In field trials, 2 gpa of oil enhanced the herbicidal activity of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (amitrole) and a mixture of amitrole + ammonium thiocyanate (hereinafter referred to as amitrole-T) on quackgrass (Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.). None of the oils consistently increased the toxicity of other foliarly-applied herbicides. A paraffinic mineral oil enhanced the activity of amitrole on quackgrass to a greater degree than NH4SCN. The inclusion of a paraffinic mineral oil enhanced both the amount and the rate of 14C-amitrole and amitrole-T translocated from the treated leaf to the shoots and roots, this being more pronounced with amitrole (twelvefold) than with amitrole-T (twofold).

Waterhyacinths grown outdoors were treated with combinations of 0 or 22 kg ai ha-1 of the plant growth retardant paclobutrazol and 0, 25, or 250 waterhyacinth weevils per culture tank under conditions of low (25% coverage) or high (100% coverage) plant densities. The low plant density treatments simulated a regrowth or colonization situation. Weevil feeding activity, canopy height, plant volume, leaf production, and leaf mortality were monitored biweekly for 22 weeks or until all plants had died. In high plant densities, weevil infestations increased leaf mortality rates while decreasing production rates, causing eventual plant death. At low plant densities, waterhyacinth plants partially compensated for weevil feeding by increased leaf production rates, thus enabling them to survive until the end of the study. Paclobutrazol reduced canopy height for about 3 months but had little effect on weevil feeding intensities. Combinations of weevils and paclobutrazol gave complete control of waterhyacinths regardless of plant densities. The combined effects were synergistic, with accelerated leaf mortality rates exceeding production rates leading to early plant death. This study demonstrated the potential for increasing effectiveness of waterhyacinth weevils using integrated strategies.

Antidotes were evaluated for their ability to prevent corn and sorghum injury caused by imazaquin. Plant injury was reduced in both preemergence and early postemergence imazaquin applications. Naphthalic anhydride (NA) seed treatment was the most consistent compound in reducing the imazaquin injury. Seed treatment with CGA 92194 or flurazole also gave injury protection to corn and sorghum, while soil treatment with dichlormid provided the least protection from imazaquin injury. Treatment with the antidotes did not affect the acetolactate synthase (ALS) (EC4.1.3.18) activity in corn or sorghum tissues. Imazaquin treatments decreased extractable ALS activity but this decrease was eliminated, partially or totally, by the most effective antidotes. Antidote treatments had little effect on absorption and distribution of 14C in plants growing in soil treated with 14C-imazaquin. Antidote treatments increased the metabolism of 14C-imazaquin to both soluble and unextractable 14C after 24 h of exposure. The increased rate of imazaquin conversion to less toxic metabolites when antidotes were used resulted in a reduction in imazaquin injury to corn and sorghum.

Controlling invasive plant infestations is very costly and often unsuccessful. Preventing invasions is more cost-effective than controlling invasive plants after they are established. Because prevention guidelines do not suggest any tools or methods to limit wind dispersal of invasive plant seeds, we investigated the influence of neighboring vegetation height on seed dispersal of a wind-dispersed (yellow salsify) and nonwind-dispersed (medusahead) species. To examine the influence of neighboring vegetation height on dispersal, seeds of both species were released in front of an artificial stand of desert wheatgrass in a modified wind tunnel. Treatments were a complete factorial design with two species, four vegetation heights (10, 30, 40, and 60 cm), three wind speeds (3, 5.5, and 10 km h−1), and three release distances from the neighboring vegetation (0, 15, and 30 cm). The ability of medusahead and yellow salsify seeds to disperse was influenced by the height of neighboring vegetation. Increasing height of neighboring vegetation decreased the number of yellow salsify seeds dispersing across neighboring vegetation. The greatest percentage of medusahead seeds dispersed across the neighboring vegetation was at the shortest height. Based on these results, we suggest that maintaining or promoting tall vegetation neighboring invasive plant infestations may reduce wind dispersal of seeds. More research is needed to investigate the influence of varying heights, densities, structural attributes, and composition of vegetation neighboring infestations and the dispersal of invasive plants.

Research was conducted to determine the effects of management practices and precipitation on herbicide loss in surface water runoff. A field runoff experiment was conducted in 1999 and 2000 in Manhattan, KS. Some plots received only natural precipitation, whereas others received natural precipitation plus additional precipitation from a rainfall simulator. Atrazine was applied at 0.9 and 1.8 kg ha−1, S-metolachlor at 0.7 and 1.4 kg ha−1, and isoxaflutole at 0.05 and 0.11 kg ha−1 to field corn grown under conventional tillage and no-till. Runoff volumes and herbicide concentrations were determined for each runoff event. Across all precipitation, tillage, and placement variables, atrazine, S-metolachlor, and isoxaflutole and diketonitrile (DKN) (soil metabolite of isoxaflutole), hereafter referred to as isoxaflutole/DKN, losses were similar at 5.0, 4.1, and 4.1% of applied, respectively. Additional precipitation increased runoff 2.5-, 2.2-, and 3.4-fold for atrazine, S-metolachlor, and isoxaflutole/DKN, respectively. Preplant soil incorporation reduced atrazine, S-metolachlor, and isoxaflutole/DKN losses in runoff by 67, 69, and 57%, respectively, compared with soil surface applications. Lower preplant rainfall in 2000 resulted in sharply reduced runoff losses despite postplant precipitation similar to that in 1999. These findings suggest that the best management practices for atrazine can be used to manage S-metolachlor and isoxaflutole/DKN loss in surface water runoff.

S-ethyl hexahydro-1 H-azepine-l-carbothioate-C14 (molinate-C14) applied to the leaves of barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.] and rice (Oryza sativa L.) was predominantly translocated acropetally. Root-applied molinate-C14 was translocated readily throughout the plant. Excised organs of barnyardgrass absorbed more molinate-C14 than did corresponding organs of rice. With surface application, injury by 5 or 10 ppm molinate to rice planted at depths of 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 in decreased with increasing depth of planting, but injury increased in incorporated treatments with increasing depth of planting. Barnyardgrass was markedly suppressed at all depths of planting. Inhibition of elongation of barnyardgrass by molinate was overcome by an equimolar concentration of gibberellic acid. Molinate reduced the level of soluble RNA in barnyardgrass coleoptiles.

The effect of fall frost on the activity of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ‘Vernal’) and quackgrass [Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.] was studied in a room of the Biotron, a controlled environment facility of the University of Wisconsin, and in the field in the fall. In a Biotron time-course study, the most effective day of treatment for quackgrass control was the day after the first frost. Quackgrass plants treated the morning after frost had significantly higher uptake and translocation of glyphosate (93%, 55%) than plants treated 4 days before frost (71%, 32%) and greater translocation than plants treated 5 days after frost (24%). In the field, glyphosate was most active on quackgrass when applied the morning after the first frost of the fall. Control of quackgrass treated with 0.4 kg/ha of glyphosate increased from 10% when treated 4 days before the first frost to a maximum of 91% when treated the day of the first frost. No significant effects of frost in decreasing glyphosate toxicity to alfalfa were found. These results minimize the possibility of using this herbicide to remove quackgrass from alfalfa.

Control of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) with postemergence herbicides was investigated in greenhouse and field experiments. In greenhouse experiments, amitrole (3-amino-s-triazole), dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid), glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine], and combinations of amitrole + dicamba, dicamba + 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid], glyphosate + 2,4-D, and glyphosate + dicamba reduced regrowth of 6-week-old common milkweed as compared with the untreated check. Postemergence herbicides commonly used in corn (Zea mays L.), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], and soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] had little effect on emerged common milkweed. Removal of common milkweed top-growth as early as 1 day after treatment did not effect subsequent growth reduction from glyphosate at 0.3 kg/ha or higher. In the field, satisfactory control (70% or better) of common milkweed was obtained with glyphosate at 2.2 kg/ha applied at the early or late bud growth stage. Plots plowed 1 day after application of glyphosate at 2.2 kg/ha still retained satisfactory control of common milkweed 1 yr after treatment. Herbicides applied with a herbicide glove or a roller applicator resulted in common milkweed control similar to that obtained from broadcast spray applications.

Based on six years of data from a field experiment near Pullman, WA, a bioeconomic decision model was developed to annually estimate the optimal post-emergence herbicide types and rates to control multiple weed species in winter wheat under various tillage systems and crop rotations. The model name, PALWEED:WHEAT, signifies a Washington-Idaho Palouse region weed management model for winter wheat The model consists of linear preharvest weed density functions, a nonlinear yield response function, and a profit function. Preharvest weed density functions were estimated for four weed groups: summer annual grasses, winter annual grasses, summer annual broadleaves, and winter annual broadleaves. A single aggregated weed competition index was developed from the four density functions for use functions for use in the yield model. A yield model containing a logistic damage function performed better than a model containing a rectangular hyperbolic damage function. Herbicides were grouped into three categories: preplant nonselective, postemergence broadleaf, and postemergence grass. PALWEED:WHEAT was applied to average conditions of the 6-yr experiment to predict herbicide treatments that maximized profit. In comparison to average treatment rates in the 6-yr experiment, the bioeconomic decision model recommended less postemergence herbicide. The weed management recommendations of PALWEED:WHEAT behaved as expected by agronomic and economic theory in response to changes in assumed weed populations, herbicide costs, crop prices, and possible restrictions on herbicide application rates.

Dimethyl 2,3,5,6-tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA) on the soil surface inhibited rooting at bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L., var 328) stolon nodes. Histological studies of these root tips showed that cell division had ceased while cell enlargement continued for some time. Cells became excessively large and irregularly shaped. In corn (Zea may L., var. Pioneer 310), radicle cell size was about the same in both instances; however, treated tissue contained six times as many dinucleate cells as untreated radicle tissue. Numerous nuclei were at metaphase stage of mitosis in treated tissue. In untreated onion (Allium cepa L., var. Yellow Globe Danvers) root tips, many nuclei were found at anaphase and telophase stage of mitosis while very few cells were dividing in treated tissue.

Studies in growth chambers indicated that CGA-43089 {α-[(cyanomethoxy)imino] benzeneacetonitrile} applied at a rate of 1.25 g/kg of seed reduced the phytotoxicity of metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide], bensulide [o,o-diisopropyl phosphorodithioate S-ester with N-(2-mercaptoethyl) benzenesulfonamide], EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate), UBI-S734 {2-[(1,2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl] pyridine N-oxide} and MBR-18337 {N-[4-(ethylthio)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] methanesulfonamide} to grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] during seed germination and seedling emergence. The protected sorghum tolerated metolachlor over a wider range of rates than it tolerated the other herbicides. CGA-43089 did not protect sorghum from the phytotoxicity of trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine). Of seven other oximes tested as seed treatments, dimethylglyoxime, benzophenone oxime, pyridine-2-aldoxime, benzoin-α-oxime, and methyl thioacetohydroxamate showed promise for increasing the tolerance of grain sorghum to metolachlor. In general, higher rates of these oximes than the rate of CGA-43089 were required for equivalent protection of sorghum.

Seedlings of winged elm (Ulmus data Michx.), bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa Michx.), black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.), and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were treated in nutrient solution with ring-labeled 14C-tebuthiuron {N-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]-N,N′-dimethylurea} or 14C-hexazinone [3-cyclohexyl-6-(dimethylamino)-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione]. Four hours later, 14C was detected in all sections of winged elm treated with 14C-tebuthiuron and 14C-hexazinone. Root absorption of the tebuthiuron label by the other species occurred in the order: loblolly pine > bur oak > black walnut = eastern redcedar. The sequence of 14C-hexazinone absorption was: loblolly pine > black walnut ≥ bur oak = eastern redcedar. Foliar accumulation of the tebuthiuron label occurred in the order: bur oak > loblolly pine > eastern redcedar = black walnut, whereas the sequence with hexazinone was loblolly pine > bur oak > black walnut = eastern redcedar. The presence of the three metabolites of hexazinone in loblolly pine suggests that it may be resistant to hexazinone as a result of its ability to degrade hexazinone rather than its ability to limit uptake.

Losses due to weeds in the United States and the cost of their control are now more than $20 billion annually (35). Of this total, $13 billion represents a 10% annual loss in agricultural production that includes not only the direct competition of weeds to reduce crop yields but also the reduced quality of produce, livestock losses, and increased cost of fertilizer, irrigation, harvesting, grain drying, transportation, and storage. In addition, farmers spend more than $7.2 billion to control weeds each year. About 43% of the expenditures to control weeds is the retail cost of herbicides, $3.1 billion, in 1980 (15). The value of herbicides sold in 1984 will probably be about 15% higher than in 1980. An additional $4.1 billion represents the cost of tillage and hand labor required for weed control (35). The total loss of over $20 billion represents an indirect annual weed tax of about $85 on each individual living in the United States.

The main objective of the Emerging Technologies Symposium at the 2007 WSSA Annual Meeting was to provide the weed science community with the principles behind emerging technologies and how they can be used to study weed biology. Specifically, aspects and applications related to genomic database development, microarrays, bioinformatics, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), marker development, and proteomics were presented. These technologies have already been used to make significant advances to our understanding of animal and plant biology and are expected to be equally beneficial within the weed science community.

A study was initiated in 2001at four locations in western Canada to investigate an integrated approach to managing wild oat, the region's worst weed. The study examined the effects of combining semidwarf or tall barley cultivars with normal or twice-normal barley seeding rates in either continuous barley or a barley–canola–barley–field pea–barley rotation. Herbicides were applied at 25, 50, and 100% of recommended rates. The first phase of the study was completed in 2005. This paper reports on the second phase, which was continued for four more years at two of the locations, Beaverlodge and Fort Vermilion, AB, Canada. The objective was to determine the long-term impact of the treatments on wild oat seed in the soil seed bank. In 2009 (final year), the diverse rotation combined with the higher barley seeding rate (optimal cultural practice) resulted in higher barley yields and reduced wild oat biomass compared to continuous barley and lower barley seeding rate (suboptimal cultural practice). In contrast to the first phase, barley yield was higher with the semidwarf cultivar, and cultivar had no effect on wild oat management. Wild oat seed in the soil seed bank decreased with increasing herbicide rate, but amounts were often lower with the optimal cultural practice. For example, at the recommended herbicide rate at Beaverlodge, an approximate 40-fold reduction in wild oat seed occurred with the optimal compared to the suboptimal cultural practice. The results indicate that combining optimal cultural practices with herbicides will reduce the amount of wild oat seed in the soil seed bank, and result in higher barley yields. Optimal cultural practices may also compensate for reduced herbicidal effects in terms of reducing wild oat seed accumulation in the soil seed bank and increasing barley yield. The results have implications for mitigating the evolution of herbicide resistance in wild oat.

Field experiments were conducted to study the feasibility of applying glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] postemergence for the control of johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.], redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and hemp sesbania [Sesbania exaltata (Raf.) Cory] in soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Herbicide sprays were directed across the row to weeds growing taller than soybeans in June, July, and August. Herbicide not sprayed on weeds was trapped and reused. Glyphosate at 1.12 and 1.68 kg/ha effectively controlled johnsongrass with little soybean injury and with greatly increased soybean yields. The use of 0.1% surfactant frequently increased the toxicity of glyphosate at 1.12 and 1.68 kg/ha to soybeans, but this adverse effect was overcome by the use of 0.1% anti-drift polymer in sprays. Control of redroot pigweed with glyphosate at 1.12 kg/ha was improved by the use of 0.1% surfactant, but surfactant did not increase control with glyphosate at 1.68 kg/ha. Glyphosate at 1.68 kg/ha, with 0.1% surfactant, was required to provide more than 80% control of hemp sesbania. Glyphosate applied at 1.12 kg/ha in the recirculating sprayer provided equal johnsongrass control, increased soybean yields and caused less soybean injury than when glyphosate at 0.56 kg/ha was applied over-the-top in water or in foam.

Terbufos and primisulfuron interactions were evaluated under growth chamber conditions using a sand culture system. Terbufos was applied to transplanted corn seedlings, followed in 5 d by foliar applications of primisulfuron plus nonionic surfactant. Primisulfuron and terbufos alone did not cause corn injury; however, shoot dry weight and shoot length were reduced 28 and 36% in terbufos treatments 96 h after primisulfuron application. Primisulfuron absorption and translocation were not affected by terbufos, but the half-life of primisulfuron increased from 2 to 3.5 h in terbufos treatments. Terbufos did not affect primisulfuron metabolite profiles. The basis for increased primisulfuron phytotoxicity in terbufos treatments appeared to result from reduced primisulfuron metabolism.

Factors that govern the germination of cutleaf groundcherry (Physalis angulata L. # PHYAN), smooth groundcherry [Physalis virginiana var. subglabrata (Mackenz. and Bush) Waterfall # PHYSU], and eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun. # SOLPT) were evaluated. Maximum germination of all three species occurred at a constant 30 C or alternating temperature regimes that included 30 C. Seed of all species germinated in light and dark, but germination was reduced in the dark. Germination and seedling vigor of all species decreased as substrate pH decreased. Cutleaf groundcherry seed were slightly less sensitive than seed of other species to simulated moisture stress. All species produced 90% or more viable seed by 8 weeks after anthesis.

The concentration of fluridone {1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4(1H)-pyridinone} residue in Miller clay and Lufkin fine sandy loam was determined at various intervals following incorporated and nonincorporated applications in the field. Low levels of fluridone were present in Miller clay after 250 days while up to 25% remained in Lufkin fine sandy loam 385 days after treatment. Incorporation of fluridone increased its persistence in, Lufkin fine sandy loam but not in Miller clay. Fluridone degradation in Miller clay and Lufkin fine sandy loam was more rapid in the field than under controlled conditions. Fluridone degradation in sterilized Brennan fine sandy loam and Hidalgo sandy clay loam was significantly slower than in nonsterilized soil kept under the same conditions. These differences were not observed in Lufkin fine sandy loam and Miller clay.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L. # PANMI) was controlled in corn (Zea mays L. ‘Pioneer 3747’) with postemergence-directed herbicides applied following a standard preplant-incorporated application of butylate [S-ethylbis(2-methylpropyl)carbamothioate] plus dichlormid (2,2-dichloro-N,N-di-2-propenylacetamide) plus cyanazine {2-[[4-chloro-6-(ethylamino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2-methylpropanenitrile}. Postemergence-directed applications of ametryn [N-ethyl-N′-(1-methylethyl)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine], cloproxydim {(E,E)-2-[1-[[(3-chloro-2-propenyl)oxy]imino]butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one}, butyl ester of fluazifop {(±)-2-[4-[[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]oxy]phenoxy] propanoic acid}, butyl ester of fluazifop-p {(R)-2-[4-[[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]oxy]phenoxy] propanoic acid}, glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine], methyl ester of haloxyfop {2-[4-[[3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]oxy]phenoxy]propanoic acid}, and sethoxydim {2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one} in 40-cm-tall corn gave greater than 90% control of 5- to 15-cm-tall proso millet while causing little or no corn injury at selected rates. Season-long proso millet control was obtained with sethoxydim at rates as low as 56 g ai/ha with no visible corn injury. Unacceptable injury to 40-cm-tall corn occurred with all but the lowest rate of sethoxydim (56 g ai/ha) when a crop oil concentrate was used. Sethoxydim applied as a directed spray at rates up to 110 g ai/ha plus 1.25% (v/v) crop oil concentrate did not injure 60-cm-tall corn.