Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medicus. ♯ ABUTH), a large, vigorously competitive plant, produces thousands of long-lived seeds. Its hard-coated seeds germinate throughout the warm season, making control difficult. Seeds, adult plants, and decaying plant parts contain or produce allelopathic chemicals which aggravate the effects of velvetleaf on surrounding crop plants. Velvetleaf must be attacked with multiple strategies; reliance on single herbicides in the past has allowed velvetleaf to spread and even develop herbicide tolerance.

Weeds are the main constraint in the adoption of zero-till, dry-seeded rice systems because weeds and rice emerge simultaneously in these systems, and there is no standing water at crop establishment to suppress weeds. A study was conducted during the wet season of 2011 and the dry season of 2012 at the International Rice Research Institute to evaluate the performance of different herbicides in mechanized-sown, zero-till dry-seeded rice. Among the treatments evaluated, oxadiazon followed by penoxsulam + cyhalofop followed by one hand-weeding at 42 d after sowing, provided 23 to 35% higher yield than the nontreated control. The yields in the oxadiazon-treated plots were similar to those in the weed-free plots. Some weed species, including eclipta and doveweed, were not controlled by the evaluated herbicides. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate additional herbicides and to integrate them with cultural weed management strategies to manage such problematic weeds.

Use of organic mulch is one of the most common methods of weed control in landscape planting beds and provides other benefits, including improved soil characteristics, increased growth of ornamental plants, and enhanced property aesthetics. In the landscape maintenance industry, it is common to apply mulch and herbicides concurrently to landscape beds to provide long-term, broad-spectrum weed control. It is known that herbicides behave differently when applied to different soil types and organic materials; however, research is lacking concerning which herbicides are most effective with different mulch materials in the landscape. Determining the most effective herbicide–mulch combinations could potentially improve weed control, reduce labor costs from hand weeding, and mitigate negative environmental impacts resulting from off-site herbicide movement. The objective of this paper is to review the research that has been conducted pertaining to various mulch–herbicide combinations in the landscape and in other areas of agricultural production while also identifying key knowledge gaps that should be addressed in future research. Review of the literature suggests satisfactory weed control can be achieved with high mulch depths (≥ 7 cm) regardless of herbicide use, and herbicide–mulch interactions become more pronounced as mulch depth decreases. Additionally, future research is needed to determine which herbicides are best suited for different mulch types to improve weed control and potentially reduce environmental impacts, including herbicide leaching and runoff into urban and suburban waterbodies.

Strawberries, an important Florida crop, are grown on raised beds covered with plastic mulch. The plastic mulch provides good control of many weeds, but some problem species can emerge from the transplant hole during crop establishment. POST herbicide options for broadleaf weed control within the strawberry bed is limited to clopyralid, which only provides suppression. Strawberry canopy shielding may be responsible for the observed incomplete control with clopyralid application for problematic broadleaf weed species such as black medic and Carolina geranium. Two field experiments were established on mature strawberries to evaluate spray penetration through the canopy. The first examined spray penetration through the canopy of multiple strawberry cultivars at various distances from the crown. The second examined the effects of application volumes and nozzle selection on spray penetration. Cultivar selection had no effect on spray penetration through the canopy. In the first study, when applying at 281 L ha−1, the area around the planting hole (0 to 5 cm from the crown) had 8% coverage below the canopy while the area below the canopy edge (10 to 15 cm from the crown) had 27% coverage. In the second study, increasing the application volume from 187 to 375 L ha−1 increased coverage by 81%. Increasing the application volume from 375 to 740 L ha−1 increased coverage 33% with maximal coverage of 53% at 740 L ha−1. Nozzle type (standard even flat spray tip, Drift Guard, or TwinJet nozzles) did not affect coverage or deposition volume below the canopy. Overall, mature strawberry canopies demonstrated similar spray droplet penetration across cultivars with increased penetration with increased distance from the crown. Penetration increased with increasing application volume, but the nozzle types used in this experiment did not affect penetration. Additional research is needed to better define the effect of application volume on herbicide efficacy.

Drift reduction technologies aim to eliminate the smaller droplets that occur with some sprays because these small droplets can move off-target in the wind. Commonly used drift reduction technologies such as air-induction nozzles and spray additives impact on reducing off-target movement is well documented, however, the impact on herbicide penetration into an established crop canopy is not well known. This experiment evaluated the canopy penetration and efficacy of glyphosate treatments applied using four nozzle types (XR11005, AIXR11005, AITTJ11005, and TTI11005), two carrier volume rates (94 and 187 L ha-1), and glyphosate applications with and without a commercial drift reducing adjuvant. Applications were made to corn and soybean fields using glyphosate applied at 1.26 kg ae ha-1 with liquid ammonium sulfate at 5% v/v. A rhodamine dye was added (0.025% v/v) to the spray tank of each mixture as a tracer. MylarTM cards were placed in the field above the canopy, in the middle canopy, and on the ground for corn and above and below canopy for soybean. Five cards were at each position in the canopy arranged across the crop row. The addition of a drift reducing adjuvant did not impact canopy penetration. Doubling the carrier volume increased the amount of penetration proportionally and as such the percent reduction was not different. The TTI11005 nozzle had the greatest amount of spray penetration (28%) in the soybean canopies and the XR nozzle had the greatest amount (50%) in the corn canopies. Deposition across the row, beginning in-between the row crop and ending in the row of the crop was 44, 18, and 8% for soybean and 59, 50, and 36% for corn. For both crops, more than half of the herbicide application was captured in the crop canopy. Proper nozzle selection for canopy type can increase herbicide penetration and increasing the carrier volume will increase penetration proportionally.

Cotton boll weevil has been eradicated from much of the U.S. Cotton Belt. After eradication, a containment program is necessary to detect and destroy reintroduced boll weevils. Crops other than cotton are not monitored for boll weevil, hence fruit on volunteer glyphosate-resistant (GR) cotton in GR soybean could provide oviposition sites for boll weevils and allow the insects to build up undetected. An experiment was conducted at five locations to evaluate control of GR cotton and reduction in cotton fruit production by herbicides commonly used on GR soybean. Cotton control by preemergence (PRE) or postemergence (POST) herbicides alone was inconsistent across locations. Flumetsulam at 45 g ai/ha, imazaquin at 137 g ai/ha, and metribuzin at 360 g ai/ha plus chlorimuron at 60 g ai/ha applied PRE controlled cotton 55 to 100% and reduced cotton fruit production 84 to 100%. Sulfentrazone at 167 g ai/ha plus chlorimuron at 34 g/ha PRE controlled cotton 50 to 91% and reduced fruit 48 to 98%. Metribuzin PRE at 420 g/ha controlled cotton 23 to 97% and reduced fruit 32 to 100%. Flumiclorac at 30 g ai/ha, 2,4-DB dimethylamine salt at 35 g ae/ha, chlorimuron at 12 g ai/ha, and the sodium salt of fomesafen at 420 g ai/ha mixed with glyphosate and applied POST controlled cotton 48 to 100% and reduced fruit production 67 to 100%. Cloransulam at 12 or 18 g ai/ha controlled cotton 3 to 66% and reduced fruit production 5 to 85%. Cotton control and fruit reduction were greatest and most consistent with sequential applications of metribuzin plus chlorimuron PRE followed by chlorimuron, flumiclorac, fomesafen, or 2,4-DB POST. These treatments controlled cotton at least 95% at all locations. Cotton fruit was totally eliminated at three locations and reduced at least 97% at a fourth location.

Two field experiments were established in 1988 and 1989 in southeast Missouri to evaluate several herbicides and herbicide combinations for giant ragweed control in soybean. In 1988, a timely rainfall was not received for soil-applied herbicides and giant ragweed control was less than 75%. However, in 1989 soil moisture was sufficient for uptake of soil-applied herbicides and early season giant ragweed control was generally greater than 80%. Chlorimuron, chlorimuron plus 2,4-DB, imazaquin plus 2,4-DB, acifluorfen followed by naptalam plus 2,4-DB, fomesafen, and imazethapyr applied to 2.5 to 5-cm giant ragweed controlled more than 85% in 1988. In 1989, all POST treatments except imazaquin controlled more than 81% of giant ragweed 2 wk after treatments. Imazethapyr controlled seedling giant ragweed at heights up to 12 to 25 cm. Giant ragweed regrowth and/or reinfestation and giant ragweed seed production occurred with all herbicide treatments.

‘Vernal’ alfalfa response was evaluated when chlorsulfuron, thifensulfuron, 2,4-D, glyphosate, bromoxynil, and selected combinations of those herbicides were applied at rates simulating spray drift during the fourth trifoliolate leaf stage following the first cutting in 1990 and 1991. The order of phytotoxicity was 2,4-D > chlorsulfuron > thifensulfuron > glyphosate > bromoxynil. By the end of each growing season, alfalfa had recovered from injury caused by all herbicides except the highest rates of 2,4-D and 2,4-D plus glyphosate. The alfalfa stand was reduced only by 2,4-D and 2,4-D plus glyphosate. All herbicides caused characteristic symptoms, but some specific symptoms were similar among different herbicides or resembled symptoms caused by disease, mineral imbalance, and adverse weather conditions.

Studies were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to determine the effect of S-metolachlor rate and application time on sweetpotato cultivar injury and storage root shape under conditions of excessive moisture at the time of application. S-metolachlor at 1.1, 2.2, or 3.4 kg ai ha−1 was applied immediately after transplanting or 2 wk after transplanting (WATP) to ‘Beauregard’, ‘Covington’, ‘DM02-180’, ‘Hatteras’, and ‘Murasaki-29’ sweetpotato. One and three d after S-metolachlor application plots received 1.9 cm rainfall or irrigation. S-metolachlor applied immediately after transplanting resulted in increased sweetpotato stunting 4 and 12 WATP, decreased no. 1 and marketable sweetpotato yields, and decreased storage root length to width ratio compared with the nontreated check. Sweetpotato stunting, no. 1 and marketable yields, and storage root length to width ratio in treatments receiving S-metolachlor 2 WATP were similar to the nontreated check. In 2008, Covington and Hattaras stunting 12 WATP was greater at 2.2 and 3.4 kg ha−1 (11 to 16%) than 1.1 kg ha−1 (1 to 2%). In 2009, S-metolachlor at 3.4 kg ha−1 was more injurious 4 WATP than 2.2 kg ha−1 and 1.1 kg ha−1. While cultivar by treatment interactions did exist, injury, yield, and storage root length to width ratio trends were similar among all cultivars used in this study.

An in-row competition study was conducted in 1991 and 1992 near Silver Lake, KS to determine the relationship of noncultivated common sunflower density to soybean yield, PAR at the soybean canopy, and common sunflower dry matter production. Because of environmental differences, year main effect interactions occurred, so results are presented by year. For example, 0.3 common sunflower plant/m2produced 4030 kg/ha of aboveground dry matter in 1991 and 1300 kg/ha in 1992. Soybean yield reduction ranged from 19 and 17% with 0.3 common sunflower plant/m2to 97 and 95% with 4.6 plant/m2, in 1991 and 1992, respectively. Assuming a treatment cost of $35/ha and a soybean market price of $0.21/kg, economic threshold levels were 0.1 common sunflower plant/m2in 1991, and 0.07 in 1992. Common sunflower at 0.3 plant/m2reduced PAR at the soybean canopy by 390 and 300 μE/m2/s, or 24 and 18% in 1991 and 1992, respectively. We conclude that the ability of common sunflower to intercept PAR above the soybean canopy is an important component in its interference with soybean.

Experiments were conducted in Florida in 2000 through 2003 to evaluate weed management systems in single- and twin-row peanut utilizing either conventional or strip tillage. Diclosulam or flumioxazin preemergence (PRE) or 2,4-DB or imazapic mid-postemergence (MPOST) or late-postemergence (LPOST) was needed for greater than 95% common cocklebur control in conventional- and strip-tillage peanut. In both tillage systems, paraquat + bentazon early-postemergence (EPOST) followed by (fb) 2,4-DB or imazapic MPOST, 2,4-DB or chlorimuron LPOST, or both was required for more than 80% late-season control of Florida beggarweed and control in twin-row was 5 to 10 percentage points above that observed with single-row peanut. Paraquat + bentazon EPOST preceded by a diclosulam or flumioxazin PRE or fb MPOST or LPOST applications provided 80% or greater control of ivyleaf morningglory, and no differences were observed between peanut planting pattern. Paraquat + bentazon EPOST fb imazapic MPOST was the only treatment that provided 90% or greater late-season sicklepod control across all years and tillage methods, and, regardless of tillage, sicklepod control was 7 percentage points better in twin- than single-row peanut. Treatments that contained diclosulam or flumioxazin PRE and paraquat + bentazon EPOST fb a MPOST or LPOST herbicide application increased peanut yield compared to nontreated in conventional- and strip-tillage peanut. Averaged over all herbicide treatments, years, and tillage methods, peanut seeded in twin rows yielded 300 kg/ha more than in single rows.

The determination of host range is an important component in developing a plant pathogen for use as a bioherbicide. The safety of non-target economic and wild plants must be assured before experimental release and commercial use. In contrast to other methods of weed control, the genetic variability and genetic stability of both the weed and the biological control agent must be considered. Schemes to determine host range generally assume a close phylogenetic relationship between the weed host and its co-evolved pathogens. Therefore, testing generally is based on inoculation of genetically related plant species and progresses to more distantly related species until the host range is circumscribed. Several potential weaknesses in these schemes will be illustrated with examples using specific biological control agents. Future tests must place greater emphasis on testing taxa representing the full range of genetic diversity within the biogeographic area of intended use.

Field studies were conducted in 1999 and 2000 at Belleville, IL, to compare herbicide efficacy and economic return on investment (EROI) for various herbicide systems in conventional, imidazolinone-resistant, glufosinate-resistant, and glyphosate-resistant corn hybrids. Corn injury 14 d after RPA 201772 preemergence (PRE) treatments ranged from 0 to 10%. Treatments with nicosulfuron + rimsulfuron + atrazine injured corn 5 to 24% at 7 d after treatment (DAT); however, no injury was visible at 14 DAT. Corn injury by all herbicide treatments dissipated by 28 DAT. All treatments controlled giant foxtail at least 88%. Common waterhemp was controlled at least 94% with all treatments, except for imazethapyr + imazapyr postemergence (POST), which did not control common waterhemp. All treatments controlled at least 92% of common cocklebur, giant ragweed, and ivyleaf morningglory, with the exception of the total PRE herbicide system of S-metolachlor + atrazine in 2000. Average grain yield ranged from 7,290 to 9,180 kg/ha in 1999, with the yield of the glyphosate-resistant hybrid lower than that of all other hybrids. In 2000, average grain yield ranged from 8,440 to 11,520 kg/ha, with the grain yield of the glyphosate-resistant hybrid greater than that of all other hybrids. There were no differences in economic return in 1999 because of the treatment, the herbicide system, or the hybrid. In 2000 EROI was greater with the glyphosate-resistant hybrid than with the other hybrids. EROI was influenced more by the grain yield of the corn hybrid than by the associated weed control costs. It has been demonstrated by this research that effective and economical weed control can be achieved in all hybrids, with minimal injury.

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of depth and duration of burial on seasonal germination, primary and secondary dormancy, viability, and seedling emergence of ivyleaf speedwell (Veronica hederifolia L.) seeds. The seeds were buried at 0, 5, 10, or 20 cm and retrieved from the field at monthly intervals. The exhumed seeds were germinated at 5 C. In the second experiment, seeds were stored in the laboratory after harvest and tested for germination at monthly intervals. In each experiment, nongerminated seeds were treated with triphenyltetrazolium chloride at monthly intervals to test their viability. The effects of stratification and burial depth on seedling emergence were observed for 1 yr. The seeds exhumed from the soil were dormant at the beginning of the experiment and exhibited dormancy/nondormancy/conditional dormancy cycling throughout the experiment. Depth of burial and time affected seed germination. Seeds retrieved from the soil surface germinated well initially, but germination decreased as depth of burial increased. In the dry storage experiment, seeds had a high level of primary dormancy, and viability decreased over time. Seedling emergence decreased when depth of burial increased. Seedlings emerged nonuniformly throughout the year and demonstrated typical winter annual characteristics.

Small broomrape is an annual, parasitic weed that was discovered recently in Oregon's red clover seed production system. Field experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 at two locations to evaluate 10 herbicide treatments applied after small broomrape emergence in red clover. Bentazon, bromoxynil, glyphosate, imazamox, imazamox plus bentazon, imazethapyr, MCPA, and pendimethalin were evaluated. Small broomrape density, small broomrape seed viability after treatment, and clover injury and seed yield were quantified. Small broomrape control with imazamox, glyphosate, and imazamox plus bentazon treatments was greater than the nontreated check in both years. However, imazamox and imazamox plus bentazon treatments were the only herbicide treatments that consistently exhibited a high level of crop safety, reduced small broomrape density, and did not reduce red clover yield. Herbicide treatments did not prevent production of viable small broomrape seeds. Future research is needed to develop control options that will prevent red clover yield loss and viable small broomrape seed production when applied before small broomrape emergence.

Glufosinate at 1.1 and 2.2 kg/ha injured ‘Koshihikari’ rice lines that were transformed with the BAR gene from 0 to 53%. However, transgenic ‘Gulfmont’ rice was not injured. Rice yields of transgenic ‘Gulfmont’ lines and six of nine ‘Koshihikari’ lines were not affected by 2.2 kg/ha glufosinate. In field studies, flooding reduced the efficacy of glufosinate in controlling red rice, and greenhouse tests determined that glufosinate efficacy was reduced when red rice was submerged between 25 and 50% of its height. Plant heights and dry weights of red rice increased as flood water depth increased at all rates of glufosinate.

Glyphosate-resistant alfalfa offers new weed control options for alfalfa establishment. Field studies were conducted in 2004 and 2005 to determine the effect of establishment method and weed control method on forage production and alfalfa stand establishment. Seeding methods included clear seeding and companion seeding with oats. Herbicide treatments included glyphosate, imazamox, imazamox + clethodim, and no herbicide. Temporary stunting from the glyphosate treatments was observed (< 7%); however, injury did not reduce forage yield or stand density in 2004. No glyphosate injury was observed in 2005. Weed control with glyphosate was more consistent than with imazamox or imazamox + clethodim. In 2004, total seasonal forage yield, which consisted of alfalfa, weeds, and oats (in some treatments), was the highest where no herbicide was applied in the oat companion crop and was reduced where herbicides were applied in both establishment systems. In 2005, seeding method or weed control method did not affect total seasonal forage production. Alfalfa established with the clear-seeded method and treated with glyphosate yielded the highest alfalfa dry matter in both years. Imazamox injury reduced first-harvest alfalfa yield in the clear-seeded system in both years. When no herbicide was applied, alfalfa yield was higher in the clear-seeded system. The oat companion crop suppressed alfalfa yield significantly in both years. Alfalfa established with an oat companion crop had a lower weed biomass than the clear-seeded system where no herbicide was applied in both years.

Spotted knapweed is an important weed of rangeland in the northwestern United States. A study was conducted near Corvallis, MT, during 1992 to 1994 in order to assess the relationship among the growth attributes of spotted knapweed to identify a minimum set of measurable plant characteristics that are representative of spotted knapweed vigor. Spotted knapweed growth attributes that were examined included plant age, root diameter, plant height, number of stems per plant, aboveground biomass, number of capitula (seed heads) per plant, and number of capitula per stem. Spotted knapweed age was positively correlated with root diameter, number of stems per plant, aboveground biomass, and proportion of bolted plants. Most spotted knapweed plants did not bolt until the third or fourth year. Although plant age is not measured easily in the field, it may be useful as a covariate in an analysis of experiments involving plant competition or nonlethal biological control agents. Root diameter can be used as a nondestructive measure of approximate plant age, especially for the first 5 yr of growth. Root diameter was also highly correlated with many growth measurements, including number of capitula per plant and aboveground biomass, which are most relevant to assessing overall plant vigor. Plant height was positively correlated with aboveground biomass, number of capitula per plant, and mean number of capitula per stem. Number of stems per plant was positively correlated with plant height, aboveground biomass, and number of capitula per plant. Aboveground biomass was positively correlated to number of capitula per plant and mean number of capitula per stem. Measurements of root diameter, plant height, and number of stems are easy to perform and should provide a good indication of plant vigor.

Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of soybean cultivar, tillage, and rye mulch on sicklepod growth. Early-season sicklepod height was not affected by tillage or mulch. Sicklepod was tallest when grown with ‘Centennial’ or ‘Biloxi,’ the tallest cultivars, and shortest when grown with a dwarf isoline of ‘Tracy M,’ the shortest cultivar. Soybean competition reduced early-season weed density by 30 to 50%, depending on the cultivar. Centennial and dwarf Tracy M caused a 30% reduction in early-season sicklepod biomass while ‘Sharkey’ and Biloxi reduced sicklepod growth by 40%. By late-season, sicklepod biomass reduction ranged from 18% (Tracy M) to 55% (Biloxi) and was directly related to soybean cultivar height. Mulch or no-tillage independently reduced sicklepod biomass.

Studies were initiated in Wyoming to determine the potential of grass competition as an alternative to repetitive herbicide treatment or other cultural practices for control of Russian knapweed. An experiment was established to evaluate the effects of five grass species, including Russian wildrye cv. ‘Bozoisky.’ Picloram, applied to Russian knapweed during the first frost, reduced Russian knapweed from an average of 80.1% live canopy cover which equates to 0% control. Untreated, unseeded checks resulted in 83.9 and 81.1% control in tilled and nontilled treated plots, respectively. Grass cover increased in untreated seeded plots from an average of 11.3 and 8.2% in tilled and nontilled plots, respectively, to 65% in tilled and 66% in nontilled plots treated with clopyralid plus 2,4-D. Grass cover also increased 69.7% in tilled and 66% in nontilled plots treated with picloram. There was no significant difference between grass varieties when compared to percent Russian knapweed cover. Reductions to zero live canopy cover of Russian knapweed were obtained with a single application of picloram. Economic feasibility thresholds were obtained from four out of five varieties, including a significant difference provided by nontilled Russian wildrye treated with picloram.