm, which corresponded to early POST (EPOST), mid-POST (MPOST), and late POST (LPOST) application timings, respectively. Grain sorghum injury ranged from 0 to 68% at 1 wk after treatment (WAT); by 4 WAT, plants generally recovered from injury. The EPOST and MPOST applications caused 9 to 68% and 2 to 48% injury, respectively, whereas injury from LPOST was 0 to 16%, depending on rate. Crop injury from quizalofop was more prominent at rates higher than the proposed use rate in grain sorghum of 62 g ha−1. Grain yields were similar in treated and nontreated plots; applications of quizalofop at different timings did not reduce yield except when applied MPOST at the Manhattan site.

Field trials were conducted to evaluate weed control and soybean tolerance with co-application of pyraflufen-ethyl and glyphosate. Pyraflufen-ethyl applied at 11, 23, or 45 g ai/ha in combination with glyphosate did not affect control of barnyardgrass, browntop millet, redroot pigweed, sicklepod, or smellmelon compared to glyphosate alone or co-applied with chlorimuron. Initial benefit (7 DAT) to pitted morningglory control with pyraflufen-ethyl plus glyphosate compared to glyphosate alone or co-applied with chlorimuron was not observed 28 DAT. Hemp sesbania control was increased by pyraflufen-ethyl at 45 g/ha plus glyphosate and glyphosate plus chlorimuron relative to glyphosate applied alone. Pyraflufen-ethyl plus glyphosate resulted in significant visual soybean injury, and a reduction in soybean yield was observed with pyraflufen-ethyl at 45 g/ha relative to glyphosate applied alone or in combination with chlorimuron. Results from a weed-free study confirmed crop injury and yield reduction potential with pyraflufen-ethyl plus glyphosate. Overall results suggest no benefit with respect to weed control or crop tolerance to pyraflufen-ethyl inclusion in a glyphosate-resistant soybean weed control program over that observed with currently registered co-application of glyphosate and chlorimuron.

Field studies were conducted in 1997 and 1998 to evaluate the efficacy of imidazolinone weed management systems and crop tolerance of imidazolinone-tolerant (IT) corn to imazapic. Imazapic (36 and 72 g/ha) was evaluated when applied PRE; early postemergence (EPOST), when corn was at the two- to three-leaf stage; and late postemergence (LPOST), when corn was at the six- to eight-leaf stage. Imazapyr + imazethapyr EPOST and metolachlor + atrazine followed by (fb) primisulfuron LPOST were evaluated as commercial standards. Imazapic at 36 g/ha EPOST controlled johnsongrass, Texas panicum, smellmelon, and ivyleaf and entireleaf morningglory at least 93% when adequate rainfall occurred. Devil's claw was controlled at least 85% with imazapic EPOST or LPOST at either rate. Imazapic at 36 g/ha EPOST and LPOST controlled eclipta 88 and 91%, respectively. Yellow nutsedge was controlled >91% with imazapic LPOST, which was superior to imazapic applied EPOST. Broadleaf signalgrass was controlled 94% with imazapic at 72 g/ha LPOST, which was significantly higher than other herbicide treatments. Imazapic at 36 and 72 g/ha applied PRE under moisture stress resulted in reduced weed control; but when adequate rainfall occurred, weed control was generally similar to that of EPOST and LPOST applications. Imazapic crop response at 72, 105, 140, and 211 g/ha applied at EPOST and LPOST was evaluated in two IT corn hybrids. Crop response varied with soil and environmental conditions and application timings. Imazapic at 72, 105, and 140 g/ha EPOST resulted in crop injury 33 to 55% at 6 wk after planting (WAP) in a coarse soil; however, crop injury decreased to <20% at 12 WAP. Low crop injury (<9%) was observed at 12 WAP in a clay soil. Imazapic applied LPOST resulted in lower crop injury than EPOST application. Corn plant height and yield were not affected by any imazapic treatment.