Crop allelopathy has seldom been used effectively by farmers in weed management. Traditional breeding methods have not been successful in producing highly allelopathic crops with good yields. Genetic engineering may have the potential for overcoming this impasse. Crops have been made resistant to insects, pathogens, and herbicides with transgenes, but biotechnology has not produced crops that control weeds with allelochemicals. The strategies for producing allelopathic crops by biotechnology are relatively complex, usually involving multiple genes. One can choose to enhance production of allelochemicals already present in a crop or to impart the production of new compounds. The first strategy involves identification of the allelochemical(s), determination of the enzymes and genes encoding them, and the use of genetic engineering to enhance their production. The latter strategy employs altering existing biochemical pathways by insertions of transgenes to produce new allelochemicals. With either strategy, there are potential problems with tissue-specific promoters, autotoxicity, metabolic imbalances, and proper movement of the allelopathic compound to the rhizosphere.

Summer leguminous cover crops can improve soil health and reduce the economic and environmental costs associated with N fertilizers. However, adoption is often constrained by poor weed suppression compared to nonlegume cover crops. In field experiments conducted in organic vegetable cropping systems in north-central New York, two primary hypotheses were tested: (1) mixtures of legume cover crops (cowpea and soybean) with grasses (sorghum–sudangrass and Japanese millet) reduce weed seed production and increase cover crop productivity relative to legume monocultures and (2) higher soil fertility shifts the competitive outcome in favor of weeds and nonlegume cover crops. Cover crops were grown either alone or in grass–legume combinations with or without composted chicken manure. Under hot, dry conditions in 2005, cowpea and soybean cover crops were severely suppressed by weeds in monoculture and by sorghum–sudangrass in mixtures, resulting in low legume biomass, poor nodulation, and high levels of Powell amaranth seed production (> 25,000 seeds m−2). Under more typical temperature and rainfall conditions in 2006, cowpea mixtures with Japanese millet stimulated cowpea biomass production and nodulation compared to monoculture, but soybeans were suppressed in mixtures with both grasses. Composted chicken manure shifted competition in favor of weeds at the expense of cowpea (2005), stimulated weed and grass biomass production (2006), and suppressed nodulation of soybean (2006). In a complementary on-farm trial, cowpea mixtures with sorghum–sudangrass suppressed weed biomass by 99%; however, both common purslane and hairy galinsoga produced sufficient seeds (600 seeds m−2) to replenish the existing weed seedbank. Results suggest that (1) mixtures of cowpeas with grasses can improve nodulation, lower seed costs, and reduce the risk of weed seed production; (2) soybean is not compatible with grasses in mixture; and (3) future costs of weed seed production must be considered when determining optimal cover crop choices.

Field experiments were conducted from 1993 to 1995 to evaluate control of annual weeds with glyphosate applied at rates of 560 to 2800 g ai/ha in spray volumes of 93 and 187 L/ha. Glyphosate controlled 100% of giant foxtail, fall panicum, redroot pigweed, and velvetleaf (in 1993) regardless of rate, spray volume, or application timing. Ivyleaf morningglory, velvetleaf, and common lambsquarters control was greater with glyphosate applied early POST than late POST. Ivyleaf morningglory, velvetleaf, and common lambsquarters control increased as glyphosate rate increased with both spray volumes. Velvetleaf control with glyphosate applied late POST was greater with glyphosate in 187 L/ha water compared with 93 L/ha water.

Field experiments were conducted in 1992 to 1993 and in 1995 to 1996 in Ibadan, Nigeria, to assess the effect of velvetbean and herbicides on maize (corn) and cogongrass growth and to assess regrowth of the weed 1 yr after treatment. In 1992 and 1995 cover cropping with velvetbean and imazapyr and glyphosate application reduced cogongrass density as much as the handweeded control. The smothering effect of velvetbean was equivalent to that of glyphosate at 1.8 kg/ha but was less than imazapyr even at the lowest rate of 0.5 kg/ha. Addition of adjuvant did not improve the efficacy of either herbicide. Maize grain yield was higher in velvetbean plots than in fallow plots dominated by cogongrass. Velvetbean and herbicide effects on cogongrass 1 yr later (1993 and 1996) followed a similar trend as observed in the year of application. Annual weed density was highest in glyphosate plots, followed by imazapyr, and least in plots previously seeded to velvetbean. Maize grain yield was higher in herbicide plots (average yield of 3,170 and 1,920 kg/ha in 1993 and 1996, respectively) than in velvetbean plots (2,800 to 1,180 kg/ha in 1993 and 1996, respectively) and handweeded plots (2,890 and 723 kg/ha in 1993 and 1996, respectively). In 1996 the lowest maize yield was in handweeded plots without velvetbean, suggesting that weeding four times suppressed cogongrass density and biomass, but was not sufficient to minimize the subsequent competition from annual weeds. Uncontrolled cogongrass reduced maize yield to zero. These studies suggest that planting velvetbean for cogongrass control may be a better alternative for farmers without the resources to purchase herbicides.

Glyphosate was compared with other commonly used corn herbicides at three locations in Kentucky in 1998 and 1999. Sequential glyphosate treatments provided greater than 87% control of common cocklebur, ivyleaf morningglory, common lambsquarters, and giant ragweed. Control of these species with glyphosate treatments was similar to the control with atrazine plus other postemergence (POST) herbicides. Generally, treatments containing s-triazines and chloracetamides applied to the soil surface were not as effective as sequential glyphosate or atrazine plus POST herbicides. Corn yield was not significantly different at any location or for any year, whereas differences in net return occurred at one location in 1998.

Experiments were conducted at Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia in 2004 and 2005 to study the effect of four different seeding systems and dinitroaniline herbicides on the seedling emergence and growth of rigid ryegrass in wheat. The seeding systems were low soil-disturbance discs (DayBreak and K-Hart) and high soil-disturbance tines (narrow point and Ribbon seeder); and the herbicides were oryzalin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin at rate of 0.72 kg ai/ha. The total seedling emergence of rigid ryegrass was higher in nontreated plots planted with the tines compared with the discs. In general, oryzalin was the least-effective herbicide in controlling emergence of rigid ryegrass. All herbicides were more effective in reducing the number of plants, spikes, dry matter, and seed production of rigid ryegrass in combination with tines than with discs. However, in the absence of herbicides, plant and spike numbers, plant dry weight, and seed production of rigid ryegrass were significantly lower where discs were used to sow, rather than tines. In the absence of herbicide, rigid ryegrass was less competitive with wheat under the disc-sown systems. The response of grain yield to herbicides was greater under the tine-sown systems than the disc-sown systems.

Herbicide-resistant Amaranthus spp. continue to cause management difficulties in soybean. New soybean technologies under development, including resistance to various combinations of glyphosate, glufosinate, dicamba, 2,4-D, isoxaflutole, and mesotrione, will make possible the use of additional herbicide sites of action in soybean than is currently available. When this research was conducted, these soybean traits were still regulated and testing herbicide programs with the appropriate soybean genetics in a single experiment was not feasible. Therefore, the effectiveness of various herbicide programs (PRE herbicides followed by POST herbicides) was evaluated in bare-ground experiments on glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth and glyphosate-resistant waterhemp (both tall and common) at locations in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee. Twenty-five herbicide programs were evaluated; 5 of which were PRE herbicides only, 10 were PRE herbicides followed by POST herbicides 3 to 4 wks after (WA) the PRE application (EPOST), and 10 were PRE herbicides followed by POST herbicides 6 to 7 WA the PRE application (LPOST). Programs with EPOST herbicides provided 94% or greater control of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp at 3 to 4 WA the EPOST. Overall, programs with LPOST herbicides resulted in a period of weed emergence in which weeds would typically compete with a crop. Weeds were not completely controlled with the LPOST herbicides because weed sizes were larger (≥ 15 cm) compared with their sizes at the EPOST application (≤ 7 cm). Most programs with LPOST herbicides provided 80 to 95% control at 3 to 4 WA applied LPOST. Based on an orthogonal contrast, using a synthetic-auxin herbicide LPOST improves control of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp over programs not containing a synthetic-auxin LPOST. These results show herbicides that can be used in soybean and that contain auxinic- or HPPD-resistant traits will provide growers with an opportunity for better control of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth and waterhemp over a wide range of geographies and environments.

Tropical spiderwort (more appropriately called Benghal dayflower) poses a serious threat to crop production in the southern United States. Although tropical spiderwort has been present in the United States for more than seven decades, only recently has it become a pest in agricultural fields. Identified as an isolated weed problem in 1999, tropical spiderwort became the most troublesome weed in Georgia cotton by 2003. Contributing to the significance of tropical spiderwort as a troublesome weed is the lack of control afforded by most commonly used herbicides, especially glyphosate. Vegetative growth and flower production of tropical spiderwort were optimized between 30 and 35 C, but growth was sustained over a range of 20 to 40 C. These temperatures are common throughout much of the United States during summer months. At the very least, it appears that tropical spiderwort may be able to co-occur with cotton throughout the southeastern United States. The environmental limits of tropical spiderwort have not yet been determined. However, the rapid spread through Georgia and naturalization in North Carolina, coupled with its tolerance to current management strategies and aggressive growth habit, make tropical spiderwort a significant threat to agroecosystems in the southern United States.

Field trials were conducted to compare the effect of various soil fumigants along with in-bed pebulate and row-middle metribuzin applications on purple nutsedge control and on tomato and bell pepper growth and yield. Treatments consisted of combinations of soil fumigants, pebulate, and metribuzin. Fumigants levels were (1) untreated control, (2) methyl bromide (MBr) + chloropicrin (Pic) (67 + 33%, respectively), (3) Pic, (4) metham, (5) dazomet, and (6) 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) + Pic (83 + 17%, respectively). Pebulate levels were either applied in-bed or not applied. Row middles were either sprayed with metribuzin or untreated. In both crops, purple nutsedge populations were independently influenced by fumigants and pebulate applications, with the highest number of purple nutsedge plants in the untreated control. The addition of pebulate reduced purple nutsedge populations in all treatments. In tomato trials, the yield was affected by fumigants, with the highest losses (53 and 50% reductions in fruit number and weight) observed in the nonfumigated control. In pepper trials, fruit number and weight were individually influenced by fumigants and metribuzin sprayings. Application of metribuzin to row middles increased yields 10% relative to nontreated plots.

Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper spectral data and field survey information were combined to identify specific land cover types associated with 1741 dyers woad infestation points on the Cache National Forest in northern Utah. Ten of 60 possible cover types were strongly associated with current dyers woad infestations, and therefore considered highly suited to establishment and survival of the weed. Non-infested land of the same “highly suited” cover types comprised an additional 24 714 ha within the 149 021-ha study area, suggesting the potential for an eventual 124-fold increase in dyers woad incidence on the forest.

Dinitroaniline herbicides are major herbicides used to control annual grass weeds in cool-season turfgrasses. At least three herbicides, benefin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin are labeled preemergence to control weeds in established turfgrass. Prodiamine could be a competitive product. Benefin at 2.2 to 3.4 kg ai/ha, pendimethalin at 1.7 to 3.4 kg ai/ha, prodiamine at 0.6 to 1.7 kg ai/ ha, and benefin plus trifluralin at 1.1 plus 0.6 to 2.3 plus 1.1 kg ai/ha effectively control many annual grass weeds, including large and smooth crabgrass, yellow and green foxtail, barnyardgrass, goosegrass, fall panicum, and annual bluegrass. Most dinitroaniline herbicides provide residual preemergence weed control for the entire growing season. In general, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, red fescue, and other cool-season turfgrasses tolerate most of these herbicides, although higher-than-normal rates of any dinitroaniline herbicide could restrict root growth and cause stand thinning in turfgrass species.

In 1998, field populations of wild radish suspected of being resistant to chlorsulfuron were collected and screened for resistance to this herbicide using the Quick-Test technique. This test successfully identified chlorsulfuron-resistant populations of wild radish. Detailed dose–response experiments with the progeny of these populations confirmed their resistance and validated the use of the Quick-Test for a dicot species. Subsequently in 1999, a random survey was conducted employing this test to establish the current extent of chlorsulfuron resistance in wild radish populations. The survey covered more than 200 fields in the northern, central, and eastern wheatbelt regions of Western Australia. Wild radish plants were collected from wheat crops in 133 of these fields. The Quick-Test method was used to screen these plants with the acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicide chlorsulfuron. Overall, 21% of randomly collected wild radish populations were found to be resistant to chlorsulfuron.

Ground-based surveys to regularly document the size, shape, and location of weed populations usually are not economically feasible. Digital images of vegetation in semiarid rangeland were obtained from four charge-coupled devices with spectral filters mounted in an airplane. The ability to distinguish yellow starthistle and common St. Johnswort from other rangeland vegetation in images with 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 m spatial resolution was assessed. Detection, positioning, and measurements of size and density of yellow starthistle and common St. Johnswort colonies with densities as low as 30% ground cover were possible at all those resolutions. Images indicated yellow starthistle occupied about one-third of a 180-ha study area. Images taken in June indicated 2 to 10 ha less yellow starthistle ranging from 30 to 100% cover than images taken in July for all resolutions. Images indicated common St. Johnswort occupied less than 4 ha of the 180-ha study area. This procedure provides a method to establish baseline plant community composition and a way to monitor species population changes and dispersal over time.

Seeds of a suspected glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed biotype from Lauderdale County, TN, were collected from a continuous cotton field in fall 2007 after plants were nonresponsive to multiple glyphosate applications. The objectives of this research were to (1) confirm resistance by quantifying the response of the putative resistant biotype to glyphosate compared to a susceptible biotype from a nonagricultural area, (2) quantify shikimate accumulation over time in both biotypes, and (3) determine the effectiveness of POST-applied herbicides labeled for use in cotton in controlling both biotypes at three growth stages. The susceptible biotype had a 50% lethal dose of 407 g ae/ha of glyphosate compared with 2,176 g/ha for the resistant biotype when treated at the four-node stage, a 5.3-fold level of resistance. The resistant biotype accumulated 3.3- to 9.8-fold less shikimate than the susceptible biotype at 1 to 7 d after treatment. The resistant biotype was less responsive to glyphosate as treatment was delayed past the two-node stage, much more than the susceptible biotype. Glufosinate, MSMA, and diuron controlled both biotypes by at least 90%, regardless of size at application. Prometryn, flumioxazin, carfentrazone-ethyl, fomesafen, and trifloxysulfuron controlled both biotypes by at least 89% when applied at the two-node stage, but control generally diminished with later application timings. Pyrithiobac was not effective in controlling either biotype, regardless of size at application. Hence, there are effective herbicide options for controlling glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed in cotton, and the resistant biotype does not appear to exhibit multiple resistances to other herbicides.

Studies were conducted in 2005 and 2006 at three Iowa locations to determine the effect of soybean seeding rate and glyphosate application timing on weed management and grain yields in glyphosate-resistant soybean. End-of-season weed populations were affected by soybean seeding rate at only one location, with higher weed densities present in the lowest seeding rate when glyphosate was applied at the V2 soybean growth stage. Although weed populations were not consistently affected by soybean population, weed biomass present at soybean harvest was inversely related to soybean population. At the location with the highest weed populations, no single glyphosate application provided yields equivalent to the weed-free control. At the other locations, glyphosate application timing did not affect soybean yield. Lower soybean yields occurred with 240,000 seed/ha compared with 420,000 seed/ha at all locations and with 300,000 seed/ha at two locations.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) giant ragweed has been confirmed in Ontario, Canada. Giant ragweed is an extremely competitive weed and lack of control in soybean will lead to significant yield losses. Seed companies have developed new herbicide-resistant (HR) crop cultivars and hybrids that stack multiple HR traits. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of glyphosate and glyphosate plus dicamba tank mixes for the control of GR giant ragweed under Ontario environmental conditions in dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybean. Three field trials were established over a 2-yr period (2010 and 2011) on farms near Windsor and Belle River, ON. Treatments included glyphosate (900 g ae ha−1), dicamba (300 g ae ha−1), and dicamba (600 g ha−1) applied preplant (PP), POST, or sequentially in various combinations. Glyphosate applied PP, POST, or sequentially provided 22 to 68%, 40 to 47%, and 59 to 95% control of GR giant ragweed and reduced shoot dry weight 26 to 80%, 16 to 50%, and 72 to 98%, respectively. Glyphosate plus dicamba applied PP followed by glyphosate plus dicamba applied POST consistently provided 100% control of GR giant ragweed. DT soybean yield correlated with GR giant ragweed control. This is the first report in Canada of weed control in DT soybean, specifically for the control of GR giant ragweed. Results indicate that the use of dicamba in DT soybean will provide an effective option for the control of GR giant ragweed in Ontario.

Persistent use of herbicides has resulted in the selection of many herbicide-resistant weeds worldwide. A survey of 75 fields in the Palouse region of the inland Pacific Northwest was conducted to determine the extent of Italian ryegrass resistance to grass herbicides commonly used in winter wheat-cropping systems. Plants grown from collected seed samples were tested for resistance to diclofop, clodinafop, quizalofop, tralkoxydim, sethoxydim, clethodim, pinoxaden, triasulfuron, mesosulfuron, flucarbazone, imazamox, and flufenacet/metribuzin. Averaged across herbicide families within a herbicide group, some level of resistance was exhibited in 73, 31, and 31% of the populations to the aryloxyphenoxypropionates, cyclohexanediones, and phenylpyrazoline herbicides, respectively, and 39, 53, and 55% of the populations to the sulfonylureas, sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone, and imidazolinone herbicides, respectively. Twelve percent of the populations showed some level of resistance to flufenacet/metribuzin. Cross-resistance to all acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase-inhibiting (group 1) herbicides was observed in 12% of the populations, whereas 25% of the populations were cross-resistant to all acetolactate synthase-inhibiting (group 2) herbicides tested. Of all the populations tested, 7% exhibited multiple resistance to at least one herbicide within all three groups tested. Only 5% of populations were completely susceptible to all 12 herbicides tested. These results indicate that herbicide-resistant Italian ryegrass populations are now common across much of the Palouse region in northern Idaho and eastern Washington.

With the frequency of glyphosate-resistant waterhemp increasing throughout the Midwest, the identification of resistant populations has become important for managing this species. However, high-throughput screening for glyphosate resistance in the greenhouse is tedious and inefficient. Research was conducted to document the occurrence of glyphosate-resistant waterhemp throughout the state of Illinois, and to determine whether a molecular assay for 5-enolypyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene amplification can be used as an alternative means to detect resistant populations. Populations throughout the state of Illinois were collected in 2010 and screened for glyphosate resistance using a whole-plant assay in a greenhouse, and survivors were examined for EPSPS gene amplification. Of 80 populations investigated, 22 were glyphosate resistant based on the greenhouse screen, and gene amplification was identified in 20 (91%) of the resistant populations. Although there are multiple mechanisms for glyphosate resistance in waterhemp, a molecular test for EPSPS gene amplification provides a rapid alternative for identification of glyphosate resistance in most populations.

POST combinations of photosystem II (PSII) and the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitors are effective for control of broadleaf weeds in corn. Field studies were conducted during 2007 and 2008 in Urbana and Dekalb, IL, to determine the nature of interactions between two PSII inhibitors, atrazine and bromoxynil, and the HPPD inhibitor mesotrione, based on control of common waterhemp, common lambsquarters, and giant ragweed. Two rates of each herbicide were evaluated, with the highest representing a typical recommended rate, and the lowest a fraction of that rate. Synergistic interactions occurred for common waterhemp control from 10 to 30 d after treatment (DAT) regardless of herbicide rates, rainfall accumulation, or plant height. Synergism between mesotrione and bromoxynil was not observed for common lambsquarters control at Urbana in 2008 at the lower herbicide rates, possibly due to taller weed heights at the time of herbicide application relative to 2007. Giant ragweed control indicated that a synergistic interaction occurred for all herbicides and rates in 2008. However, synergism between bromoxynil and mesotrione did not occur in 2007, likely due to limited rainfall before herbicide application. Reduced herbicide rates and adverse environmental conditions have the potential to regulate the expression of synergism between mesotrione and PSII inhibitors, and therefore may limit their effectiveness for weed management in corn.

KIH-485 is an experimental herbicide being evaluated for preemergence weed control in corn. Field experiments were conducted in Burleson County, Texas, in 2003 and 2004 to compare weed control, corn tolerance, and corn yield with various rates of KIH-485 or S-metolachlor. Each herbicide was applied in single preemergence applications at four rates, or in combination with atrazine. KIH-485 at 500 g ai/ha provided better Texas panicum control than S-metolachlor by 9 WAT. KIH-485 or S-metolachlor treatments controlled Palmer amaranth at least 91% at all evaluation dates. In 2003, no other treatment controlled velvetleaf better than 500 g/ha KIH-485. The following year, all KIH-485 rates above 125 g/ha controlled velvetleaf better than any rate of S-metolachlor alone. Moreover, KIH-485 controlled all weed species as good as or better than S-metolachlor plus atrazine, regardless of KIH-485 rate. There was no significant corn injury observed, and grain yield reflected the effects of weed control.