Studies were conducted at two sites in South Dakota in 1992 and at one site in 1993 to measure the effect of velvetleaf on corn growth and yield. Velvetleaf was overseeded in corn rows and thinned to densities of 0, 1.3, 4, 12, and 24 plants/m2. Velvetleaf leaf area index and total biomass were positively correlated with velvetleaf density. Biomass per velvetleaf plant and corn biomass were correlated negatively with velvetleaf density. The percent corn yield reduction was similar for locations and years in spite of large yield differences. Maximum yield loss estimated by a hyperbolic yield reduction model was 37.2% with a loss of 4.4% per unit velvetleaf density.

Fall-planted rapeseed and sudangrass were evaluated for weed control in potato during a two-year study. Rapeseed incorporated in the spring in a loamy sand soil reduced weed density 85 and 73% in 1992 and 1993, respectively, and reduced weed biomass 96 and 50% in 1992 and 1993, respectively, in following potato crops compared to potato after fallow. Potato following rapeseed yielded 25% and 17% more total tuber weight than potato following sudangrass in 1992 and fallow in 1993, respectively. In greenhouse trials, rapeseed tissue added to a loamy sand soil at 20 g fresh weight per 400 g dry soil reduced biomass of hairy nightshade and longspine sandbur by 90 and 83%, respectively. Similarly, white mustard tissue added at 20 g fresh weight per 400 g dry soil reduced biomass of hairy nightshade and green foxtail by 83 and 70%, respectively.

Imazethapyr dose response curves were developed under laboratory and field conditions with the imazethapyr-resistant and -susceptible corn hybrids Pioneer 3180IR, IR denoting a hybrid homozygous for the XA17 gene conferring resistance to imazethapyr, and normal Pioneer 3180, respectively, and their F1 progeny to establish methods of measuring the presence of the XA17 gene and quantifying its impact. At two field locations, absorption of photosynthetically active radiation was a sensitive index of corn injury caused by imazethapyr. Imazethapyr, at 35 g/ha (one half the labeled rate), reduced absorption of photosynthetically active radiation in Pioneer 3180 by 8.3% at 1 wk after treatment. Plant height also was a sensitive index of injury. The minimum rate at which imazethapyr injury was detected in the Pioneer 3180IR/Pioneer 3180 F1 hybrid differed with location. Pioneer 3180IR was not injured by 280 g/ha of imazethapyr. The Pioneer 3180IR/3180 F1 hybrid was injured slightly by imazethapyr at 140 g/ha, but recovered within 5 wk after treatment, and grain yield was not reduced by 280 g/ha of imazethapyr. A seedling assay reliably detected differences between progeny of Pioneer 3180IR and Pioneer 3180IR/3180 F1.

The efficacy of postemergence herbicide applications was evaluated in the greenhouse and the field in 1993 and 1994, using variables of carrier volume and diluent type. Ultra-low volume (ULV) applications of herbicides using an air-assisted sprayer calibrated at a volume of 9.4 L/ha were compared to 94 and 187 L/ha applications with a conventional hydraulic system. In greenhouse studies, reduced rates of sethoxydim, clethodim, fluazifop-P, and quizalofop were used to compare the effects of carrier types and volumes on their efficacy to yellow foxtail. All herbicides applied in oil diluents at 9.4 L/ha, with the exception of fluazifop-P and quizalofop applied in soybean oil, provided better yellow foxtail control than when applied in water at 94 and 187 L/ha. Sethoxydim and clethodim applied at 25 and 16% of the recommended rate, respectively, provided over 90% control in both petroleum oil and methylated seed oil. Reduced rates of glyphosate in petroleum oil or soybean oil were more effective at reducing bermudagrass growth than in water or methylated seed oil. Activity of glyphosate in methylated seed oil was no more effective than in water. Field experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of ULV applications of sethoxydim, clethodim, fluazifop-P, imazethapyr, and bentazon. Rates of the postemergence grass herbicides could be reduced by applying them at ULV in oil diluents while maintaining annual grass control equal to that achieved with higher herbicide rates in larger volumes of water. Control of annual grasses and annual broadleaf weeds with bentazon and imazethapyr applied at ULV were inconsistent and did not provide acceptable weed control. This may be partially due to the poor suspension of these herbicides in oil carriers.

Nicosulfuron is used with surfactant or oil adjuvant to enhance postemergence efficacy. Yellow foxtail fresh weight reduction from nicosulfuron varied from 10 to 92% depending upon surfactant in greenhouse experiments. Oil adjuvants differed in enhancement of nicosulfuron phytotoxicity to yellow foxtail or large crabgrass with methylated canola oil being most effective, followed by vegetable oils, and petroleum mineral oil as least effective. Percentage and type of surfactant used as an emulsifier in an oil adjuvant was important to nicosulfuron phytotoxicity especially when applied with the less effective oils, but was of minimal importance when applied with methylated canola oil. Adjuvant effectiveness was directly related to nicosulfuron absorption. These data indicated that recommendations for adjuvants to maximize nicosulfuron phytotoxicity should be limited to specific products.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the response of six corn hybrids and two soybean varieties to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicides applied with terbufos and/or piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a mixed function oxidase (MFO) inhibitor. Field experiments also were conducted to determine the response of six corn hybrids to the combination treatments, terbufos plus ALS inhibitor herbicides and/or PBO and/or antidote. PBO at 0.33 kg/ha tank-mixed with nicosulfuron and primisulfuron injured the Northrup King 9283 corn hybrid. Great Lakes 584 corn was less sensitive than Northrup King 9283 to these combination treatments. Pioneer 3377 IR corn hybrid was resistant to the combination of nicosulfuron or primisulfuron plus PBO at 2 kg/ha and also to the combination treatments of imazethapyr herbicide plus PBO even though terbufos was previously applied. ICI 8532 IT, ICI 8532, and Pioneer 3377 hybrids were injured by the combination of nicosulfuron or primisulfuron and/or terbufos and/or PBO at 2 kg/ha. ICI 8532 IT corn hybrid was not injured by the combination treatment of imazethapyr or thifensulfuron and terbufos. In the field studies, Pioneer 3377 IR and Ciba 4393 RSC hybrids were resistant to sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides even when applied with PBO regardless of the presence of terbufos. All treatments of chlorimuron plus terbufos caused considerable injury to ICI 8532 IT, ICI 8532, Pioneer 3377, and Ciba 4393, but not Pioneer 3377 IR and Ciba 4393 RSC. The combination of thifensulfuron with PBO injured Elgin ‘87 soybean, but the W20 soybean was tolerant to this combination treatment. Combination of imazethapyr with PBO did not affect the growth of Elgin ‘87 soybean.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate postplant crop residue, green and yellow foxtail control, and wheat grain yield after fall application of trifluralin granules in undisturbed small grain stubble. Levels of postplant residue were at least 48% cover (line transect method) and 2750 kg/ha of aboveground dry matter where herbicide granules were left unincorporated or were incorporated with conservation-till methods, including an undercutter, rotary hoe, or undercutter followed by a rotary hoe. Trifluralin at 0.56 kg/ha applied as granules in mid October in untilled stubble and incorporated with conservation-till methods controlled foxtail 81 to 88%, with control appearing slightly lower when granules were not incorporated. The 81 to 88% foxtail control in conservation-till treatments was comparable to control achieved with trifluralin at 0.56 kg/ha applied in mid October on conventionally-tilled soil and incorporated by a field cultivator. Foxtail control improved somewhat as trifluralin rate was increased to 0.84 and 1.12 kg/ha in conservation-till treatments. Slight wheat stand reductions at 1.12 kg/ha of trifluralin did not appear to reduce wheat yield. Fall application of trifluralin granules in these high-residue conditions apparently minimizes herbicide losses by photodecomposition and volatility, thereby facilitating good trifluralin efficacy the following season.

Field experiments were conducted at the Lacombe Research Station from 1989 to 1991 to determine if short-term, split applications of grass-specific herbicides would improve quackgrass control relative to single applications. Quackgrass infested plots were planted to canola the first year and barley the following year. Glyphosate applied at 880 g/ha controlled quackgrass to a greater extent and for a longer time period than any of the grass-specific herbicides. In contrast to glyphosate, none of the grass-specific herbicides controlled quackgrass 1 yr after treatment. Quackgrass control with sethoxydim or fluazifop-P was usually similar when applied as single or short-term, split applications. In contrast, quizalofop often provided better quackgrass control and higher crop yields when short-term, split applications were compared to a single application with the same total amount of quizalofop. However, the extent of increased quackgrass control is difficult to justify due to increased application costs and inconvenience.

A field experiment was conducted over a 2-yr period to determine the effects of reduced PRE herbicide rates on large crabgrass infestation in six tall fescue cultivars. With the exception of oryzalin and benefin plus oryzalin in 1993, there was no cultivar by herbicide interaction for large crabgrass infestation when final ratings were made in 1993 and 1994. This interaction was caused by moderate to severe turfgrass injury that thinned the turf. When cultivars were disregarded, prodiamine was the only herbicide applied at one-third recommended rate in 1993 that effectively suppressed large crabgrass for the full season. Prodiamine and dithiopyr were the only PRE herbicides applied at one-third recommended rates for two consecutive years that effectively suppressed large crabgrass in 1994. Two-thirds recommended rate was needed for two consecutive years for oxadiazon, pendimethalin, oryzalin, benefin plus oryzalin, and benefin plus trifluralin to maintain optimum large crabgrass suppression in 1994.

Field experiments were conducted in 1993 and 1994 to evaluate barnyardgrass control with fenoxaprop-ethyl applied alone or in a mixture with bentazon or bensulfuron. Bensulfuron at 52 g ai/ha did not reduce barnyardgrass control with fenoxaprop-ethyl applied at rates of 56, 75, or 94 g ai/ha. In contrast, mixing bentazon at 1.1 kg ae/ha with fenoxaprop-ethyl reduced barnyardgrass control and rice yield compared with fenoxaprop-ethyl applied alone or mixed with bensulfuron.

Greenhouse studies assessed the susceptibility of three common lambsquarters biotypes to foliar-applied bromoxynil, dicamba, and thifensulfuron. Field studies evaluated the effectiveness of the same herbicides in conjunction with atrazine and row cultivation for the control of common lambsquarters in corn. In the field, bromoxynil was applied at 140, 280, and 420 g/ha, dicamba at 140, 280, and 560 g/ha, and thifensulfuron at 2, 3, and 4 g/ha. In the greenhouse, bromoxynil and thifensulfuron reduced common lambsquarters growth by at least 55%, while dicamba reduced growth 45% or less. Two of the three biotypes were resistant to atrazine. In the field, weed control was up to 70% better in cultivated plots than in noncultivated plots. Cultivation sometimes promoted additional weed emergence, but later emerging weeds rarely reached reproductive maturity. Atrazine improved the level of weed control only if triazine-susceptible weeds were present. The lowest rates of bromoxynil and dicamba (140 g/ha) controlled common lambsquarters 85% or greater even without cultivation, whereas control with the low rate of thifensulfuron (2 g/ha) was acceptable (greater than 85%) 8 wk after planting only in combination with cultivation. Combinations of reduced herbicide rates and mechanical cultivation provided effective, alternative control strategies for both triazine-resistant and susceptible common lambsquarters.

With the increased development of new tall fescue cultivars used in turf, it is important to understand their individual response to herbicide treatment. The effect of prodiamine on tall fescue root dry weight and root length of selected tall fescue cultivars was studied in the greenhouse in 1.3-m-deep pots of calcined clay. Prodiamine at 0.8 kg ai/ha did not significantly affect either root dry weight or root length. However, the mean root dry weight and maximum root length averaged over all cultivars were significantly reduced at 4 wk after treatment with 1.7 kg/ha. When the prodiamine treatments were repeated in a second experiment, both rates caused a significant reduction in the mean root dry weight and maximum root length but there was no significant difference between prodiamine rates. Single degree of freedom contrasts between the untreated and treated turfs for each cultivar had some differential response in root dry weight. The reduction in root dry weight in the prodiamine treatments was more pronounced in the second study because the turf was less mature. ‘Olympic’ and ‘Rebel’ tall fescue had significantly reduced root dry weight at the 1.7 kg/ha rate in first study; whereas, ‘Amigo,’ Olympic, ‘Sundance,’ and ‘Taurus' tall fescue had significant reduction in root dry weight at both 0.8 and 1.7 kg/ha prodiamine rates. ‘Midnight’ Kentucky bluegrass had significantly reduced root length at both prodiamine rates in the second experiment but in general there was little difference among tall fescue cultivars treated with prodiamine.

Field experiments evaluated barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass, and rhizomatous johnsongrass control with sethoxydim, clethodim, fluazifop-P, quizalofop-P, and fenoxaprop applied alone and with bentazon or chlorimuron when crop oil concentrate or BCH 815 was used. Bentazon strongly antagonized sethoxydim and clethodim. BCH 815 partially reduced the antagonism with sethoxydim and clethodim compared with crop oil concentrate. Chlorimuron was most antagonistic towards fluazifop-P, fenoxaprop, and quizalofop-P, and BCH 815 did not reduce antagonism. Additional experiments evaluated Italian ryegrass control with diclofop applied alone and with bromoxynil, metribuzin, 2,4-D amine, or tribenuron plus thifensulfuron with these adjuvants. The amine formulation of 2,4-D and tribenuron plus thifensulfuron reduced Italian ryegrass control with diclofop, irrespective of the adjuvant.

Field studies were conducted at Carbondale, IL from 1992 to 1994 to evaluate rhizome johnsongrass control in field corn with nicosulfuron and primisulfuron applied POST without or with EPTC applied PPL EPTC applied PPI at 4480 and 6720 g ai/ha plus dichlormid controlled johnsongrass 38 and 60% in 1992 and 29 and 41% in 1993, respectively, and 0% in 1994. EPTC did not decrease johnsongrass rhizome weight, length, or number of nodes in any year. Nicosulfuron at 35 g/ha and primisulfuron at 40 g/ha applied to 38-cm tall plants controlled 94 to 100% and 85 to 100%, respectively, from 1992 to 1994. Plots treated for three consecutive seasons with nicosulfuron or primisulfuron did not have any rhizomes. Corn yield was more than double in nicosulfuron and primisulfuron plots compared with control plots.

Information on the effects of multiple weed management tactics in corn is needed to develop integrated weed management systems. The effectiveness and compatibility of an in-row cultivator as compared to a standard interrow cultivator used with reduced rates of a soil-applied herbicide, rotary hoeing, and/or a bioeconomic model for POST herbicide selection was examined. Weed control with a single rotary hoeing at corn emergence controlled annual weeds similarly to two rotary hoeings. One-third recommended use rate of alachlor controlled weeds similarly to a two-thirds rate. Reduced rates of alachlor controlled more weeds than rotary hoeing over 2 yr. The in-row cultivator required early-season weed control (rotary hoeing or reduced alachlor rate) for optimum efficacy. The in-row cultivator provided better weed control than the standard cultivator while the cost of operating the two cultivators was similar. Thus, the in-row cultivator was more efficient than the standard cultivator. Furthermore, less intensive early-season weed control was required with the in-row cultivator for maximum weed control as compared to the standard cultivator. Rotary hoeing plus the in-row cultivator provided similar weed control to other weed management tactics that required both soil-applied and POST herbicides. Gross margin was influenced more by corn yield than cost of weed management tactics.

Soil cultivation (3 to 5 times/yr) and herbicide management (oxadiazon, 3.92 kg ai/ha), agricultural standards for reducing weed competition, were compared to three alternative nursery field management systems regarding weed suppression: ‘Norcen’ bird's-foot trefoil companion crop, ‘Wheeler’ winter rye cover crop/mulch, and grass sod (80% ‘Eton’ perennial ryegrass and 20% ‘Ruby’ red fescue). Field management treatment had a significant effect on observed weed populations. Weed densities were also subject to yearly variations caused by climate and endogenous weed life cycles. Herbicide management (oxadiazon) consistently provided the best control of undesired vegetation (0.3 weeds/m2) followed by the grass sod (0.7 weeds/m2), Wheeler rye cover crop/mulch (1.7 weeds/m2), Norcen bird's-foot trefoil companion crop (8.6 weeds/m2), and cultivated (55.7 weeds/m2) treatments, respectively. Although the grass sod treatment provided excellent control of undesired vegetation, as an alternative to cultivation and herbicide use, it proved to be excessively competitive with the nursery crop. The bird's-foot trefoil treatment quickly became infested with broadleaf weeds the eradication of which proved difficult. The Wheeler winter rye cover crop/mulch field management system provided acceptable weed control combined with other beneficial effects on the plant/soil environment. Results support the effectiveness of Wheeler winter rye and perhaps other allelopathic cover crop/mulch systems in controlling undesired vegetation in horticultural field production systems.

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of tillage level on weed control and yield of asparagus grown on a sandy loam soil under sprinkler irrigation. Without herbicides, horseweed and kochia populations increased in no-till asparagus production over a 3-yr period, compared to asparagus that was rototilled either once in the spring or once in the spring and again at layby. Without herbicides, hairy nightshade populations increased most when asparagus was rototilled both in the spring and at layby. Volunteer asparagus was controlled best when herbicides and tillage were combined in the spring and again at layby. Common groundsel was controlled without herbicides by rototilling both in the spring and at layby. Diuron at 1.4 kg ai/ha plus prodiamine at 1.4 kg/ha or metribuzin at 0.9 kg/ha plus norflurazon at 2 kg/ha controlled all weeds under all three tillage levels when split-applied in the spring and at layby. Tillage level had no effect on total asparagus spear number or weight if tillage was performed in mid March before asparagus emergence.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to investigate the effects of adjuvant and rainfall on bentazon spray retention, efficacy, and foliar washoff in hemp sesbania, sicklepod, smooth pigweed, and velvetleaf. Bentazon was applied at 0.28 to 2.24 kg ai/ha with Agri-Dex, a crop oil concentrate (COC) or Kinetic, an organiosilicone-nonionic surfactant blend (OSB) when weeds were at the three- to five-leaf stage. Plants were subjected to 2.5 cm simulated rainfall for 20 min at 1 and 24 h after application of bentazon. Shoot fresh weight reduction assessed 2 wk after treatment was similar with either adjuvant on velvetleaf and smooth pigweed. OSB enhanced bentazon efficacy in hemp sesbania and sicklepod as compared to COC. Rainfall at 1 h after application generally reduced bentazon activity in all weeds. OSB maintained bentazon activity in hemp sesbania when subjected to rainfall at 1 h after application as compared to COC. Overall, bentazon spray retention on plants was 9 to 550% higher with OSB as compared to COC among the species at 1 h after application. Amount of bentazon residue washed off from the foliage by rainfall within a weed species was relatively similar for both adjuvants except in smooth pigweed and ranged from 39 to 98% among the four weed species at 1 h after application. OSB exhibited specificity for certain weed species and the potential to minimize bentazon spray reaching the soil by increasing deposition.

A small percentage (< 5%) of dent corn inbreds was sensitive to the herbicide nicosulfuron. Segregation within a backcross to inbred Ab18 demonstrated simple inheritance as a nuclear gene for corn sensitivity to this herbicide. Greenhouse tests indicated that cytoplasmic or maternal effects were not important in conditioning sensitivity. Tolerance in some crosses began to break down at application rates approaching twice that registered. Sensitivity was controlled by a single autosomal recessive gene in the inbred Ab18. Further testing will be required to determine whether this gene is common to other sensitive inbreds. Thorough screening continues to be necessary to identify sensitive elite inbreds in public and private breeding programs.