Populations of eastern black nightshade suspected of being resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have been reported since 1999 in different locations in Ontario, Canada. This event has threatened the use of ALS inhibitors for control of this species. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the spectrum of resistance to different ALS-inhibiting herbicides and to examine the effectiveness of alternative modes of action herbicides. Growth room experiments were conducted to determine the response to imazethapyr and atrazine in seven suspected ALS inhibitor– resistant populations. One resistant and one susceptible population were further characterized for their response to ALS inhibitors and chloroacetamides. Seven populations were able to survive imazethapyr at 100 g ai/ha, while there was no resistance to atrazine. Compared to a susceptible (S) population, resistant (R) population SOLPT 1 had 726-, 31-, 6-, and 4-fold resistance to postemergence (POST) applied imazethapyr, imazamox, primisulfuron, and flumetsulam, respectively. Preemergence (PRE) application of imazethapyr, flumetsulam, cloransulam, nicosulfuron, prosulfuron, and rimsulfuron did not provide control of the R population, whereas they totally controlled the S population. The chloroacetamide herbicides metolachlor, dimethenamid, and flufenacet all provided at least 90% control of both R and S populations when applied PRE at the recommended field rates. The ALS inhibitors will not provide adequate control of these resistant populations, but acceptable control could be achieved with chloroacetamides or with atrazine.

Experiments were conducted in North Carolina during 2002 and 2003 to evaluate entireleaf morningglory control by 2,4-DB applied alone or with seven fungicides. In a separate group of experiments, tall morningglory control by 2,4-DB was evaluated when applied in four-way mixtures with the following: the fungicides azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, pyraclostrobin, or tebuconazole; the insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin; and the foliar fertilizer disodium octaborate or the plant growth regulator (PGR) prohexadione calcium plus urea ammonium nitrate. Pyraclostrobin, but not azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorothalonil, fluazinam, propiconazole plus trifloxystrobin, or tebuconazole, reduced entireleaf morningglory control by 2,4-DB. Mixtures of fungicides, insecticides, and foliar fertilizer/ PGR did not affect tall morningglory control by 2,4-DB. Placing artificial morningglory in the peanut canopy when fungicides were applied did not intercept enough fungicide to increase peanut defoliation by early leaf spot and web blotch or reduce pod yield compared with fungicide applied without artificial morningglory.

Field research was conducted in Arkansas for 3 yr to evaluate imazamox for control of diclofop-resistant Italian ryegrass in imidazolinone-tolerant wheat. Italian ryegrass was controlled at least 89% 49 d after wheat emergence (DAE) in year 2 and 3 by imazamox at 36 g ai/ha applied to one- to two-leaf wheat (POST1), by imazamox at 54 g ai/ha applied sequentially at POST1 followed by (fb) application to three- to four-leaf wheat (POST2), by pendimethalin at 1120 g ai/ha preemergence (PRE) fb imazamox at 36 or 54 g/ha POST1, and by chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron at 22 plus 4 g ai/ha PRE. Italian ryegrass was controlled at least 95% 150 DAE with all applications in year 1 because of extremely cold temperatures and snowfall in December and January. Only sequential imazamox applications or pendimethalin PRE fb imazamox POST1 equaled the commercial standard, chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron, for control of Italian ryegrass 150 DAE in years 2 and 3. These treatments controlled Italian ryegrass greater than 80% 150 DAE. Sequential postemergence applications of imazamox or programs containing pendimethalin PRE fb imazamox POST1 are necessary to optimize Italian ryegrass control and wheat yield in an imidazolinone-tolerant wheat production system.

Field studies were conducted in 1997 and 1998 to evaluate weed control and soybean (Glycine max) yield with cloransulam and diclosulam. Cloransulam at 35 g/ha applied preplant incorporated (PPI) and preemergence (PRE) controlled at least 91% of hyssop spurge (Euphorbia hyssopifolia) and prickly sida (Sida spinosa) and at least 82% of entireleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula) and pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa) at 7 wk after planting. Control of these species with cloransulam was not affected by method of soil application. Control of prickly sida with cloransulam PPI or PRE was better than with cloransulam postemergence (POST) at 18 g/ha. Soybean yields were similar with cloransulam PPI (2,880 kg/ha) or PRE (3,110 kg/ha) and were comparable to imazaquin PRE at 140 g/ha (3,080 kg/ha). Weed control and soybean yields with cloransulam POST were similar to that with chlorimuron POST at 11 g/ha. SAN 582 plus cloransulam PRE followed by cloransulam POST provided the highest soybean yield (3,450 kg/ha). Diclosulam PPI or PRE provided similar levels of control of hyssop spurge, Ipomoea morningglories, and prickly sida. Overall, control of these species with diclosulam PPI or PRE was similar to that obtained with sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron PRE. Soybean yields (≥ 3,290 kg/ha) were similar regardless of method of diclosulam application, and yields were equivalent to that of sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron PRE (3,270 kg/ha).

Weed control and corn vigor were evaluated to determine the effects of application rate, timing, and other POST herbicides on primisulfuron activity. Corn injury caused by primisulfuron was very low. Weed control varied with species and stage of growth. Primisulfuron showed high activity on emerged johnsongrass, particularly with early postemergence (EP) and mid postemergence (MP) applications. However, these treatments did not provide full season control of this species due to regrowth from rhizomes and continuous germination of new seeds. Primisulfuron controlled giant foxtail with the EP timing (< 5 cm weed height), but not with MP and late postemergence (LP) applications. Common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed control was most effective with EP applications. Primisulfuron in combination with cyanazine, atrazine, cyanazine plus tridiphane, atrazine plus tridiphane, bentazon, 2,4-D, dicamba, or paraquat controlled common lambsquarters and redroot pigweed better than primisulfuron applied alone. Johnsongrass control decreased when primisulfuron was combined with paraquat or 2,4-D and giant foxtail control decreased when primisulfuron was combined with 2,4-D or dicamba.

Glyphosate is often mixed with residual herbicides to control emerged weeds in no-till crop production systems. Field studies were conducted in Ohio from 1992 to 1994 to evaluate the weed control provided by residual herbicides and reduced rates of glyphosate in full-season, no-till soybean. Herbicide treatments were applied at two timings to examine the effect of weed size. At 4 wk after treatment, greater than 85% Pennsylvania smartweed control was obtained with metribuzin plus chlorimuron and linuron plus chlorimuron applied with 280 g ai/ha glyphosate and with imazethapyr and imazaquin applied with 560 g/ha glyphosate. All residual herbicides provided at least 85% common lambsquarters control when applied with 560 g/ha glyphosate. In 1992, the early application of residual herbicides provided this level of common lambsquarters control without glyphosate due to the small weed size at the time of application. Residual herbicides applied with 280 g/ha glyphosate controlled giant foxtail 85% or greater. Higher glyphosate rates were needed to control barnyardgrass. The performance of reduced glyphosate rates was dependent on weed species and weed size.

Laboratory and greenhouse studies examined effects of atrazine, alachlor, and metolachlor on growth and colonization of grain sorghum roots by Macrophomina phaseolina, causal fungus for charcoal rot disease. In laboratory studies, all three herbicides reduced fungal colony diameter and increased production of microsclerotia. Alachlor and metolachlor reduced germination of fungal microsclerotia. Atrazine did not affect microsclerotia germination, but lessened the effects of alachlor and metolachlor on germination when applied in combination. In greenhouse studies, atrazine reduced numbers of M. phaseolina microsclerotia recovered from soil after 8 wk, and this resulted in reduced colonization of roots by this fungus at harvest. Colonization of grain sorghum roots by M. phaseolina was not affected by alachlor or metolachlor. Grain sorghum growth was reduced by atrazine at all intervals and by alachlor and metolachlor at harvest, despite use of seed safened with cyometrinil.

Field studies were conducted in 2007 and 2008 near Nyssa, OR, and Pasco and Paterson, WA to evaluate yellow nutsedge and broadleaf weed control and potato tolerance to imazosulfuron. No injury symptoms from imazosulfuron were evident on potato at Nyssa, whereas in Washington, imazosulfuron caused some chlorosis of potato foliage ranging from 6 to 15% and < 4% at 6 and 15 d after POST application, respectively. Sequential applications of imazosulfuron controlled yellow nutsedge better than a single PRE application. Sequential applications of imazosulfuron or imazosulfuron in combination with s-metolachlor controlled yellow nutsedge > 92 and 89% at 21 and 42 d after POST applications, respectively. Imazosulfuron controlled ≥ 98% of common lambsquarters and 100% of pigweed species. Imazosulfuron provided season-long control of common mallow at Nyssa. However, imazosulfuron failed to control Russian thistle at Paterson, and only partially controlled hairy nightshade. Yield of U.S. no. 1 potato at Nyssa ranged from 44 to 54 T ha−1 and 42 to 52 T ha−1 for imazosulfuron PRE and imazosulfuron sequential treatments in 2007 and 2008, respectively. U.S. no. 1 potato yield following imazosulfuron PRE and sequential treatments at Pasco ranged from 49 to 57 T ha−1 in 2007, and at Paterson from 36 to 54 T ha−1 in 2008. Lower yields in 2008 were attributed to poor control of hairy nightshade. Imazosulfuron has potential to become a valuable tool for yellow nutsedge management in potato. Studies are needed to evaluate the soil persistence for imazosulfuron in order to determine safety to crops grown in rotation with potato.

Intact soil columns were evaluated as a screening technique to determine the effect of tillage on herbicide movement through soil. Alachlor was applied at 3.3 kg ai ha-1 to intact surface 0- to 10-cm and subsurface 10- to 20-cm soil columns (15-cm diam) taken from long-term no-till and conventional tillage plots and leached with 11.6 pore volumes (7 L; 39 cm) of water at a rate that did not create ponding. Leachate was collected in 0.07 pore volume fractions. Twice as much alachlor leached from surface no-till than from surface conventional tillage columns. The differences in leaching patterns from the surface soil can be attributed to the effect of tillage on soil physical and chemical properties. Using intact soil columns in the laboratory can be a useful rapid screening technique to evaluate tillage impacts on herbicide movement.

Volunteer potato is a perennial weed that is difficult to control in crop rotations. Field studies were conducted near Paterson, WA, in 2001 and 2002 to evaluate the control of volunteer potato with carfentrazone-ethyl and dicamba in field corn. When potatoes were not controlled corn yield was reduced 23 and 62% in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Single postemergence (POST) applications of carfentrazone-ethyl at 9 g/ha killed exposed foliage of potato, but new shoots continued to emerge both years and reduced corn yield in 2002. The most effective treatments tested were a single mid-postemergence application of carfentrazone-ethyl plus dicamba (9 + 280 g/ha), two applications of carfentrazone-ethyl alone at early postemergence and late postemergence, and three POST applications of carfentrazone-ethyl, which controlled volunteer potato 77 to 87% in early June, reduced weight of tubers produced by 76 to 96% compared with nontreated checks, and prevented corn yield loss compared with hand-weeded checks. Herbicide treatments reduced potato tuber weight more than tuber number.

Many natural and synthetic plant compounds become toxic when irradiated by ultraviolet or visible light. These compounds may be considered for use as herbicides, remembering the requirement for light. Concurrently, methods for blocking metabolic pathways so that phototoxic intermediates accumulate and thus kill the plant also have been studied. The mechanisms of action of potentially useful plant phototoxins are described.

Production of maize in western Kenya is severely constrained by the parasitic weed striga. Although productivity of maize can be improved through adoption of improved varieties, adoption of such varieties remains low in the region, as the majority of smallholder farmers still grow unimproved open-pollinated varieties (landraces). The performance of two improved hybrid varieties was evaluated against six landraces in striga-infested soils in western Kenya. The varieties were planted in plots under natural striga infestation and were supplemented with pot experiments under artificial infestation. Striga emergence was lower in landraces than in the hybrid varieties in both field and pot experiments. Similarly, height of maize plants at harvest and grain yields were higher in the landraces than in the hybrids. After three continuous cropping seasons, in all treatments, striga seedbank density increased two to seven times. Seedbank increase was higher with hybrids and two of the landraces, ‘Rachar' and ‘Endere'. These results provide an insight into the potential role landraces could play in efforts toward an integrated management approach for striga in smallholder cropping systems. They also highlight the need to develop hybrid maize lines with local adaptation to biotic constraints, specifically striga.

Imazosulfuron is a sulfonylurea herbicide recently labeled in U.S. rice at a maximum rate of 336 g ai ha−1. Soybean is prone to drift of herbicides from rice fields in the southern United States because these crops are often grown in close proximity. Field trials were conducted to determine the effect of low rates of imazosulfuron applied to nonsulfonylurea-resistant soybean at different growth stages. Soybean was treated at the vegetative cotyledonary (VC); vegetative second trifoliate (V2); vegetative sixth trifoliate (V6); and reproductive full bloom (R2) growth stages with 1/256 (1.3 g ha−1) to 1/4 (84.1 g ha−1) times (X) the maximum labeled rate of imazosulfuron. Soybean was injured regardless of application rate or timing. At 2 wk after treatment (WAT), imazosulfuron injured soybean 23 to 79, 44 to 76, 32 to 68, and 14 to 50% when applied at the VC, V2, V6, and R2 growth stages, respectively, where the highest injury was caused by the highest imazosulfuron rate (1/4X). However, by 20 wk after planting (WAP), soybean treated with imazosulfuron at the VC and V2 growth stages had only 0 to 17% and 8 to 53% injury, respectively. At higher rates [1/8 (42 g ha−1) and 1/4X] of imazosulfuron, soybean treated at the VC growth stage recovered more from injury than did soybean treated at the V2 growth stage. Soybean treated with imazosulfuron at the V6 and R2 growth stages had better recovery from the injury at the lower two rates [1/256 and 1/128X (2.6 g ha−1)] than at the higher rates [1/64 (5.3 g ha−1) to 1/4X]. Imazosulfuron, at all rates tested, delayed soybean maturity by 1 to 4, 2 to 6, 1 to 12, and 3 to 16 d for the VC, V2, V6, and R2 growth stages, respectively. Yield loss was greater when imazosulfuron was applied at V6 and R2 compared to applications at VC and V2. Results from this research indicate that imazosulfuron can severely injure soybean regardless of the growth stage at which drift occurs; however, soybean injured by imazosulfuron at early growth stages (VC and V2) has a better chance of recovery over time compared to drift at later growth stages (V6 and R2).

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine tolerance of tomato to halosulfuron, imazosulfuron, and trifloxysulfuron herbicides applied through drip irrigation. In greenhouse studies, PRE- and POST-applied trifloxysulfuron caused greater tomato injury (14 and 54% injury, respectively) than PRE- and POST-applied halosulfuron (5 and 26% injury, respectively) or imazosulfuron (5 and 23% injury, respectively). All herbicide treatments in the greenhouse studies caused greater injury to tomato than the nontreated. Greater tomato injury was observed in the greenhouse from herbicides applied POST than when soil applied. Tomato injury from POST-applied halosulfuron, imazosulfuron, or trifloxysulfuron followed a linear relationship, with tomato injury increasing with increasing herbicide rate. Tomato photosynthetic rate did not differ among the herbicide treatments (32.7 to 55.0 μmol m−2 s−1) and the nontreated (38.0 to 55.0 μmol m−2 s−1). At 5 to 16 days after treatment (DAT), tomato treated with imazosulfuron POST (0.26 to 0.46 cm s−1) or trifloxysulfuron POST (0.27 to 0.51 cm s−1) had lower stomatal conductance compared to the stomatal conductance of the nontreated tomato (0.65 to 0.76 cm s−1). Chlorophyll content did not differ among treatments at 0 to 6 DAT. At 7 to 12 DAT, tomato treated with imazosulfuron POST (34.0 to 40.1 SPAD) and trifloxysulfuron POST (35.0 to 41.6 SPAD) had lower chlorophyll content compared to the nontreated (39.1 to 48.1 SPAD). In 2008 and 2009 field studies, no tomato injury was observed. Herbicide, herbicide application method, and herbicide rate had no effect on tomato height (73 to 77 cm 14 DAT, 79 to 84 cm 21 DAT) and total fruit yield (62,722 to 80,328 kg ha−1).

A stakeholder survey was conducted from April through June of 2018 to understand stakeholders’ perceptions and challenges about cropping systems and weed management in Brazil. The dominant crops managed by survey respondents were soybean (73%) and corn (66%). Approximately 75% of survey respondents have grown or managed annual cropping systems with two to three crops per year cultivated in succession. Eighteen percent of respondents manage only irrigated cropping systems, and over 60% of respondents adopt no-till as a standard practice. According to respondents, the top five troublesome weed species in Brazilian cropping systems are horseweed (asthmaweed, Canadian horseweed, and tall fleabane), sourgrass, morningglory, goosegrass, and dayflower (Asiatic dayflower and Benghal dayflower). Among the nine species documented to have evolved resistance to glyphosate in Brazil, horseweed and sourgrass were reported as the most concerning weeds. Other than glyphosate, 31% and 78% of respondents, respectively, manage weeds resistant to acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors and/or acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors. Besides herbicides, 45% of respondents use mechanical, and 75% use cultural (e.g., no-till, crop rotation/succession) weed control strategies. Sixty-one percent of survey respondents adopt cover crops to some extent to suppress weeds and improve soil chemical and physical properties. Nearly 60% of survey respondents intend to adopt the crops that are resistant to dicamba or 2,4-D when available. Results may help practitioners, academics, industry, and policy makers to better understand the bad and the good of current cropping systems and weed management practices adopted in Brazil, and to adjust research, education, technologies priorities, and needs moving forward.

The role of weed suppression by the cultivated crop is often overlooked in annual row cropping systems. Agronomic practices such as planting time, row spacing, tillage and herbicide selection may influence the time of crop canopy closure. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of the aforementioned agronomic practices and their interaction with the adoption of an effective preemergence (PRE) soil residual herbicide program on soybean canopy closure and yield. A field experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020 in Arlington, WI, as a 2×2×2×2 factorial in a randomized complete block design, including early (late April) and standard (late May) planting time, narrow (38 cm) and wide (76 cm) row spacing, conventional tillage and no-till, and soil-applied PRE herbicide (yes and no; flumioxazin 150 g ai ha−1 + metribuzin 449 g ai ha−1 + pyroxasulfone 190 g ai ha−1). All plots were maintained weed-free throughout the growing season. In both years, early planted soybeans reached 90% green canopy cover (T90) before (7 to 9 d difference) and yielded more (188 to 902 kg ha−1 difference) than the standard planted soybeans. Narrow-row soybeans reached T90 earlier than wide-row soybeans (4 to 7 d difference), but yield was similar between row spacing treatments. Conventional tillage resulted in a higher yield compared to a no-till system (377 kg ha−1 difference). The PRE herbicide slightly delayed T90 (4 d or less) but had no impact on yield. All practices investigated herein influenced the time of soybean canopy closure but only planting time and tillage impacted yield. Planting soybeans earlier and reducing their row spacing expedites the time to canopy closure. The potential delay in canopy development and yield loss if soybeans are allowed to compete with weeds early in the season would likely outweigh the slight delay in canopy development by an effective PRE herbicide.

The objective of this paper was to review the reproductive biology, herbicide-resistant (HR) biotypes, pollen-mediated gene flow (PMGF), and potential for transfer of alleles from HR to herbicide-susceptible grass weeds including barnyardgrass, creeping bentgrass, Italian ryegrass, johnsongrass, rigid (annual) ryegrass, and wild oats. The widespread occurrence of HR grass weeds is at least partly due to PMGF, particularly in obligate outcrossing species such as rigid ryegrass. Creeping bentgrass, a wind-pollinated turfgrass species, can efficiently disseminate herbicide resistance alleles via PMGF and movement of seeds and stolons. The genus Agrostis contains about 200 species, many of which are sexually compatible and produce naturally occurring hybrids and hybrids with species in the genus Polypogon. The self-incompatibility, extremely high outcrossing rate, and wind pollination in Italian ryegrass clearly point to PMGF as a major mechanism by which herbicide resistance alleles can spread across agricultural landscapes, resulting in abundant genetic variation within populations and low genetic differentiation among populations. Italian ryegrass can readily hybridize with perennial ryegrass and rigid ryegrass due to their similarity in chromosome numbers (2n = 14), resulting in interspecific gene exchange. Johnsongrass, barnyardgrass, and wild oats are self-pollinated species, so the potential for PMGF is relatively low and limited to short distances; however, seeds can easily shatter upon maturity before crop harvest, leading to wider dispersal. The occurrence of PMGF in reviewed grass weed species, even at a low rate, is greater than that of spontaneous mutations conferring herbicide resistance in weeds and thus can contribute to the spread of herbicide resistance alleles. This review indicates that the transfer of herbicide resistance alleles occurs under field conditions at varying levels depending on the grass weed species.

The critical timing of weed removal (CTWR) is the point in crop development when weed control must be initiated to prevent crop yield loss due to weed competition. A field study was conducted in 2018 and 2020 near Scottsbluff, NE, to determine how the use of preemergence herbicides affects the CTWR in dry bean. The experiment was arranged as a split plot, with herbicide treatment and weed removal timing as main and sub-plot factors, respectively. Herbicide treatments consisted of no-preemergence application, or pendimethalin (1,070 g ai ha–1) + dimethenamid-P (790 g ai ha–1) applied preemergence. Sub-plot treatments included season-long weed-free, weed removal at: V1, V3, V6, R2, and R5 dry bean growth stages, and a season-long weedy control. A four-parameter logistic model was used to estimate the impact of time of weed removal, for all response variables including dry bean yield, dry bean plants m–1 row, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, and seed weight. The CTWR based on 5% yield reduction was estimated to range from the V1 growth stage [(16 d after emergence (DAE)] to the R1 growth stage (39 DAE) in the no-preemergence herbicide treatment. In the preemergence-applied treatment, the CTWR began at the R2 growth stage (47 DAE). Number of dry bean plants m–1 row was reduced in the no-preemergence treatment when weed removal was delayed beyond the R2 growth stage in the 2020 field season. The use of preemergence herbicides prevented a reduction in the number of pods per plant in 2020, and the number of seeds per pod in 2018 and 2020. In 2018, the number of pods per plant was reduced by 73% when no preemergence herbicide was applied, compared to 26% in the preemergence-applied treatment. The use of preemergence-applied soil-active herbicides in dry bean delayed the CTWR and preserved yield potential.

Eight sweet corn cultivars were evaluated for tolerance to AE F130360 in five field experiments conducted over 2 yr in Ontario. AE F130360 was applied postemergence at 70 and 140 g ai/ha, the latter rate representing a spray overlap in the field. Response to AE F130360 varied with respect to sweet corn cultivar and herbicide rate. Minimal crop injury was observed in seven of the eight cultivars. One cultivar, ‘DelMonte 2038’, was extremely sensitive, showing 94% or more injury for all site-years. Plant height of most cultivars was not negatively affected by AE F130360 treatments, with the exception of DelMonte 2038, which sustained height reductions of 78% or greater compared with the untreated control. The crop injury and height reductions that were observed in DelMonte 2038 were reflected in the marketable yields, which were reduced by 92% or more as a result of the AE F130360 treatments. Marketable yields also tended to be reduced in ‘Calico Belle’ and ‘Rival’. On the basis of marketable yields, it was concluded that ‘CNS 710’, ‘GG 222’, ‘GG 246’, ‘GH 2684’, and ‘Reveille’ have full tolerance to AE F130360, Calico Belle and Rival tend to have moderate tolerance, and DelMonte 2038 has zero tolerance to AE F130360.