Greenhouse and growth chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the sprouting potential of rootstock; the effect of temperature, burial depth, and length of rootstock on sprouting; and the effect of shoot removal on resprouting ability of rootstock in redvine and trumpetcreeper. Glyphosate translocation along the rootstock of redvine was also measured. Higher sprouting was observed at 20 to 40 C in trumpetcreeper (60 to 73%) and at 30 to 40 C in redvine (45 to 47%) compared with other temperatures. Redvine sprouting was totally inhibited at 15 C, whereas trumpetcreeper had a sprouting of 12%. Emergence of shoot from a 28-cm planting depth was completely inhibited in redvine, whereas trumpetcreeper had 23% sprout emergence. After shoot removal treatments applied every 3 wk, redvine rootstock segments ≤2 cm long were totally depleted after fifth shoot removal treatment (15 wk after planting [WAP]). In trumpetcreeper, total depletion was not reached by 15 WAP, regardless of rootstock length. 14C-glyphosate was translocated from the treated shoot attached to the apical end of a 35-cm rootstock to the untreated end with slightly less 14C-glyphosate recovered at the untreated end compared with 5 to 10 cm from the treated shoot. These results indicated that vegetative reproduction in redvine is more sensitive to cool temperatures, deep burial depth, and short rootstock segment than trumpetcreeper. Variable control of redvine with glyphosate could be due to inadequate herbicide translocation within the rootstock.

Field bindweed is a major weed problem for wheat producers across the Great Plains and for Oklahoma hard red winter wheat producers. Herbicides have demonstrated limited efficacy, with retreatment often suggested on labels. However, little data are available to verify efficacy with repeated treatments in Oklahoma wheat fields. Annual treatment with dicamba + 2,4-D, the prepackaged mixture (premix) glyphosate + 2,4-D, premix quinclorac + 2,4-D at two different rates, or picloram + 2,4-D to actively growing field bindweed for three consecutive years reduced stem density up to 88% at Lahoma and up to 96% at Stillwater for several months after treatment. However, by 12 to 14 mo after the last treatment, stem densities returned to 47% or more of the nontreated. Treatments applied in June or July were not more effective than treatments applied in September. These results suggested a need to shift the intent of herbicide application from multiyear control to single-year control with treatments designed to control field bindweed throughout one growing season. To field test this approach, nine farmer cooperators in 1998 to 1999 and seven cooperators in 1999 to 2000 applied either premixed glyphosate + 2,4-D or dicamba in late summer or early fall after the field bindweed was allowed to grow 5 wk or more without disturbance. Of the participants, 88% reported little field bindweed present at wheat harvest, whereas 12% reported considerable field bindweed present at harvest. Cooperators were generally satisfied with the reduction in field bindweed canopy through harvest.

The fate of imazamox, imazethapyr, and imazaquin in soil was evaluated at various soil moisture levels and at soil pH levels of 5 and 7. The percentage of each herbicide sorbed, desorbed, dissipated, and metabolized over time was compared. Soil was kept at its field pH (pH 7) or modified to a lower pH (pH 5) and equilibrated to field moisture contents ranging from 0.27 to 0.21 g water/ g soil, at and below the field capacity of the soil. Soil moisture in the range studied did not affect the fate of the herbicides. The percentage of applied herbicide found in soil solution was greatest for imazamox and least for imazaquin (imazamox > imazethapyr > imazaquin) and was greater at pH 7 than at pH 5 for all three herbicides. Over time, less herbicide was in the soil solution and less was desorbed. Metabolism followed the same pattern. Among the herbicides, metabolism followed the following sequence, imazamox > imazethapyr > imazaquin with metabolism greater at pH 7 than at pH 5 for all three herbicides. At pH 7, the half-life for imazamox was 1.4 wk and for imazethapyr was 16 wk, and the estimated half-life for imazaquin was 191 wk.

Field studies were conducted in 2000, 2001, and 2002 at Brownstown, DeKalb, Perry, and Urbana, IL, to evaluate weed control and corn tolerance from postemergence (POST) applications of foramsulfuron in sequential and total-POST herbicide programs. Foramsulfuron applied alone controlled giant foxtail, fall panicum, and redroot pigweed 88, 99, and 99%, respectively, 28 d after treatment (DAT), which was comparable with the standard treatment of nicosulfuron. However, control of common cocklebur, velvetleaf, and common lambsquarters was significantly higher with foramsulfuron compared with nicosulfuron. Sequential herbicide programs of atrazine, S-metolachlor, or isoxaflutole applied preemergence (PRE) followed by a POST application of foramsulfuron provided greater than 85% control of giant foxtail, fall panicum, common cocklebur, velvetleaf, common waterhemp, and redroot pigweed. Of the sequential herbicide treatments, atrazine applied PRE followed by a POST application of foramsulfuron provided the greatest Pennsylvania smartweed control. A PRE application of either atrazine or isoxaflutole was needed before a POST application of foramsulfuron to control common lambsquarters. POST tank mixtures of foramsulfuron with atrazine, dicamba, and dicamba plus diflufenzopyr improved control of Pennsylvania smartweed, common cocklebur, velvetleaf, common lambsquarters, and common waterhemp when compared with foramsulfuron applied alone. The tank mixture of foramsulfuron with mesotrione improved control of all species, except Pennsylvania smartweed, common lambsquarters, and common cocklebur. Foramsulfuron tank mixtures with carfentrazone did not improve control of any weed species to commercial acceptance. Adjuvant selection was important for POST tank mixtures. Control of giant foxtail and fall panicum was reduced when atrazine was tank mixed with foramsulfuron and crop oil concentrate (COC). However, when methylated seed oil (MSO) was added to the atrazine–foramsulfuron tank mixture instead of COC, giant foxtail and fall panicum control were similar to foramsulfuron applied alone.

Full canopy closure and light interception are critical to obtaining full yield potential of ultra-short–season soybean in the midsouthern United States. We hypothesized that herbicide applications that resulted in soybean leaf injury would reduce season-long light interception and yield of ultra-short–season soybean grown in this environment. Experiments were conducted in 2001, 2002, and 2003 at Fayetteville, AR, to determine the effect of the diphenylether herbicides acifluorfen and lactofen on light interception and yield of maturity group (MG) 0 and II soybean. Factors evaluated included soybean MG, herbicide rate, treatment timing, and soybean seeding density. When applied at soybean growth stage (GS) V3, 0.2 kg ai/ha lactofen reduced green leaf area immediately after application and final canopy closure relative to soybean treated with 0.6 or 0.2 kg/ha acifluorfen and untreated soybean. Herbicide application did not affect yield of well-watered soybean when applied at GS V3 in 2001 or at early reproductive development in 2003. In 2002, an irrigation problem resulted in a period of water-deficit stress during seed fill of MG II soybean. Under these conditions, treatment with acifluorfen at GS V3 reduced soybean yield, and treatment with lactofen during early reproductive development reduced soybean yield, relative to untreated soybean. This research indicates that diphenylether herbicides can be safely applied to well-watered ultra-short–season soybean, but yield reduction can occur when applied to soybean that is not well watered.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using 2-aminobutyric acid (2-aba) as a chemical marker for the detection of sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides in crop and soil environments. A bioassay, on the basis of the injury index to vegetable seedlings, showed that both field mustard and Chinese mustard were more sensitive to bensulfuron, imazosulfuron, and pyrazosulfuron than lettuce and cabbage in winter. In a similar study, field mustard was found to be the most sensitive species among six summer vegetables. After foliar application of bensulfuron at 0.487 μM, 2-aba accumulation reached the maximum in field mustard within 6 to 12 h, before any visible symptoms appeared, and this high level was maintained up to 72 h. Among all vegetables tested for differential SU sensitivities, maximum accumulation of 2-aba occurred, in coincidence with the onset of injury, in field mustard. The accumulation of 2-aba in field mustard showed a linear regression to the log-transformed concentrations, ranging from 10−2 to 102 μM, of each of the three SUs. However, no such relationship between the applied rate, especially at the lower rates, and the residue content of SUs in field mustard plant was found. In addition, with the extract of SU-treated paddy soil sprayed on field mustard, the accumulation of 2-aba in this plant was found to reflect indirectly the amount of SU residues in the soil.

Preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) herbicides registered for large crabgrass control were evaluated for control of Japanese stiltgrass, an invasive, nonnative C4 annual grass. Benefin plus oryzalin, dithiopyr, isoxaben plus trifluralin, oryzalin, oxadiazon, pendimethalin, prodiamine, or trifluralin applied PRE controlled Japanese stiltgrass 87% or greater 8 wk after treatment. Benefin plus trifluralin, metolachlor, or napropamide applied PRE were less effective (78, 39, and 59% control, respectively). Single POST applications of clethodim, fenoxaprop-P, fluazifop-P, or sethoxydim controlled Japanese stiltgrass 50 to 88%. These herbicides applied twice provided 82 to 99% control. Single POST applications of glufosinate controlled Japanese stiltgrass 82 to 85%, whereas two applications provided complete control. Single POST applications of glyphosate were just as effective as two applications in controlling Japanese stiltgrass. Dithiopyr, MSMA, and quinclorac applied POST were ineffective on Japanese stiltgrass. All PRE and POST herbicides tested were equally or more effective on Japanese stiltgrass than on large crabgrass, with the exception of metolachlor applied PRE and dithiopyr or quinclorac applied POST.

Research is needed to develop more comprehensive integrated weed management systems that would facilitate greater adoption by farmers. A field study was conducted to determine the combined effects of seed date (April or May), seed rate (recommended or 150% of recommended), fertilizer timing (fall or spring applied), and in-crop herbicide rate (50 or 100% of recommended) on weed growth and crop yield. This factorial set of treatments was applied in four consecutive years within a barley-field pea–barley-field pea rotation in a zero-till production system. Both barley and field pea phases of the rotation were grown each year to account for variable environmental conditions over years. Weed biomass was often lower with May than with April seeding because of more weeds being controlled with preplant glyphosate. However, despite fewer weeds being present with May seeding, barley yield was only greater in 1 of 4 yr and field pea yield was actually lower with May than with April seeding in 3 of 4 yr, indicating that optimum seed date is highly dependent on crop species and environmental conditions. Higher crop seed rates reduced weed biomass and increased crop yield in 2 of 4 yr in each of barley and field pea. Fertilizer timing had little effect on weed competition in barley, but spring- compared with fall-applied fertilizer reduced weed biomass and increased field pea yield in 2 of 4 yr. In-crop herbicides applied at 50% compared with 100% rates sometimes resulted in greater weed biomass and lower crop yields with recommended crop seed rates, but few differences were noted at high crop seed rates. Indeed, the weed seed bank at the conclusion of the 4-yr study was not greater with the 50% compared with 100% herbicide rate when high crop seed rates were used. This study demonstrates the combined merits of early seeding (April), higher crop seed rates, and spring-applied fertilizer in conjunction with timely but limited herbicide use to manage weeds and maintain high yields in rotations containing barley and field pea.

Russian knapweed and perennial pepperweed are invasive to meadow and riparian habitats in the semiarid intermountain west. Seed germination was tested to determine favored seedbed characteristics. Germination was inhibited in both species when water stress was imposed using polyethylene glycol. Knapweed achieved 60% germination after 40 d in dark and alternating light/dark environments. Pepperweed germination was greatest (30% after 14 d) in light and alternating light/ dark environments. Both species showed that germination declines when exposed to salt stress but continued to germinate under salt stress as high as 16 dSm−1.

Field experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate weed control and dry bean response to fomesafen and fomesafen tank mixtures. In the first experiment, six market classes of dry bean were treated at the first trifoliate growth stage with fomesafen + nonionic surfactant (NIS) + urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) at rates ranging from 210 to 840 g/ha. In the second experiment, fomesafen + NIS + UAN at 280 g/ha was applied alone or combined with imazamox at 36 g/ha, bentazon at 560 g/ha, or clethodim at 140 g/ha, and each treatment was applied postemergence at either the unifoliate, first trifoliate, or third trifoliate growth stage to six dry bean cultivars. Crop injury from fomesafen in the form of stunting and leaf crinkling was apparent 7 d after treatment (DAT), but crop injury was temporary and plants recovered. Common lambsquarters and hairy nightshade control increased from 61 to 71% and 74 to 92%, respectively, as fomesafen rate increased from 210 to 280 g/ha. Redroot pigweed, kochia, and common purslane were controlled at the ≥90% level by fomesafen at 210 g/ha. Applying fomesafen and fomesafen tank mixtures at the unifoliate growth stage caused less dry bean injury and improved redroot pigweed, common lambsquarters, and hairy nightshade control compared with treatments made at the first or third trifoliate growth stage. Decreased weed control caused by delaying herbicide application to the third trifoliate growth stage resulted in a 17% decrease in crop yield, compared with treatments where herbicides were applied at the unifoliate growth stage. Combining fomesafen with other herbicides increased crop injury 4%, 14 DAT. A tank mixture of fomesafen plus imazamox caused more crop injury than fomesafen plus bentazon. Combining fomesafen with imazamox or bentazon improved hairy nightshade control to 92 and 87%, respectively; however, common lambsquarters control was improved only with tank mixtures of fomesafen with bentazon.

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.