Control of two perennial weeds, quackgrass and Canada thistle, and the differential sensitivities of three imidazolinone-resistant (IMI) corn hybrids and their sensitive isolines to various acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides were evaluated in greenhouse studies. The postemergence sulfonylurea herbicides nicosulfuron and primisulfuron controlled quackgrass > 80%. The imidazolinone herbicides imazapyr and imazamox applied postemergence controlled quackgrass 70 and 74%, respectively. Canada thistle control was 89% with the sulfonylurea herbicide metsulfuron. Primisulfuron, chlorsulfuron, and tribenuron controlled Canada thistle > 70%. The imidazolinonesensitive corn hybrids did not tolerate the imidazolinone herbicides imazethapyr, imazaquin, imazapyr, AC 263,222, and imazamox; the sulfonylurea herbicides chlorimuron, chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron, tribenuron, and triflusulfuron; and the pyrimidinylthiobenzoate herbicide pyrithiobac applied postemergence. The ‘Ciba 4393 IMR’ corn hybrid, homozygous for an unknown allele, was resistant to all of the various ALS-inhibiting herbicides that injured its sensitive isoline. The magnitude of resistance for this hybrid was greater than the other IR corn hybrids. The ‘Pioneer 3751 IR’ corn hybrid, homozygous for the XA-17 ALS allele, was also resistant to a number of ALS-inhibiting herbicides. The ‘ICI 8692 IT’ corn hybrid, heterozygous for the Mut2 allele, was only resistant to the imidazolinone herbicides.

Field studies were conducted in 1995 and 1996 to investigate postemergence tank mixtures of sethoxydim with various acetolactate synthase (ALS)- and non–ALS-inhibitor herbicides for weed control in sethoxydim-resistant (SR) corn. Giant foxtail control with sethoxydim was 96% and was equal to control with tank mixtures of sethoxydim plus bentazon, dicamba, dicamba plus atrazine, bromoxynil, and nicosulfuron plus bromoxynil. Giant foxtail control with sethoxydim plus atrazine, sethoxydim plus bentazon plus atrazine, and sethoxydim plus ALS-inhibiting herbicides plus 2,4-D was reduced to 60 to 89%. Common ragweed control was equal to or above 91% for tank mixtures that included bentazon plus atrazine, dicamba, dicamba plus atrazine, halosulfuron plus 2,4-D, and CGA 152005 plus primisulfuron plus 2,4-D, and the tank mixture of nicosulfuron plus bromoxynil. Common lambsquarters control was equal to or above 91% from all broadleaf herbicide treatments except bentazon and the tank mixture of halosulfuron plus 2,4-D. In these studies, only tank mixtures of sethoxydim plus dicamba or dicamba plus atrazine controlled giant foxtail, common ragweed, and common lambsquarters equal to or greater than 91% in SR corn.

Field studies were conducted in 2007 and 2008 at seven sites in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to determine the effect of PRE herbicide and POST application timing on weed control and yield of glyphosate-resistant corn. Levels of PRE herbicide included none; low—atrazine; medium—atrazine and metolachlor; and high—atrazine, mesotrione, and metolachlor. Glyphosate was applied POST when corn was 30 cm tall, or 1 or 2 wk later. Common lambsquarters, giant foxtail, and giant ragweed infested at least six of the seven sites, and other weed species occurred at two to three sites. Control of weeds at the time of POST application ranged from 48 to 91%, 58 to 99%, and 87 to 100% for the low, medium, and high levels of PRE herbicide, respectively, averaged over POST application timing. Control of giant foxtail and redroot pigweed decreased by about 20% between the second and third POST timing, averaged over PRE herbicide, but control of other weeds was similar among timings. Late-season control of common ragweed, velvetleaf, common lambsquarters, and Pennsylvania smartweed exceeded 90%, regardless of PRE herbicide or POST timing. Control of redroot pigweed, ivyleaf morningglory, and giant ragweed was as low as 74, 67, and 83%, respectively, but the high level of PRE herbicide resulted in 90 to 97% control of these weeds. An interaction between PRE herbicide and POST timing for late-season control of giant foxtail, tall waterhemp, and yellow nutsedge reflected the more effective control among POST timings from the higher levels of PRE herbicide. The overall trend in this study was for more effective weed control in PRE/POST herbicide programs with more comprehensive PRE herbicides that have substantial activity on both grass and broadleaf weeds. Highest yield occurred where the PRE treatment consisted of a two- or three-way combination of herbicides applied at 50% of the recommended rate or higher. Yield was reduced at all POST timings with atrazine alone or in the absence of PRE herbicide.