Novel management strategies for controlling smutgrass have potential to influence sward dynamics in bahiagrass forage systems. This experiment evaluated population shifts in bahiagrass forage following implementation of integrated herbicide and fertilizer management plans for controlling smutgrass. Herbicide treatments included indaziflam applied preemergence (PRE), hexazinone applied postemergence (POST), a combination of PRE + POST herbicides, and a nonsprayed control. Fertilizer treatments included nitrogen (N), nitrogen + potassium (N+K), and an unfertilized control. The POST reduced smutgrass coverage regardless of PRE or fertilizer application by the end of the first season and remained low for the three-year duration of the experiment (P < 0.01). All treatments, including nontreated controls, reduced smutgrass coverage during year 3 (P < 0.05), indicating that routine harvesting to remove the biomass reduced smutgrass coverage. Bahiagrass cover increased at the end of year 1 with POST (P < 0.01) but only the POST + fertilizer treatment maintained greater bahiagrass coverage than the nontreated control by the end of year 3 (P < 0.05). Expenses associated with the POST + fertilizer treatment totaled $348 ha-1 across the three-year experiment. Other smutgrass control options could include complete removal of biomass (hay production) and pasture renovation, which can cost threefold or greater more than POST + fertilizer treatment. Complete removal of biomass may reduce smutgrass coverage by removing mature seedheads, but at a much greater expense of $2,835 to $5,825 ha-1 depending on herbicide and fertilizer inputs. Bahiagrass renovation is $826 ha-1 in establishment costs alone. When pasture production expenses are included for two seasons post-renovation, the total increases to $1,120 ha-1 across three seasons. The importance of hexazinone and fertilizer as components of smutgrass control in bahiagrass forage was confirmed in this study. Future research should focus on the biology of smutgrass and the role of a PRE in a long-term, larger-scale forage system.

Weed suppression benefits of cover crops (CCs) have long been recognized; however, the specific ability of CCs to suppress highly epidemic Amaranthus spp. (Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson), redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.), and waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer]) has not been widely discussed. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the implications of CC management decisions (CC type, planting and termination methods, residue fate after termination, and in-season weed management plan) on Amaranthus spp. weed density (ASWD) and Amaranthus spp. weed biomass (ASWB) compared to no CC (NCC) in temperate regions including US and Canada. We found 41 studies conducted across US and Canada and extracted 595 paired observations. The results indicate that CCs reduced the ASWD by 58% in the early- [0–4 weeks after crop planting (WAP)], by 48% in the mid- (5–8 WAP) and by 44% in the late- (>8 WAP) season. Similarly, CCs reduced ASWB by 59%, 55%, and 37% in the early-, mid-, and late-season, respectively. Meta-regression analysis showed CCs terminated within 2.5 weeks of crop planting reduced ASWD by ≥50%. Cover crop biomass required to reduce ASWD and ASWB by 50% was 4,079 kg ha–1 for ASWD and 5,352 kg ha–1 for ASWB. Among CC types, grasses and mixtures reduced ASWD by 60% and 77% in early-, 53% and 59% in mid-, and 44% and 47% in late-season. Legume CCs were effective only during the early-season (47% ASWD reduction) while brassicas did not affect ASWD. Cover crop residues remaining on the soil surface were more effective for reducing ASWD than incorporation. Cover crops did not affect ASWD or ASWB compared to NCC when herbicides were used for in-season weed management. In general, CCs were found to reduce ASWD, and ASWB, therefore can be used as an effective tool for integrated management of Amaranthus spp.

Annual bluegrass is one of the most problematic weeds in the turfgrass industry, exhibiting both cross-resistance and multiple-herbicide resistance. Prodiamine, pronamide, and indaziflam are commonly used preemergence herbicides for the control of this species on golf courses in the southern United States. There have been increasing anecdotal reports of annual bluegrass populations escaping control with these herbicides, but resistance has yet to be confirmed. To evaluate the response of annual bluegrass to three herbicides, populations were collected from golf courses, athletic fields, and landscape areas in Texas and Florida, and a dose-response assay was conducted on populations that were suspected to be resistant to and known to be susceptible to prodiamine, pronamide, and indaziflam. The suspected-resistant populations showed survival to prodiamine at 32 times the recommended field rate (both populations from Florida and Texas) of 736 g ai ha−1, and to pronamide at 32 times (the Florida populations) or 16 times (the Texas populations) the recommended field rate of 1,156 g ha−1. In contrast, the known susceptible populations attained 100% mortality at rates as low as 46 and 578 g ha−1, respectively, from applications of prodiamine and pronamide. For indaziflam, the suspected-resistant populations showed reduced sensitivity up to the recommended field rate of 55 g ha−1, but they were controlled when treated with a rate twice that of the field rate. Overall, annual bluegrass populations with resistance to prodiamine and pronamide, and reduced sensitivity to indaziflam (at the recommended field rate) were confirmed from golf courses in Florida and Texas. In the presence of herbicide-resistant annual bluegrass populations, especially to commonly used herbicides such as prodiamine and pronamide, turfgrass managers should adopt integrated management strategies and frequently rotate herbicide sites of action, rather than relying solely on microtubule-assembly inhibitors or cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors, to control this species.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and brown mustard (Brassica juncea L.) are winter cover crops known to produce allelochemicals that suppress plant growth. Incorporating barley or brown mustard residues into the soil prior to planting a spring-seeded cash crop may suppress early season weeds in the cash crop; however, the comparative levels of weed suppression offered by barley and brown mustard cover crops incorporated into soil have not been determined. This study analyzed the relative capacities of barley and brown mustard cover crops to suppress early season weeds of spring-seeded chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Reductions in weed density or hand hoeing time as a result of barley and/or brown mustard cover crop treatment were determined in two chile pepper fields in New Mexico over two growing seasons. For cover crop species that suppressed weeds in multiple site-years, a controlled environment study clarified possible growth stages adversely affected by determining the effects of cover crop-amended soil on the germination and seedling development of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson). Field study results indicated barley reduced early-season weed densities of chile pepper by up to 80% compared to the noncover control. Barley also reduced hoeing time in three of four site-years without affecting chile pepper fruit yield. Mustard cover crops reduced weed density in only one site-year (56% reduction relative to noncover control) and did not decrease hoeing time. The controlled environment study indicated that soil amended with barley slowed germination of A. palmeri without inhibiting seedling development. The results of this study indicate that a barley cover crop is more effective than brown mustard for early-season weed control of chile pepper in the southwestern United States.

Russian thistle (Salsola tragus L.) is a significant summer annual weed in the semi-arid Pacific Northwest (PNW), causing yield losses of up to 50%. Understanding the biology and ecology of S. tragus is vital for developing effective integrated weed management (IWM) strategies. This study focused on 1) S. tragus emergence and seedbank persistence in two cropping systems: fallow–winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring wheat–fallow–winter wheat rotations, and 2) S. tragus plant biomass and viable seed production in fallow and spring wheat fields. A four-year experiment (2020-2023) was conducted at the Columbia Basin Agriculture Research Center (CBARC) in Adams, OR, using a randomized block design with four replications. Salsola tragus seeds were sprinkled only at the beginning of the experiment, and seedling numbers were recorded throughout. Most seedlings emerged in the first year, with the highest rates in spring wheat (72%) and fallow (32%), followed by significantly lower rates (0.25-5%) in subsequent years. Seedling emergence began in late March and early April for the first two years but was delayed to May for the third year. Plant biomass and viable seed production were greater in fallow than in spring wheat, with early-season plants having more biomass than later-emerging plants. Plants emerged between early and mid-May produced the most viable seeds. Viable seed production was very low until it peaked in mid-September. Findings indicated that most S. tragus seedlings emerged in the first year after dispersal coinciding with spring precipitation and lasting approximately two months. Additionally, most S. tragus plants produce viable seeds in September, and seeds persist in the soil for more than two years. These results demonstrate the need for growers to control S. tragus emergence to prevent reinfestations and ultimately the need to control S. tragus plants before September to prevent the species from producing viable seed.

Inter-row weed control is used in a wide range of crops, traditionally applied via physical cultivation or banded herbicide application. However, these methods may result in crop damage, herbicide resistance development, or off-target environmental impacts. Electric inter-row weed control presents an alternative, though its potential impact on crop yield requires further investigation. One of the modes of action of electric weed control is the continuous electrode-plant contact method, which passes a current through the weed and into the roots. As the current passes into the roots, it can potentially disperse through the soil to neighbouring root systems. Such off-target current dispersion, particularly in moist topsoil with low resistance, poses potential concern for neighbouring crops when electric inter-row weed control is applied. This research evaluated the continuous electrode-plant contact method, using a ZassoTM XPower machine, in comparison with mowing, across three trials conducted in 2022 and 2023. Both treatments were used to remove target lupin plants adjacent to a row of non-target lupin. Electric weed control was applied to plants in dry soil or following a simulated rainfall event. The trials demonstrated that electric weed control and mowing did not reduce density and biomass of neighbouring non-target lupin plants compared to the untreated control. Likewise, pod and seed production, grain size and protein, as well as grain germinability and vigour of the resulting seedlings was not reduced by these weed control tactics. This research used technology that was not fit for purpose in broad scale grain crops but concludes that electric weed control via the continuous electrode-plant contact method or mowing did not result in crop damage. Therefore, it is unlikely that damage will occur using commercial-grade electric weed control or mowing technology designed for large acreage inter-row weed control, thus offering non-chemical weed management options.

Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop and preemergence herbicides are important components of an integrated weed management program for waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) management in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Accumulating adequate cereal rye biomass for effective suppression of Amaranthus spp. can be challenging in the upper Midwest due to the short window for cereal rye growth in a corn–soybean rotation. Farmers are adopting the planting green system to optimize cereal rye biomass production and weed suppression. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of planting soybean green when integrated with preemergence herbicides for the control of Amaranthus spp. under two soybean planting time frames. The study was conducted across 19 site-years in the United States over the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons. Factors included cover crop management practices (“no-till,” “cereal rye early-term,” and “cereal rye plant-green”), soybean planting times (“early” and “late”), and use of preemergence herbicides (“NO PRE” and “YES PRE”). Planting soybean green increased cereal rye biomass production by 33% compared with early termination. Greater cereal rye biomass production when planting green provided a 44% reduction in Amaranthus spp. density compared with no-till. The use of preemergence herbicides also resulted in a 68% reduction in Amaranthus spp. density compared with NO PRE. Greater cereal rye biomass produced when planting green reduced soybean stand, which directly reduced soybean yield in some site-years. Planting soybean green is a feasible management practice to optimize cereal rye biomass production, which, combined with preemergence herbicides, provided effective Amaranthus spp. management. Soybean stand was a key factor in maintaining soybean yields compared with no-till when planting green. Farmers should follow best management recommendations for proper planter and equipment setup to ensure effective soybean establishment under high levels of cereal rye biomass when planting green.

Integrated weed management practices that reduce selection for resistance on herbicides are critical to delay resistance. To quantify the reduction in selection for resistance placed on Palmer amaranth from 2,4-D applied postemergence in cotton, an experiment was conducted three times in Georgia during 2020 and 2021 evaluating the benefits of (i) a cover crop, (ii) preemergence herbicides, and (iii) timeliness of applications. When a timely total-postemergence program of glyphosate + 2,4-D was applied three times over the season in a conventionally tilled system, 281,690 glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth plants ha–1 were exposed to 2,4-D. Over 61,500 of these plants were exposed to multiple 2,4-D applications. Altering the production system to conservation tillage, and including a rolled-rye cover crop, reduced the total number of plants exposed to 2,4-D for the season by 72% and the number of plants exposed multiple times by 60%. Even more effective, including a mixture of residual preemergence herbicides reduced the number of plants exposed to 2,4-D at least once over 99.9%, and reduced multiple exposures over 99.3% for the season; this benefit was observed for both conventional and conservation tillage systems. Delaying the initial application of the total-postemergence program did not influence the number of Palmer amaranth plants treated at least once but increased the number of plants treated multiple times by a factor of 3.7 times. As a result of early-season weed competition, cotton height and yield reductions were also associated with both lack of preemergence residuals and delayed postemergence applications. When considering the goal of minimizing the number of Palmer amaranth treated with a postemergence application of 2,4-D in a cotton system, the preemergence was the most effective option followed by (fb) the cover crop fb making timely postemergence applications. However, the most effective approach was to utilize each of these tactics in the same growing season.

Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) is a perennial weed native to many areas of the northern hemisphere. Like other horsetail species, field horsetail is a spore-bearing plant from an ancient clade. Unlike some other horsetails, field horsetail is a problematic agricultural weed. It is especially difficult to control in low-tillage cropping systems. Neither chemical nor mechanical tactics are likely to achieve full control in a single operation. However, these tactics may be successfully combined in an integrated weed management program. This review summarizes available information about the biology, ecology, and management of field horsetail. We also note its potential value as a source of pharmaceutical compounds.

Barnyardgrass and other troublesome weeds have become a major problem for producers in a flooded rice system. Cultural control options and more efficient herbicide applications have become a priority to increase efficiency and weed control in rice. This study aimed to determine the effects of row width and nozzle selection on spray coverage and weed control in a flooded rice system. A field experiment was conducted at 7 site-years (Lonoke, AR, in 2021 and 2022; Pine Tree, AR, in 2021 and 2022; Rohwer, AR, in 2022; and Stoneville, MS, in 2021 and 2022) as a randomized complete block split-plot design. Five nozzles (XR, AIXR, TTI, TTI60, and AITTJ60) (subplot factor) were used for herbicide applications, and plots were drill-seeded in four row widths (whole plot factor) (13, 19, 25, and 38 cm). A droplet size experiment was conducted to evaluate the droplet size and velocity of each nozzle type used in the field experiment. Overall, as row width increased, barnyardgrass density increased. The rice grown in a wider width took longer to generate canopy closure, allowing weed escapes in the crop. For example, the 13-cm width had a 12 percentage point canopy coverage increase compared to the 38-cm row width at the preflood timing resulting in a reduction of six barnyardgrass plants per square meter. The smallest droplet size-producing nozzle (XR) provided greater weed control throughout the study but is more prone to drift. The dual-fan nozzles (AITTJ60 and TTI60) had variable weed control impacts, and it was difficult to predict when this might occur; however, they did have increased deposits on water-sensitive cards compared to single-fan counterparts (AIXR and TTI). In conclusion, a narrower row width (e.g., 19-cm or less) and a smaller droplet size producing nozzle (XR) are optimal for barnyardgrass control in a flooded rice system.

Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) as a cover crop can be an effective nonchemical tool for waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer] suppression in crop production. Previous studies have evaluated A. tuberculatus suppression by cereal rye as part of weed management programs but have not investigated the underlying mechanism of suppression by the cover crop. This study aimed to investigate the effect of cereal rye biomass on A. tuberculatus emergence and development, and on soil environmental parameters (temperature, moisture, and light transmittance) that are key triggers of A. tuberculatus germination to elucidate the mechanism of suppression by the cover crop. A dose–response study was conducted under field conditions in Brooklyn and Janesville, WI, from 2021 to 2023. Cereal rye biomass from a fall-planted field was harvested at anthesis in the spring and dried to constant weight at 60 C to provide 0.0, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, 4.8, 7.2, 9.6, and 12.0 Mg ha−1 of dry biomass that was evenly distributed over 1.9 m−2 plots. Increasing cereal rye biomass reduced A. tuberculatus height, biomass, and density. An average ED50 of 5.2 Mg ha−1 of biomass was needed to reduce A. tuberculatus density by 50%. Low levels of biomass (≤2.38 Mg ha−1) augmented A. tuberculatus density due to an increase in soil moisture underneath the mulch compared with bare soil. Cereal rye biomass decreased the amount of sunlight reaching the soil, which resulted in lower mean soil temperature and temperature amplitude throughout the day (9.3 and 2.7 C temperature amplitude at 0 and 12.0 Mg ha−1, respectively). Prevention of A. tuberculatus germination by this thermal effect is likely the main mechanism of A. tuberculatus suppression from the cereal rye cover crop. Our results support biomass from cereal rye cover crop effectively suppressing A. tuberculatus and contributing to the integrated management of A. tuberculatus.

Johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.] is one of the most problematic perennial grass weed species in row-crop production across the southern United States. Control of this species is especially challenging in organic systems due to a lack of effective options. A field experiment was conducted at the Texas A&M research farm near College Station, TX, from fall 2019 to spring 2021 to evaluate various nonchemical options for managing S. halepense in the fallow season, implemented over 2 yr in the same locations. The treatments included disking once, disking twice, disking + immediate flooding, disking + flush irrigation + flooding, disking twice + flooding after the first frost, periodic mowing, acetic acid treatment, and disking + tarping. Disking + immediate flooding, disking + flush irrigation + flooding, and disking + tarping were the most effective treatments. Compared with the nontreated control plots, these treatments reduced S. halepense aboveground density (<9 plants m−2 vs. 64 plants m−2), aboveground biomass (<80 g m−2 vs. 935 g m−2), rhizome biomass (<4 g m−2 vs. 55 g m−2), rhizome node number (<25 nodes m−2 vs. 316 nodes m−2), and rhizome length (<42 cm m−2 vs. 660 cm m−2). Disking twice + flooding after the first frost did not show a consistent impact. Periodic mowing also reduced S. halepense density (12 plants m−2 vs. 64 plants m−2) and other variables compared with the control plots at the end of the study in spring 2021. Disking alone once or twice each growing season or repeated application of acetic acid failed to control S. halepense. These results indicate that well-timed nonchemical management practices such as tarping and flooding implemented during the winter fallow can be very effective in reducing S. halepense densities.

Herbicide resistance is often viewed as a complex problem in need of innovative management solutions. Because of the transboundary mobility of many weeds, resistance to herbicides is also viewed as a community-scale issue. Consequently, the idea of greater coordination among resource users—especially growers—is often promoted as a management approach. Recently, scholars have framed herbicide resistance as a commons problem in need of collective action. Specifically, social scientists have explored the utility of adopting bottom-up, community-based approaches to help solve the growing problem of herbicide resistance through a framework for interpreting the commons known as common pool resource theory. This article analyzes how herbicide resistance fits—and fails to fit—within common pool resource theory and offers an updated conceptual framework from which to build future work. We argue that the application of common pool resource theory to herbicide-resistance management is underdeveloped, and approaches based on this theory have shown little success. The relevance of common pool resource theory for informing herbicide-resistance management is less settled than existing scholarship has suggested, and other frameworks for approaching transboundary resource problems—such as co-production of knowledge and participatory action research—warrant consideration.

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.), a noxious, highly invasive perennial weed, poses a significant threat to irrigated summer crops, vegetables, and orchards. This weed has the ability to reproduce both sexually through seed production and asexually via an extensive underground rhizome network, the latter playing a major role in the weed’s invasion, establishment, and persistence. Our aims were thus to assess the impact of temperature on rhizome sprouting for fragments of different lengths and to model the sprouting dynamics. The influence of temperature on the sprouting of rhizome fragments (2.5-, 5-, 7.5-, or 10-cm long) was investigated in growth chambers at eight temperatures ranging from 10 to 45 C. The highest sprouting proportions for 10-cm rhizome fragments were recorded at 30 and 35 C in complete darkness. The highest sprouting time for all fragment lengths was observed at 15 C in complete darkness. Modeling sprouting rates as a function of temperature gave the cardinal temperatures for the four different rhizome fragment lengths, with Tb (base temperature) values of 12.80, 9.34, 9.14, and 9.50 C, To (optimal temperature) values of 38.9$$0$$, 36.60, 35.16, and 34.86 C, and Tc (ceiling temperature) values of 39.80, 40.08, 40.50, and 40.80 C for rhizome lengths of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 cm, respectively. Based on these findings, the potential for S. elaeagnifolium to spread to new areas and possible new management strategies are discussed; these offer a novel approach for informed decision making regarding the control of this weed.

Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) is an effective technique for managing wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.), a weed that retains its seed until harvest. However, earlier flowering time (leading to increased seed shedding before harvest) is a risk to HWSC effectiveness. This study investigated the effects of repeated HWSC on the evolution of R. raphanistrum flowering dates, using two methods: an adaptation of the SOMER model that included flowering genes (called SOMEF); and a mathematical calculation of the endpoints of flowering date evolution utilizing the relevant life-history equations. In weed management systems with highly effective herbicides, the additional use of HWSC predicted R. raphanistrum population extinction. Low weed numbers and rapid extinction meant that any gradual evolution in days to first flower (DFF) was insufficient to lead to HWSC evasion. In alternative management systems with less vigorous herbicide control and using HWSC, modeling predicted a maximum 2- to 3-d reduction in DFF. In contrast, mathematical calculations of the phenotypes maximizing seeds returned to the seedbank predicted an endpoint to evolution of 12-d earlier flowering, which matched field observations. However, genetic change postulated by the mathematical calculations was not hampered by a restriction to changing DFF allele frequencies. Unknown accompanying genetic changes could affect germination dates or flowering triggers.

Simulation modeling that included only flowering genes failed to predict the magnitude of an observed 12-d reduction in DFF. Differences between the 12 d observed in the field (and predicted using mathematical calculations) and the modest changes demonstrated in this field-based modeling study are postulated to be due to unaccounted evolutionary changes in R. raphanistrum.

Russian thistle (Salsola tragus L.) is among the most troublesome weeds in cropland and ruderal semiarid areas of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Predicting S. tragus emergence timing plays a critical role in scheduling weed management measures. The objective of this research was to develop and validate a predictive model of the seedling emergence pattern of S. tragus under field conditions in the PNW to increase the efficacy of control measures targeting this species. The relationship between cumulative seedling emergence and cumulative hydrothermal time under field conditions was modeled using the Weibull function. This model is the first to use hydrothermal time units (HTT) to predict S. tragus emergence and showed a very good fit to the experimental data. According to this model, seedling emergence starts at 5 HTT, and 50% and 90% emergence is completed at 56 HTT and 177 HTT, respectively. For model validation, independent field experiments were carried out. Cumulative seedling emergence was accurately predicted by the model, supporting the idea that this model is robust enough to be used as a predictive tool for S. tragus seedling emergence. Our model can serve as the basis for the development of decision support systems, helping farmers make the best decisions to control S. tragus populations in no-till fallow and spring wheat systems.

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) is the most problematic weed of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-cropping systems in the U.S. Southeast. Heavy reliance on herbicides has selected for resistance to multiple herbicide mechanisms of action. Effective management of this weed may require the integration of cultural practices that limit germination, establishment, and growth. Cover crops have been promoted as a cultural practice that targets these processes. We conducted a 2-yr study in Georgia, USA, to measure the effects of two annual cover crops (cereal rye [Secale cereale L.] and crimson clover [Trifolium incarnatum L.]), a perennial living mulch (‘Durana®’ white clover [Trifolium repens L.]), and a bare ground control on A. palmeri population dynamics. The study was conducted in the absence of herbicides. Growth stages were integrated into a basic demographic model to evaluate differences in population trajectories. Cereal rye and living mulch treatments suppressed weed seedling recruitment (seedlings seed−1) 19.2 and 13 times and 12 and 25 times more than the bare ground control, respectively. Low recruitment was correlated positively with low light transmission (photosynthetic active radiation: above canopy photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]/below cover crop PAR) at the soil surface. Low recruitment rates were also negatively correlated with high survival rates. Greater survival rates and reduced adult plant densities resulted in greater biomass (g plant−1) and fecundity (seeds plant−1) in cereal rye and living mulch treatments in both years. The annual rate of population change (seeds seed−1) was equivalent across all treatments in the first year but was greater in the living mulch treatment in the second year. Our results highlight the potential of annual cover crops and living mulches for suppressing A. palmeri seedling recruitment and would be valuable tools as part of an integrated weed management strategy.

Limited research has been directed at evaluating the ability of single cover crop plantings to suppress weeds in crops beyond the initial field season. Thus, this experiment was conducted to investigate the ability of a second-year self-regenerated annual and second-year perennial cover crop planting to suppress weeds during the critical period for weed control (CPWC) in soybean crops. Whole-plot treatments included 1) conventional till, 2) no-till with cover crop residue, 3) living mulch + cover crop residue, and 4) living mulch + winter-killed residue. Subplot treatments involved weed management intensity: a) no weed management (weedy), b) weeds manually removed through the CPWC (third node soybean stage; V3), and c) weeds manually removed until soybean canopy closure (weed-free). Overall, total annual cover crop biomass during the second field season was comparable to biomass obtained from direct seeded stands during the initial field season. All cover crop treatments reduced total weed biomass through the CPWC compared to conventional till. Soybean yield was low across all treatments in this experiment. Still, yield was similar between cover crop and conventional till treatments at one site-year, however, yields were lower in all cover crop treatments at the other site-year.

Preemergence herbicides associated with cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop (hereafter “cereal rye”) can be an effective waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer.] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) management strategy in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production. Delaying cereal rye termination until soybean planting (planting green) optimizes biomass production and weed suppression but might further impact the fate of preemergence herbicides. Limited research is available on the fate of preemergence herbicides applied over living cereal rye in the planting green system. Field experiments were conducted in Illinois, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to evaluate the fate of flumioxazin and pyroxasulfone and Amaranthus spp. residual control under different cover crop management practices in soybean in 2021 and 2022 (8 site-years). A flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone herbicide premix was applied preemergence at soybean planting under no-till without cereal rye, cereal rye early terminated before soybean planting, and cereal rye terminated at soybean planting. Flumioxazin and pyroxasulfone concentrations in the soil were quantified at 0, 7, and 21 d after treatment (DAT), and Amaranthus spp. density was determined at postemergence herbicide application. The presence of cereal rye biomass intercepted flumioxazin and pyroxasulfone at preemergence application and reduced concentration in the soil when compared with no-till, mainly at 0 DAT. Main differences in herbicide concentration were observed between no-till and cereal rye treatments rather than cereal rye termination times. Despite reducing herbicide concentration in the soil, the presence of the cereal rye biomass did not affect early-season residual Amaranthus spp. control. The adoption of effective preemergence herbicides associated with a properly managed cereal rye cover crop is an effective option for integrated Amaranthus spp. management programs in soybean production systems.

Data from a national survey of 348 U.S. sports field managers were used to examine the effects of participation in Cooperative Extension events on the adoption of turfgrass weed management practices. Of the respondents, 94% had attended at least one event in the previous 3 yr. Of this 94%, 97% reported adopting at least one practice as a result of knowledge gained at an Extension turfgrass event. Half of the respondents had adopted four or more practices; a third adopted five or more practices. Nonchemical, cultural practices were the most-adopted practices (65% of respondents). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine factors explaining practice adoption and Extension event attendance. Compared to attending one event, attending three events increased total adoption by an average of one practice. Attending four or more events increased total adoption by two practices. Attending four or more events (compared to one event) increased the odds of adopting six individual practices by 3- to 6-fold, depending on the practice. This suggests that practice adoption could be enhanced by encouraging repeat attendance among past Extension event attendees. Manager experience was a statistically significant predictor of the number of Extension events attended but a poor direct predictor of practice adoption. Experience does not appear to increase adoption directly, but indirectly, via its impact on Extension event attendance. In addition to questions about weed management generally, the survey asked questions specifically about annual bluegrass management. Respondents were asked to rank seven sources of information for their helpfulness in managing annual bluegrass. There was no single dominant information source, but Extension was ranked more than any other source as the most helpful (by 22% of the respondents) and was ranked among the top three by 53%, closely behind field representative/local distributor sources at 54%.