The response of littleseed canarygrass biotypes to isoproturon, pendimethalin, and diclofop-methyl was evaluated in India, in pot studies and the field during the winters of 1991 to 1992 and 1992 to 1993. Some biotypes of littleseed canarygrass were resistant to isoproturon but cross-resistance to pendimethalin and diclofop-methyl was not confirmed. The resistant biotype required a higher dose of diclofop-methyl than the susceptible biotype. Variations in the response of littleseed canarygrass biotypes were not due to isoproturon formulation. Resistant biotypes required 2 to 8 times more isoproturon than a susceptible biotype for the same level of control. Diclofop-methyl at 1.0 kg ai/ha applied at the 2- to 3-leaf stage of littleseed canarygrass in pot experiments and PRE pendimethalin at 1.5 kg ai/ha in field trials controlled resistant biotypes. Field surveys of the affected areas revealed that resistance in littleseed canarygrass is more prevalent in rice-wheat rotations compared to other crop sequences. Control of littleseed canarygrass with isoproturon dropped from 78 to 21% from 1990 to 1993.

Specialty crops, like flowers, herbs, and vegetables, generally do not have an adequate spectrum of herbicide chemistries to control weeds and have been dependent on hand weeding to achieve commercially acceptable weed control. However, labor shortages have led to higher costs for hand weeding. There is a need to develop labor-saving technologies for weed control in specialty crops if production costs are to be contained. Machine vision technology, together with data processors, have been developed to enable commercial machines to recognize crop row patterns and control automated devices that perform tasks such as removal of intrarow weeds, as well as to thin crops to desired stands. The commercial machine vision systems depend upon a size difference between the crops and weeds and/or the regular crop row pattern to enable the system to recognize crop plants and control surrounding weeds. However, where weeds are large or the weed population is very dense, then current machine vision systems cannot effectively differentiate weeds from crops. Commercially available automated weeders and thinners today depend upon cultivators or directed sprayers to control weeds. Weed control actuators on future models may use abrasion with sand blown in an air stream or heating with flaming devices to kill weeds. Future weed control strategies will likely require adaptation of the crops to automated weed removal equipment. One example would be changes in crop row patterns and spacing to facilitate cultivation in two directions. Chemical company consolidation continues to reduce the number of companies searching for new herbicides; increasing costs to develop new herbicides and price competition from existing products suggest that the downward trend in new herbicide development will continue. In contrast, automated weed removal equipment continues to improve and become more effective.

A method to rapidly identify acetolactate synthase/acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS/AHAS)-resistant weeds is described based upon the differential accumulation of acetoin in the presence and absence of an ALS/AHAS inhibitor herbicide. Acetoin accumulation is induced by inhibition of ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI), the enzyme immediately following ALS/AHAS in the biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids. Inhibition of ALS/AHAS prevents the build up of acetoin and forms the basis for distinguishing between sensitive and resistant biotypes. A new inhibitor of KARI, 1,1-cyclopropanedicarboxylic acid (CPCA), is described and was found to cause acetoin accumulation in velvetleaf leaf disks over the concentration range of 2 to 100 000 μM. In the presence of CPCA, a number of species important to monitor for ALS/AHAS resistance were found to accumulate acetoin at rates sufficient for resistance diagnosis in 2 to 8 h. In velvetleaf, the youngest apical leaf was found to be the most active in acetoin accumulation. The resistance diagnosis method was validated by clearly distinguishing between imazaquin-sensitive and imazaquin-resistant cocklebur biotypes.

Thirteen field trials were conducted in 1999 and 2000 to evaluate postemergence (POST) weed control with single applications of bromoxynil at 420 or 560 g ai/ha, glufosinate at 291 or 409 g ai/ha, glyphosate at 1,120 g ai/ha, pyrithiobac at 36 or 72 g ai/ha, or sulfosate at 1,120 g ai/ha. Additional treatments evaluated included two applications with glufosinate at both rates in all possible combinations, two applications of glyphosate, and two applications of sulfosate. Weeds were 2 to 5 cm or 8 to 10 cm tall for annual grass and broadleaf weeds whereas yellow nutsedge and glyphosate-resistant corn were 8 to 10 cm tall. All herbicide treatments controlled 2- to 5-cm common cocklebur, Florida beggarweed, jimsonweed, ladysthumb smartweed, Pennsylvania smartweed, pitted morningglory, prickly sida, redroot pigweed, smooth pigweed, and velvetleaf at least 90%. All herbicide treatments except pyrithiobac at either rate controlled 2- to 5-cm common lambsquarters, common ragweed, and tall morningglory at least 90%; pyrithiobac at the lower rate was the only treatment that failed to control entireleaf and ivyleaf morningglory at least 90%. Bromoxynil and pyrithiobac at either rate controlled 2- to 5-cm sicklepod 33 to 68% whereas glufosinate, glyphosate, and sulfostate controlled ≥99%. Glyphosate and sulfosate applied once or twice controlled hemp sesbania less than 70% and volunteer peanut less than 80%. Bromoxynil and pyrithiobac were the least effective treatments for control of annual grass species and bromoxynil controlled Palmer amaranth less than 80%. Glufosinate controlled broadleaf signalgrass, fall panicum, giant foxtail, green foxtail, large crabgrass, yellow foxtail, seedling johnsongrass, Texas panicum, and glyphosate-resistant corn at least 90% but controlled goosegrass less than 60%. Glyphosate and sulfosate controlled all grass species except glyphosate-resistant corn at least 90%. In greenhouse research, goosegrass could be controlled with glufosinate POST plus a late POST-directed treatment of prometryn plus monosodium salt of methylarsonic acid.

Blackgrass is the most important herbicide-resistant weed in Europe, occurring in 10 countries. Enhanced metabolism is the most common mechanism, conferring partial resistance to a wide range of herbicides, but acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) target-site resistance also occurs widely. Recently, acetolactate synthase (ALS) target-site resistance conferred by a Pro197 mutation was identified in blackgrass in England and is of concern because of increasing use of sulfonylurea herbicides such as mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron. Resistance management strategies encourage (1) greater use of cultural control measures such as plowing, crop rotation, and delayed drilling; (2) reduced reliance on high-risk herbicides (ACCase, ALS); and (3) use of mixtures and sequences of herbicides with different modes of action. A key message is that, as weeds are relatively immobile, preventing and managing herbicide resistance is largely within the individual farmer's own control. In practice, financial and environmental pressures limit the scope for more cultural control, and the European Community Pesticide Review will result in fewer alternative herbicides being available. Consultants often feel unable to recommend lower risk but weaker herbicide strategies to farmers because the amount of blackgrass remaining might be unacceptable. This dilemma is exemplified by the recent introduction of a formulated mixture of mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron, which has given outstanding control of blackgrass. Farmers expect new herbicides to become available, but this optimistic view appears misplaced. A primary aim is to continue to encourage farmers to integrate cultural and chemical control in a long-term strategy.

A full-season field study was conducted near College Station, TX to determine the competitive interference of Palmer amaranth on cotton development, yield, and fiber properties and to measure Palmer amaranth development as influenced by intraspecific competition. Palmer amaranth densities ranged from 0 to 10 plants/9.1 m of row. Palmer amaranth decreased cotton canopy volume by 45% at 10 wk after cotton emergence (WAE) and cotton biomass by greater than 50% at 8 WAE at the highest density. Cotton yields decreased linearly from 13 to 54% for 1 to 10 Palmer amaranth plants/9.1 m of row. Cotton lint properties were not influenced by Palmer amaranth density. Palmer amaranth volume and individual biomass were not affected by intraspecific competition at any of the densities.

Field research was conducted to evaluate the response of soybean to various herbicides applied at rates to simulate drift damage. Dicamba, glyphosate, glufosinate, and the sulfonylurea herbicides CGA-152005, primisulfuron, nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron, and CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron were applied to soybean at the two to three trifoliolate leaf stage in 1997 and 1998 at and ⅓ of the recommended use rates. The order of yield reduction after herbicide treatment was CGA-152005 > dicamba > CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron > rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron > primisulfuron. Soybean yields were not reduced by glyphosate, glufosinate, and nicosulfuron. Applications of all herbicides at rates higher than of the use rate caused injury symptoms within 30 d after treatment. However, soybean plants had partially or fully recovered by the end of the growing season. Therefore, early-season injury symptoms from herbicide drift are not reliable indicators for soybean yield reduction.

Mixtures of herbicides have been proposed as strategies to prevent or delay the evolution of resistance to the resistance-prone sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides that inhibit acetolactate synthase. These herbicides have become or are becoming widely used in soybean, wheat, rice, and other major crops. For a mixture to be efficacious in preventing resistance, the less resistance-prone component(s) should have the following traits compared to the vulnerable herbicide: a) control the same spectra of weeds; b) have the same persistence; c) have a different target site; d) be degraded in a different manner; and e) preferably exert negative cross-resistance. We compared the proposed mixing partners for use with several widely used acetolactate synthase inhibiting herbicides to these criteria and found that: a) all have somewhat different weed spectra; e.g. none control common cocklebur as well as imazaquin or imazethapyr in soybean, or kochia as well as chlorsulfuron in winter wheat; b) all are far less persistent than these vulnerable herbicides. Less persistent sulfonylureas are now on the market but are in limited use. Late in the season, the mixing partner is not present while the vulnerable herbicide remains active; c) most have different target sites; d) in soybean most mixing partners are degraded differently than vulnerable herbicides. In wheat virtually all herbicides used without safeners are degraded by monooxygenases, thus it is impossible to meet this criterion in this crop; e) none of the mixing partners exert negative cross-resistance. The present mixtures may have superior or more cost-effective weed control properties than the acetolactate synthase inhibitors used alone, but they do not meet all the criteria for resistance management. Not meeting the key criteria of identical control spectra and equal persistence aggravates future resistance problems, as has happened with insecticides.

Winter cover crops are increasingly common on organic and conventional vegetable farms on the central coast of California between periods of intensive vegetable production. A 2-yr study was conducted in Salinas, California, to quantify (1) cover crop and weed biomass production during cover cropping, (2) early-season canopy development of cover crops, (3) weed seed production by burning nettle during cover cropping, and (4) weed emergence following cover crop incorporation. The cover crops included oats, a mustard mix, and a legume/oats mix that were planted in October and soil-incorporated in February. Weed and cover crop densities, early-season cover crop canopy development, above-ground weed and cover crop biomass production, seed production by the burning nettle, and postincorporation weed emergence was evaluated. Mustard produced more early-season biomass than oats and the legume/oats mix. There were no differences in above ground biomass production by the cover crops at the end of their growth period. Suppression of weed biomass and seed production of burning nettle was greatest in mustard, and least in oats and the legume/oats mix. The weed suppressive ability of each cover crop was affected by early-season canopy development and was highly correlated with cover crop plant density. Weed emergence following cover crop incorporation was in order of legume/oats mix > oats > mustard in yr 1, but was not different in yr 2. This study provides initial information on cover crop effects on weed management in irrigated and tilled vegetable production systems in the central coast of California. The results suggest that the legume/oats mix could exacerbate weed problems in subsequent vegetable crops.

Photosystem II (PS II) inhibitors halt electron flow within the photosynthetic electron transport chain, thereby leading to increased oxidative stress. As a result, their addition to mesotrione, which inhibits carotenoid biosynthesis by inhibition of the enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), is complementary. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 to investigate the joint action of POST mesotrione plus PS II inhibitor herbicide combinations. The joint action of mesotrione plus PS II inhibitors was investigated across five plant species, three PS II inhibitors, and two moisture environments to determine their influence on the joint action response. Rates of mesotrione evaluated ranged from 4.4 to 87.6 g ai/ha alone and in combination with reduced rates of atrazine, bromoxynil, and metribuzin. In the field, all combinations of mesotrione at 8.8, 17.5, and 35.0 g/ha plus atrazine, bromoxynil, or metribuzin were synergistic for necrosis 6 d after treatment (DAT) on sunflower. Addition of atrazine at 280 g/ha to mesotrione at 8.8 g/ha increased velvetleaf leaf necrosis by 18 to 47%. In the greenhouse, the addition of bromoxynil at 70 g/ha to mesotrione at 17.5 g/ha increased leaf necrosis by 23 to 34% and biomass reduction by 38 to 47%. Synergism on Palmer amaranth occurred similarly under both normal and dry moisture environments at application. Plant height at application was found to influence detection of synergism on the whole-plant level.

The awareness and adoption of conservation tillage is one of the most important changes taking place in agriculture today. There are, however, concerns regarding weed species shifts under conservation tillage. Under conservation tillage, shifts toward grass, perennial, wind-disseminated weeds and volunteer crop plants have been observed. Shifts in weed species composition may either represent long-term ecological succession or temporary fluctuations in species composition; few long-term studies have examined the ecology of these shifts in detail. Further studies are needed to identify mechanisms driving these shifts to determine whether they are fluctuational or successional and to develop more sophisticated management strategies. In this paper, we present a research approach for studying ecological processes such as competition within a hierarchical framework of all possible causes, processes, and defining factors related to weed succession under conservation tillage. Succession management strategies can be developed to act at the causal level in the successional hierarchy. Three primary causes are site availability, colonization, and species performance. Site availability may be controlled through “designed disturbance”, while differential species availability may be regulated through “controlled colonization” and species performance may be regulated through “controlled species performance”. In general, the goals of succession management would involve reducing populations of the weed species most likely to proliferate under conservation tillage. Comprehensive ecological research, within the hierarchical framework outlined here, would identify potential problems and enable management strategies to account for the numerous factors that may be influencing fluctuations and succession of weeds under conservation tillage.

Weeds are one of the most significant, and controllable, threats to crop production in North America. Monetary losses because of reduced soybean yield and decreased quality because of weed interference, as well as costs of controlling weeds, have a significant economic impact on net returns to producers. Previous Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) Weed Loss Committee reports, as chaired by Chandler (1984) and Bridges (1992), provided snapshots of the comparative crop yield losses because of weeds across geographic regions and crops within these regions after the implementation of weed control tactics. This manuscript is a second report from the current WSSA Weed Loss Committee on crop yield losses because of weeds, specifically in soybean. Yield loss estimates were determined from comparative observations of soybean yields between the weedy control and plots with greater than 95% weed control in studies conducted from 2007 to 2013. Researchers from each US state and Canadian province provided at least three and up to ten individual comparisons for each year, which were then averaged within a year, and then averaged over the seven years. These percent yield loss values were used to determine total soybean yield loss in t ha−1 and bu acre−1 based on average soybean yields for each state or province as well as current commodity prices for a given year as summarized by USDA-NASS (2014) and Statistics Canada (2015). Averaged across 2007 to 2013, weed interference in soybean caused a 52.1% yield loss. Based on 2012 census data in the US and Canada soybean was grown on 30,798,512 and 1,679,203 hectares with production of 80 million and 5 million tonnes, respectively. Using an average soybean price across 2007 to 2013 of US $389.81 t−1 ($10.61 bu−1), farm gate value would be reduced by US $16.2 billion in the US and $1.0 billion in Canada annually if no weed management tactics were employed.

Precision weed management, an application of precision agriculture, accounts for within-field variability of weed infestation and herbicide damage. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide a unique platform for remote sensing of field crops. They are more efficient and flexible than manned agricultural airplanes in acquiring high-resolution images at low altitudes and low speeds. UAVs are more universal than agricultural aircraft, because the latter are used only in specific regions. We have developed and used UAV systems for red–green–blue digital and color–infrared imaging over crop fields to identify weed species, determine crop injury from dicamba at different doses, and detect naturally grown glyphosate-resistant weeds. This article presents remote sensing technologies for weed management and focuses on development and application of UAV-based low-altitude remote sensing technology for precision weed management. In particular, this article futher discusses the potential application of UAV-based plant-sensing systems for mapping the distributions of glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-susceptible weeds in crop fields.

Trifluralin-resistant Palmer amaranth populations were confirmed at eight locations within two of the ten-county cotton growing region of South Carolina. Different levels of resistance to six dinitroaniline herbicides were observed, but no resistance was observed to herbicides from nine other chemical groups. Five to six times more trifluralin was required to control a resistant than a susceptible biotype under field conditions.

An experiment was conducted at six locations in North Carolina to compare weed-management treatments using glufosinate postemergence (POST) in glufosinate-resistant soybean, glyphosate POST in glyphosate-resistant soybean, and imazaquin plus SAN 582 preemergence (PRE) followed by chlorimuron POST in nontransgenic soybean. Prickly sida and sicklepod were controlled similarly and 84 to 100% by glufosinate and glyphosate. Glyphosate controlled broadleaf signalgrass, fall panicum, goosegrass, rhizomatous johnsongrass, common lambsquarters, and smooth pigweed at least 90%. Control of these weeds by glyphosate often was greater than control by glufosinate. Mixing fomesafen with glufosinate increased control of these species except johnsongrass. Glufosinate often was more effective than glyphosate on entireleaf and tall morningglories. Fomesafen mixed with glyphosate increased morningglory control but reduced smooth pigweed control. Glufosinate or glyphosate applied sequentially or early postemergence (EPOST) following imazaquin plus SAN 582 PRE often were more effective than glufosinate or glyphosate applied only EPOST. Only rhizomatous johnsongrass was controlled more effectively by glufosinate or glyphosate treatments than by imazaquin plus SAN 582 PRE followed by chlorimuron POST. Yields and net returns with soil-applied herbicides only were often lower than total POST herbicide treatments. Sequential POST herbicide applications or soil-applied herbicides followed by POST herbicides were usually more effective economically than single POST herbicide applications.

Corn and soybean farmers across Indiana were surveyed in 2003 to determine the perceived importance of weeds at the state and district levels. Weeds were considered the primary crop pest by 69 to 84% of farmers, depending on district. Diseases or insects were ranked first by no more than 14% of farmers and nematodes were ranked first by no more than 11%. Giant ragweed, Canada thistle, common lambsquarters, common cocklebur, and velvetleaf were considered the most problematic summer annual and perennial weeds statewide. Chickweed, horseweed, dandelion, and henbit were considered the most problematic winter annual weeds statewide. However, no weed species was listed by more than 41% of farmers statewide suggesting that relatively unique weed management problems may exist on many farms. Also, the perceived importance of most weed species varied substantially among Indiana's nine districts. For example, velvetleaf was not listed as a problematic weed by any farmers in three districts. Burcucumber was not considered a statewide problem but was listed among the top three weeds by 14 and 16% of farmers in two southern districts. This survey supports the idea that educational programs focused on weed management should be tailored to geographic regions within Indiana.

Jointed goatgrass is a winter annual grass weed which is believed to have been introduced into North America as a contaminant in winter wheat seed. Although jointed goatgrass was first discovered in some states early in the 20th century, changing wheat production practices during the past 25 yr have encouraged its spread and increase. Winter wheat producers in the western United States are concerned about the lack of adequate selective control measures for this weed. Jointed goatgrass and wheat share the D chromosome in common and have similar growth habits. Jointed goatgrass lowers winter wheat yield by competing for growth requirements, reducing harvesting efficiency, and lowering crop quality by contaminating harvested grain. Jointed goatgrass is well adapted to stubble-mulch or reduced tillage crop production, particularly in regions where climate limits cropping options to the winter wheat-fallow rotation or continuous wheat. This review summarizes jointed goatgrass seed germination, dormancy, physiology, yield loss estimates in winter wheat, and both herbicidal and non-chemical methods of managing jointed goatgrass.

Yellow and purple nutsedges (Cyperus esculentus L. # CYPES and C. rotundus L. # CYPRO) are herbaceous perennial weeds that are among the worst pests known. Holm et al. list purple nutsedge as the world's worst weed and yellow nutsedge as the sixteenth worst weed. Both weeds infest crop production areas in tropical and temperate climates, causing large losses in crop yields. While both species proliferate in the warm regions of the world, yellow nutsedge inhabits a wider range than purple nutsedge in the temperate areas, primarily because yellow nutsedge can tolerate colder temperatures. With such an extended range of habitation, many ecotypic variations of these species would be expected since they likely have adjusted to a multitude of local environments.

Invasive annual grasses, such as medusahead, can reduce forage production capacity and interfere with revegetation projects in California rangelands. Because of the taxonomic similarity to other more desirable grasses, achieving selective control of invasive annual grasses can be difficult. In selectivity trials conducted in Yolo and Siskiyou counties, CA, the herbicide imazapic gave control of many nonnative annual grasses yet provided some level of selectivity to specific perennial grasses used in revegetation projects throughout the western United States. The selectivity difference between newly seeded perennial and annual grasses was greater with PRE applications than with POST treatments. Both perennial and annual grasses within the tribe Hordeae were more tolerant to imazapic than other grass species. In addition, field experiments were conducted at three sites in northern California (Yuba, Yolo, and Lassen counties) and one in southern Oregon (Lake County) to test the response of imazapic to varying management conditions. Imazapic was applied PRE in fall (and also spring in Lake County) at rates from 35 to 210 g/ha on undisturbed rangeland, in comparison with rangeland cleared of standing plant material and thatch by either tillage, mowing and raking, or burning. Imazapic generally showed enhanced weed control when applied following disturbance. Rates as low as 70 g/ha, if combined with thatch removal, provided significant suppression of medusahead. In addition, disturbance alone generally reduced medusahead cover in the following year. Although imazapic showed potential for control of medusahead and other annual grasses, its selectivity window was relatively narrow.

Field trials were conducted with spring-sown rye and field pea cover crops to determine the effect of five rye–pea proportions and three seeding rates (high, medium, and low) on weed suppression during cover crop growth. Measurements on weed and cover crop growth were taken approximately 2 mo after seeding when cover crops were killed. Cover crops were killed by mowing in 1996 and by undercutting in 1997 and 1998. Cover crop biomass, averaged over rye–pea proportion, was highest in 1998 at 4.3 million tons (MT)/ha (high seeding rate) and lowest in 1997 at 1.5 MT/ha (low seeding rate). Cover crops of pure rye or rye–pea mixes suppressed weeds more effectively than did pure pea. Dominant weeds were ladysthumb, smooth pigweed, smallflower galinsoga, and common lambsquarters. Ground cover by weeds ranged from a low of 2% (rye–pea mixes) to a maximum of 73% (pure pea). Cover crop mixes of 50% or more rye seeded at the high rate gave the best weed suppression.