Weed management experiments with kidney beans were conducted at one irrigated site in 1991 and at two irrigated sites near Staples, MN during 1992. Green foxtail was the most difficult weed to control at the three research sites which agrees with survey results from dry bean growers regarding their worst weed problems. Hairy nightshade increased rapidly when weed management methods were reduced. Dry bean seed yields were highest in cultivated check plots on the farmer's field and in conventional practices plots at the Irrigation Research Center. Net economic returns, averaged over 1991 and 1992, for producing kidney beans at the Irrigation Research Center were $899/ha using conventional practices, $791/ha with cover crop practices, $734/ha with cultivated checks, $690/ha with herbicides only, and $208/ha on weedy checks. Kidney beans are an economical crop for North Central growers, but adequate weed management technologies are necessary for profitable production.

Asulam applied POST alone and in mixtures with residual herbicides and with DSMA and MSMA was evaluated for johnsongrass control. Johnsongrass control following treatment with asulam at 3.7 kg ai ha−1 was not improved by tank mixtures with the residual herbicides atrazine, metribuzin, pendimethalin, and terbacil compared with asulam applied alone. Johnsongrass injury symptoms appeared sooner when asulam was applied in mixtures with either DSMA or MSMA, but johnsongrass control 4 wk after treatment was similar to asulam applied alone. As a result of the johnsongrass control obtained with early POST treatments of asulam applied alone, cane and sugar yields were increased by 56 and 58%, respectively, when compared with the weedy check. Additional cane and sugar yield increases were not obtained by any of the asulam mixtures because johnsongrass control was not improved. Asulam applied again in May to johnsongrass regrowth improved late-season control in two of the three studies over a single early POST application, but cane and sugar yields were not increased.

Returns to land, management, and risk were compared where glyphosate and four graminicides (quizalofop-P, fluazifop-P, sethoxydim, and clethodim) were used for johnsongrass control in glyphosate-tolerant soybean. In 1994 and 1995, returns to land, management, and risk for glyphosate-tolerant soybean were highest using glyphosate and lowest using sethoxydim. Break-even analysis showed that yields needed for equivalent returns with any nontransgenic soybean cultivar treated with any of the graminicides could range from 67 kg/ha less to 202 kg/ha more than the yields achieved with glyphosate. Based on this methodology, farmers would increase their return to land, management, and risk by planting glyphosate-tolerant soybean if expected yield from a standard cultivar treated with a standard herbicide program were less than the break-even yield.

A fixed-plot management study for control of acetolactate synthase (ALS)–resistant common cocklebur in soybean was initiated in 1994 at Fayetteville, AR. Three susceptible and three imazaquin-resistant common cocklebur plants were transplanted into the field, and seed (burs) were distributed throughout the plots in the fall of 1994. Herbicide treatments included imazaquin, chlorimuron, and chlorimuron plus metribuzin applied each year from 1995 through 1999 and herbicide rotations containing ALS inhibitors and herbicides with alternative modes of action. Effectiveness of management systems and the dynamics of the development of common cocklebur resistance, including development of resistance to imazaquin and chlorimuron, were evaluated. Imazaquin controlled susceptible common cocklebur populations in 1995 but not the resistant population, resulting in significant soybean yield reduction. By the end of the 1996 season, the resistant biotype dominated imazaquin plots, and a high level of cross-resistance to chlorimuron was observed in the population. Resistant populations were reduced by non-ALS herbicide programs of sulfentrazone plus clomazone applied preemergence (PRE), metribuzin plus clomazone applied PRE followed by bentazon applied postemergence (POST), and transgenic herbicide programs of glyphosate and glufosinate applied POST. Rotating ALS inhibitors with non–ALS-inhibiting heribicides may slow the development of resistance, but resistant individuals may eventually dominate the population.

Phenoxy herbicides are frequently used to control volunteer canola populations. However, there have been claims that poor control could be due to cold acclimation of canola plants in the spring. The objective of this study was to determine whether cold acclimation or growth stage affected the response of canola volunteers to herbicides. In a growth room experiment, canola plants were prehardened and cold acclimated or were grown at 20/12 C and treated with one of six 2,4-D doses. Cold acclimation as achieved by this experiment affected upper and lower asymptotes of the dose–response curve but not the herbicide dose required to reduce canola weight by 50% relative to the nontreated control (GR50), indicating limited cold-related effects on canola tolerance to 2,4-D. Field experiments, conducted in the provinces of Québec and Saskatchewan, examined the effects of canola growth stage on the efficacy of 2,4-D, MCPA, and carfentrazone. Comparisons of the estimates from the dose–response curves confirmed that herbicide efficacy was consistently greater when canola plants were treated at an early growth stage, regardless of cultivar or herbicide used. The GR50 estimates for canola plants treated at a later growth stage exceeded the recommended rates. Some canola plants grown as volunteers in a wheat crop survived 2,4-D or MCPA treatments at 0.5× and 1× rates and produced up to 148 seeds/m2. Efficient control of canola volunteers will be obtained when plants are sprayed at an early growth stage, but near-total control will be highly desirable in order to restrict seedbank buildup, particularly when dealing with canola cultivars with different herbicide-resistant traits.

Seven half-day regional listening sessions were held between December 2016 and April 2017 with groups of diverse stakeholders on the issues and potential solutions for herbicide-resistance management. The objective of the listening sessions was to connect with stakeholders and hear their challenges and recommendations for addressing herbicide resistance. The coordinating team hired Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC, to facilitate all the sessions. They and the coordinating team used in-person meetings, teleconferences, and email to communicate and coordinate the activities leading up to each regional listening session. The agenda was the same across all sessions and included small-group discussions followed by reporting to the full group for discussion. The planning process was the same across all the sessions, although the selection of venue, time of day, and stakeholder participants differed to accommodate the differences among regions. The listening-session format required a great deal of work and flexibility on the part of the coordinating team and regional coordinators. Overall, the participant evaluations from the sessions were positive, with participants expressing appreciation that they were asked for their thoughts on the subject of herbicide resistance. This paper details the methods and processes used to conduct these regional listening sessions and provides an assessment of the strengths and limitations of those processes.

Camelina is an emerging oilseed crop suitable for biofuel production in dryland cropping systems of the northwestern United States. Currently, camelina growers have limited herbicide options available for weed control. Tolerance of camelina to PRE applications of quinclorac, S-metolachlor, dimethenamid-P, pendimethalin, and pyroxasulfone was evaluated at two locations (Kalispell in 2009 and 2010, and Huntley in 2010 and 2011) in Montana. Susceptibility to each herbicide was determined at three different rates. Quinclorac applied PRE at 280 to 840 g ai ha−1 did not significantly injure camelina, and had no negative effect on plant density, biomass, flowering, and yield at either location. S-Metolachlor at 1,060 to 2,140 g ai ha−1 caused less than 20% injury to camelina, with no reductions in plant density, biomass, and yield compared with the nontreated check. Dimethenamid-P applied at 630 g ai ha−1 did not affect camelina density, biomass, flowering, and yield; however, at the 1,260 g ha−1 rate, injury was as high as 60% (in the coarse-textured Kalispell soil), and plant density and yield were reduced as much as 50 and 31%, respectively, in addition to delayed flowering. Despite causing some visual injury to camelina, crop yield was not reduced by pendimethalin at the 1,060 or 2,130 g ai ha−1 rate. Pyroxasulfone caused significant crop injury, stand loss, and yield reductions, and thus does not appear to be a viable option for weed control in camelina. Camelina plants that exhibited early-season injury showed robust growth and compensatory abilities, with lack of significant effect of herbicides on late-season plant height and biomass at least in one of the two locations. On the baseis of this research, quinclorac was the safest of all herbicides tested in camelina. Dimethenamid-P, S-metolachlor, and pendimethalin also may have an acceptable level of crop safety at lower use rates for possible registration in camelina.

Agricultural weeds remain an important production constraint, with labor shortages and a lack of new herbicide options in recent decades making the problem even more acute. Robotic weeding machines are a possible solution to these increasingly intractable weed problems. Franklin Robotics’ Tertill™ is an autonomous weeding robot designed for home gardeners that relies on a minimalistic design to be cost-effective. The objectives of this study were to investigate the ability of the Tertill to control broadleaf and grass weeds, and based on early observations, experiments were conducted with and without its string-trimmer–like weeding implement. Tertill demonstrated high weed-control efficacy, supporting its utility as a tool for home gardeners. Weeds were best controlled by the combined effect of soil disturbance caused by the action of the robot’s wheels and the actuation of the string trimmer. Despite the regrowth potential of an annual grass due to its meristem location, Tertill maintained low densities of millet in an experimental arena. The simple and effective design of the Tertill may offer insights to inform future development of farm-scale weeding robots. Weed density, emergence periodicity, robot working rate, and robotic weeding mechanisms are important design criteria regardless of the technology used for plant detection.

Studies were conducted in a stale field production system in 2012 and 2013 to determine the effect of herbicide timing on Palmer amaranth control and ‘Covington’ sweetpotato yield and quality. Treatments consisted of flumioxazin at 72, 90, or 109 g ai ha−1 applied 45 d before transplanting (DBT) or 1 DBT, or sequentially the same rate at 45 DBT followed by (fb) 1 DBT; flumioxazin 109 g ha−1 applied 1 DBT fb S-metolachlor (800 g ai ha−1) at 0, 6 (± 1), or 10 d after treatment (DAT); flumioxazin at 72, 90, or 109 g ha−1 plus clomazone (630 g ai ha−1) applied 45 DBT fb S-metolachlor (800 g ha−1) applied 10 DAT; and fomesafen alone at 280 g ai ha−1 applied 45 DBT. Nontreated weed-free and weedy controls were included for comparison. Flumioxazin application time had a significant effect on Palmer amaranth control and sweetpotato yields, and the effect of flumioxazin rate was not significant. Treatments consisting of sequential application of flumioxazin 45 DBT fb 1 DBT or flumioxazin plus clomazone 45 DBT fb S-metolachlor 10 DAT provided the maximum Palmer amaranth control and sweetpotato yields (jumbo, No. 1, jumbo plus No. 1, marketable) among all treatments. Delayed flumioxazin application timings until 1 DBT allowed Palmer amaranth emergence on stale seedbeds and resulted only in 65, 62, 48, and 17% control at 14, 32, 68, and 109 DAT, respectively. POST transplant S-metolachlor applications following flumioxazin 1 DBT did not improve Palmer amaranth control, because the majority of Palmer amaranth emerged prior to S-metolachlor application. A control program consisting of flumioxazin 109 g ha−1 plus clomazone 630 g ha−1 at 45 DBT fb S-metolachlor 800 g ha−1 at 0 to 10 DAT provides an effective herbicide program for Palmer amaranth control in stale seedbed production systems in North Carolina sweetpotato.

Two years of field research were conducted to determine the additive effects of weed cover and insects on pepper production. When weeds covered less than 10% of test plots, the natural insect populations reduced the marketable fruit yield of bell peppers 32% in 1983 and 22% in 1984. When weeds covered 72 or 94% of the test plots, foliage damage due to insects was from 5.8 to 12.1%, respectively. The high percent weed cover and insects reduced yield 99%. The average fresh weight of pepper foliage approached zero as weed cover approached maximum. Foliar levels of iron and aluminum were reduced greatly in peppers grown in competition with a 100% weed cover. The level of boron, copper, phosphorus, and potassium in pepper foliage increased as percent weed cover increased.

Multiflora roses showing symptoms of rose rosette were found in nine counties in southern Indiana and two counties in northern Kentucky. The eriophyid mite, Phyllocoptes fructiphilus Kiefer (Acari: Eriophyidae), implicated as the vector of the rose rosette agent, occurred on most symptomatic material. Another eriophyid mite, P. rosarum Liro, was found on symptomatic material collected in Kentucky. Transmission of the causal agent into multiflora rose by shield budding and by P. fructiphilus was successful. The rose rosette agent appears to be spreading east and is established on multiflora rose in the Ohio Valley.

Field experiments were carried out from 1987 to 1990 to develop an integrated weed control management system for the control of blackgrass in winter wheat in Greece. The weed control treatments included both herbicides and cultural measures. The performance of preemergence (PRE) herbicides against blackgrass was better than postemergence (POST) herbicides; selectivity was dependent on application rate. Late timing of wheat sowing resulted in significant reduction of the blackgrass population competing with wheat. The critical period for blackgrass infestation occurred 4.0 to 5.5 wk after wheat emergence. Blackgrass density of 170 to 1,170 plants/m2 caused wheat yield reduction equal to 10 and 30%, respectively. A quadratic relationship describing the percent reduction of wheat yield due to competition with different blackgrass densities was developed. The economic threshold level for blackgrass varied between 100 and 125 plants/m2. The results emphasize the importance of using a combination of chemical and cultural controls, including critical periods for herbicide application in maintaining an integrated approach for blackgrass control in wheat.

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of herbicide and mulch on weed management and strawberry yield. Napropamide at rates of 4.50, 6.75, or 9.00 kg ai/ha; oxyfluorfen at 0.57 kg ai/ha; and napropamide plus oxyfluorfen at 4.50 plus 0.57 kg/ha were applied pretransplant on pressed beds covered with either low-density polyethylene mulch or virtually impermeable film. There was no herbicide by mulch interaction. Mulch types had no influence on weed counts and fruit yield, whereas herbicides affected both variables. The napropamide plus oxyfluorfen treatment resulted in the highest fruit number and weight, increasing yield by 20% with respect to the nontreated control. This herbicide combination provided the best weed suppression.

The adaptation of herbicides to control the encroachment of one warm-season grass into another species is an important management practice. A field study was conducted in Georgia to determine the rates and frequency of herbicide applications needed to suppress three seashore paspalum cultivars and determine what effects these treatments will have on three bermudagrass cultivars. MSMA plus triclopyr plus clopyralid applied at a total of 2.7 kg/ha in each of three applications for a cumulative total of 8.1 kg/ha effectively suppressed (> 70%) ‘Sea Isle 1’ and ‘Sea Isle 2000’ for 13 wk during 1998 and 1999 and ‘K-3’ during 1998. The suppression of K-3 in 1999 was 56%. The suppression was higher in all instances when MSMA was applied with triclopyr plus clopyralid than when it was not included (< 45%). Four-way combinations of MSMA plus 2,4-D plus mecoprop plus dicamba applied at a total of 5.3 kg/ha in each of three applications for a cumulative total of 15.9 kg/ha suppressed K-3 from 37 to 66%, Sea Isle 2000 from 55 to 66%, and Sea Isle 1 from 59 to 65% for 13 wk. The suppression of three paspalum cultivars at 13 wk from tank mixes of MSMA plus 2,4-D plus dicamba applied at a total of 4.5 kg/ha in each of three applications for a total cumulative of 13.5 kgsol:ha was 7 to 12% lower using the four-way combination treatments. Injury to the bermudagrass cultivars from herbicide treatments was not a problem. In some instances, all herbicides caused some degree of bermudagrass injury on selected dates of treatment. Maximum injury from the herbicides ranged from 18 to 40% for ‘common’ bermudagrass, 18 to 39% for ‘Tifway’ and 30% for ‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass. When injury occurred, bermudagrass recovery was within 1- to 2-wk following treatments.

The objective of this research was to explore the influence that weed decision threshold (DT; expressed as plants m−2), weed spatial distribution patterns, and spatial resolution of sampling have on potential reduction in herbicide use under site-specific weed management. As a case study, a small plot located in a typical corn field in central Spain was used, constructing very precise distribution maps of the major weeds present. These initial maps were used to generate herbicide prescription maps for each weed species based on different DTs and sampling resolutions. The simulation of herbicide prescription maps consisted of on/off spraying decisions based on information from two different approaches for weed detection: ground-based vs. aerial sensors. In general, simulations based on ground sensors resulted in higher herbicide savings than those based on aerial sensors. The extent of herbicide reductions derived from patch spraying was directly related to the density and the spatial distribution of each weed species. Herbicide savings were potentially high (up to 66%) with relatively sparse patchy weed species (e.g., johnsongrass) but were only moderate (10 to 20%) with abundant and regularly distributed weed species (e.g., velvetleaf). However, DT has proven to be a key factor, with higher DTs resulting in reductions in herbicide use for all the weed species and all sampling procedures and resolutions. Moreover, increasing DT from 6 to 12 plants m−2 resulted in additional herbicide savings of up to 50% in the simulations for johnsongrass and up to 28% savings in the simulations for common cocklebur. Nonetheless, since DT determines the accuracy of patch spraying, the consequences of using higher DTs could be leaving areas unsprayed, which could adversely affect crop yields and future weed infestations, including herbicide-resistant weeds. Considering that the relationship between DT and accuracy of herbicide application depends on weed spatial pattern, this work has demonstrated the possibility of using higher DT values in weeds with a clear patchy distribution compared with weeds distributed regularly.

A study was conducted at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center’s H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station in 2017 and 2018 to evaluate a prepackaged mixture of clomazone plus pendimethalin applied delayed preemergence (DPRE) or POST within an herbicide residual overlay with saflufenacil, clomazone, or quinclorac. POST applications included penoxsulam or halosulfuron in combination with the second residual application. No differences were observed in barnyardgrass control (92% to 98%) at 14 days after treatment (DAT). At 42 DAT, barnyardgrass treated with clomazone plus pendimethalin in combination with either clomazone or quinclorac at either timing was controlled 95% to 96%. However, when saflufenacil was applied PRE, regardless of the POST herbicide or when saflufenacil was applied POST with halosulfuron, barnyardgrass control was reduced to 78% to 81%, compared with 95% to 96% with the control with all other residual combinations. Yellow nutsedge and rice flatsedge control increased when treated with halosulfuron compared with penoxsulam across all evaluation dates. At 28 and 42 DAT, texasweed treated with saflufenacil PRE, regardless of POST applications, was controlled 83% and 87%, respectively, and this was greater control than provided by clomazone or quinclorac applied PRE regardless of POST herbicide program.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) Italian ryegrass is one of the most troublesome weeds in Mississippi row crop production. Fall-applied residual herbicide applications are recommended for control of GR Italian ryegrass. However, carryover of residual herbicides applied in fields for rice production can have a negative impact on rice performance. Field studies were conducted in Stoneville, MS, to determine the effects of fall-applied residual herbicides on rice growth and yield. Herbicide treatments included suggested use rates (1×) of clomazone at 840 g ai ha–1, pyroxasulfone 170 g ai ha–1, S-metolachlor 1,420 g ai ha–1, and trifluralin 1,680 g ai ha–1, and two times (2×) the suggested use rates in the fall before rice seeding. Pooled across application rate, pyroxasulfone, S-metolachlor, and trifluralin injured rice to an extent 28% to 36% greater than clomazone 14 d after emergence (DAE). Rice seedling density and height 14 DAE and rice maturity were negatively affected by all fall-applied herbicides except clomazone. Applications at 2× rates reduced rough rice yields in plots treated with pyroxasulfone, S-metolachlor, and trifluralin compared with clomazone. Pyroxasulfone applied at the 2× rate reduced rough rice yield 22% compared with the 1× rate. Rough rice yield was 90% or greater of the nontreated control in plots treated with either rate of S-metolachlor, and these were comparable with rough rice yields from plots treated with both rates of trifluralin and the 1× rate of pyroxasulfone. Early-season injury and reductions in seedling density and height 14 DAE, would preclude even 1× applications of pyroxasulfone, S-metolachlor, and trifluralin from being viable options for residual herbicide treatments targeting GR Italian ryegrass in the fall before rice seeding. Of the herbicides evaluated, only clomazone should be utilized as a fall-applied residual herbicide treatment targeting GR Italian ryegrass before seeding rice.

The response of oat, foxtail millet, proso millet, and sunflower to atrazine and clomazone applied the previous fall was investigated two years in field studies near Akron, CO and Sidney, NE. Foxtail millet biomass, and proso millet and sunflower grain yields were not reduced when these crops were seeded into soil that had been treated the previous fall with atrazine and/or clomazone at rates of 0.6 or 1.1 kg ai/ha. Forage yield of oat was reduced 11 to 18% by some treatments, but this effect was not consistent over years or sites. Treatments containing 1.1 kg/ha of atrazine provided 1 to 5 wk of residual weed control in foxtail millet, proso millet, and sunflower. The study indicated that producers have flexibility in crop selection when using atrazine and clomazone in reduced- and no-till production systems.

Field experiments were conducted in 1999 and 2000 to evaluate reduced-rate split-applied treatments of imazamethabenz and ICIA 0604 for wild oat control in hard red spring wheat. Single herbicide treatments were applied at standard timing to wild oat at the two- to four-leaf stage. The first split-applied treatments were made when most of the wild oat had emerged but prior to the two-leaf stage. The second split-applied treatments were made after the surviving wild oat had visibly recovered and prior to the two-leaf stage of late-emerging wild oat. Split applications of imazamethabenz or ICIA 0604 allowed the herbicide rate to be reduced by half while maintaining or improving wild oat control. Both imazamethabenz and ICIA 0604 were most effective with methylated vegetable oil adjuvants. Wheat yield and net returns were greatest for half-rate split applications of imazamethabenz and ICIA 0604 in both years, likely because of less early-season wild oat competition and reduced wheat injury caused by ICIA 0604.

Quinclorac was registered for weed control in wheat (Triticum spp.) for western Canada in 1997. Residues from quinclorac may persist in the soil and may damage following crops; therefore, field and growth chamber experiments were conducted to determine the tolerance of several following rotational crops. Cereals and bromegrass (Bromus biebersteinii) were sufficiently tolerant that they could be seeded within 16 d of quinclorac application without risk of injury. At the other extreme, marketable and total potato (Solanum tuberosum) yields were reduced by quinclorac on irrigated land 1 yr after application. Growth chamber experiments were used to rank crops in order of their tolerance of quinclorac residues and to compare the tolerance of crops that were grown in the field with additional crops. Quinclorac injured several legume and oilseed crops when the crops were seeded immediately after application, but quinclorac did not reduce the dry matter yield of two of the most sensitive legumes, faba bean (Vicia faba) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), 1 yr after application on irrigated land. However, based on a previous study, one can conclude that injury to these crops may occur in the field under drought conditions in rain-fed agricultural systems.