Greenhouse and laboratory studies were conducted to determine kochia resistance to a spectrum of acetolactate synthase (E.C.4.13.18) (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides. The chlorsulfuron-resistant biotype plants were resistant to six herbicides: triflusulfuron, thifensulfuron, halosulfuron, imazamethabenz, chlorsulfuron, and nicosulfuron. But, the resistant biotypes showed sensitivity similar to the susceptible biotypes to three herbicides: metsulfuron, imazethapyr, and imazaquin. The resistant biotypes were slightly less sensitive to primisulfuron, chlorimuron, and flumetsulam than the sensitive biotypes. The I50 values for 50% inhibition of the ALS enzyme indicated that the resistant biotype was 22, 18, and 16 times more resistant to primisulfuron, chlorsulfuron, and thifensulfuron than the susceptible biotype. In contrast, the I50 ratios (resistant/susceptible) were 3, 2, and 1 for flumetsulam, nicosulfuron, and imazethapyr, respectively. The altered ALS enzyme system of the resistant biotype showed a differential response for the ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Addition of a mixed function oxidase inhibitor, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) at 2 kg ha−1, to primisulfuron and thifensulfuron increased visual injury and reduced plant height of the chlorsulfuron-sensitive kochia biotype plants. The addition of PBO to primisulfuron enhanced visual injury of the resistant biotype at low rates of primisulfuron.

A group of scientists from academia, government, and industry, along with ecologists, regulators, conservationists, and grower representatives have formed an International Organization for Resistant Pest Management (IOPRM) to review and delineate proactive and retroactive management strategies for specific cases of pesticide resistance. Within IOPRM, technical working groups were appointed to deal with each pest group. The Weed Resistance Management Working Group (WRMWG) is chaired by Drs. Jonathan Gressel and Leonard Saari, and will deal with the analysis and promoting of alternative control strategies for case studies where a high risk of herbicide resistant weeds exists. Based on our experience to date, crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans and weeds such as kochia, annual ryegrass and blackgrass, will be used as models to develop optimum weed resistance management programs. The group is especially looking for herbicide and weed control data on negative-cross resistance, econometric models, novel management procedures, and quantitative data from weed scientists and other research and extension communities that could facilitate reaching optimal management decisions. All recommendations and experiences will be communicated through a worldwide network.

Kochia is a troublesome weed throughout the western United States. Although glyphosate effectively controls kochia, poor control was observed in several no-till fields in Kansas. The objectives of this research were to evaluate kochia populations response to glyphosate and examine the mechanism that causes differential response to glyphosate. Glyphosate was applied at 0, 54, 109, 218, 435, 870, 1305, 1740, 3480, and 5220 g ae ha−1 on 10 kochia populations. In general, kochia populations differed in their response to glyphosate. At 21 d after treatment, injury from glyphosate applied at 870 g ha−1 range from 4 to 91%. In addition, glyphosate rate required to cause 50% visible injury (GR50) ranged from 470 to 2149 g ha−1. Differences in glyphosate absorption and translocation and kochia mineral content were not sufficient to explain differential kochia response to glyphosate.

Corn gluten meal (CGM) and white mustard seed meal (MSM) can release biologically active allelochemicals and have been demonstrated to be useful as PRE alternative weed control products. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of CGM and MSM on the emergence and aboveground dry weight of five broadleaf and two grass weed species. Greenhouse experiments were conducted using 26 by 53 cm plastic trays filled with a mix of field soil and potting soil (4 : 1 by wt). CGM and MSM were mixed with 1.5 kg of soil mix and applied at rates equivalent to 2,240, 4,480, and 6,720 kg ha−1. Overall, MSM was more effective than CGM for controlling weeds. Averaged over application rates and compared to the nontreated control, emergence rates were 17, 27, and 34% for kochia, common lambsquarters, and barnyardgrass, respectively, in CGM-amended soil, and 14, 13, and 6% for kochia, common lambsquarters, and barnyardgrass, respectively, in MSM-amended soil. Averaged over application rates, green foxtail and common lambsquarters aboveground dry biomass were 40 and 25% of the nontreated control, respectively, in CGM-amended soil. Green foxtail and common lambsquarters shoot biomass in MSM-amended soil was 13 and 5% of the nontreated control, respectively. Significant interactions were observed for meal by rate on redroot pigweed seedling emergence and redroot pigweed, barnyardgrass (Moscow), and annual sowthistle (Moscow) aboveground dry biomass. These interactions can be attributed to the fact that herbicidal effects were less evident in response to higher application rates using MSM compared to higher CGM application rates. Overall, this greenhouse study indicates MSM is more effective than or at least equal to CGM for broadleaf and grass weed control at the same application rate.

Kochia control in continuous corn became increasingly difficult in experimental plots where isoxaflutole was used PRE for 8 yr. Studies were conducted to determine if poor kochia control resulted from an escape mechanism based on different germination rates or from a difference in sensitivity to isoxaflutole. Germination at constant temperatures showed that the kochia population in the experimental plot had greater seed dormancy compared with populations growing in adjacent fields. Germination at 25 C for seeds collected from the isoxaflutole-treated area was near 20% after 20 d, whereas germination for the other populations was above 80%. The optimal temperatures to release seed dormancy for seeds from the experimental plot were alternating 35/25 C day/night temperatures. The kochia biotype that predominated where isoxaflutole was applied PRE had elevated levels of seed dormancy and required higher alternating temperatures to release dormancy than untreated control kochia. These characteristics were unique and not found in populations never exposed to isoxaflutole. Chlorophyll content was measured to determine if differences in sensitivity to isoxaflutole existed among biotypes. Absorption at 660 nm by photosynthetic pigments was similar among the biotypes at increasing herbicide rates, indicating no differences in sensitivity to isoxaflutole among populations. Reduced kochia control in the experimental plot was due to delayed seed germination, which allowed isoxaflutole to degrade before seeds germinated. The rapid herbicide dissipation from soil can be attributed in part to coarse soils, soil moisture, and the low isoxaflutole rate.

Herbicide-resistant kochia is an increasing concern for growers in the northwestern United States. Four suspected glyphosate-resistant (Gly-R) kochia accessions (referred to as GIL01, JOP01, CHES01, and CHES02) collected in fall 2012 from four different chemical-fallow fields in northern Montana were evaluated. The objectives were to confirm and characterize the level of glyphosate resistance in kochia accessions relative to a glyphosate-susceptible (Gly-S) accession and evaluate the effectiveness of various POST herbicides for Gly-R kochia control. Whole-plant dose–response experiments indicated that the four Gly-R kochia accessions had 7.1- to 11-fold levels of resistance relative to the Gly-S accession on the basis of percent control ratings (I50 values). On the basis of shoot dry weight response (GR50 values), the four Gly-R kochia accessions exhibited resistance index (R/S) ratios ranging from 4.6 to 8.1. In a separate study, the two tested Gly-R accessions (GIL01 and JOP01) showed differential response (control and shoot dry weight reduction) to various POST herbicides 21 d after application (DAA). Paraquat, paraquat + linuron, carfentrazone + 2,4-D, saflufenacil alone or with 2,4-D, and bromoxynil + fluroxypyr effectively controlled (99 to 100%) and reduced shoot dry weight (88 to 92%) of the GIL01 accession, consistent with the Gly-S kochia accession; however, bromoxynil + MCPA and bromoxynil + pyrasulfotole provided 76% control and 83% shoot dry weight reduction of the GIL01 accession and were lower compared with the Gly-S accession. The JOP01 accession exhibited lower control or shoot dry weight reduction to all herbicides tested, except dicamba, diflufenzopyr + dicamba + 2,4-D, paraquat + linuron, and bromoxynil + pyrasulfotole, compared with the Gly-S or GIL01 population. Furthermore, paraquat + linuron was the only treatment with ≥ 90% control and shoot dry weight reduction of the JOP01 kochia plants. Among all POST herbicides tested, glufosinate was the least effective on kochia. This research confirms the first evolution of Gly-R kochia in Montana. Future research will investigate the mechanism of glyphosate resistance, inheritance, ecological fitness, and alternative strategies for management of Gly-R kochia.

Field experiments were conducted near Hays, KS in 2007 and 2008 to evaluate the effects of single and sequential postemergent applications of tribenuron on broadleaf weed control and crop response in tribenuron-resistant sunflower. Weeds were acetolactate-synthase–susceptible biotypes of kochia, puncturevine, Russian thistle, and tumble pigweed in 2007 and puncturevine, redroot pigweed, and tumble pigweed in 2008. Tribenuron at 18 g ai ha−1 applied early POST with methylated seed oil (MSO) provided > 96% control of all species in 2007 and 92 and 99% control of redroot pigweed and puncturevine, respectively, but only 69% control of tumble pigweed in 2008. Early-POST tribenuron at 9 g ha−1 and late-POST tribenuron at 18 g ha−1 generally provided less weed control compared to early-POST tribenuron at 18 g ha−1. Sequential applications slightly improved redroot pigweed and tumble pigweed control in 2008 compared to single applications of tribenuron. Some tribenuron treatments caused transitory crop injury, but imazamox at 35 g ha−1 caused 24 to 44% crop injury at 7 d after treatment and permanent crop stunting in 2007. Significant yield losses occurred with imazamox and single treatments of tribenuron in 2008. Collectively, tribenuron at 18 g ha−1 alone can provide satisfactory control of the evaluated broadleaf weed species when applied to appropriate weed sizes, and this rate does not cause significant injury to tribenuron-resistant sunflower, regardless of the crop size.

This greenhouse experiment examined the response of homozygous susceptible and acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor–resistant plants from six Canadian kochia accessions with the Pro197 or Trp574 mutation to six alternative herbicides of different sites of action. The null hypothesis was ALS-inhibitor–resistant and –susceptible plants from within and across accessions would respond similarly to herbicides of different sites of action. This hypothesis was accepted for all accessions except that of MBK2 with the Trp574 mutation. Resistant plants of that accession were 80, 60, and 50% more sensitive than susceptible plants to pyrasulfotole, mesotrione (hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase [HPPD] inhibitors), and carfentrazone (protoporphyrinogen oxidase [PPO] inhibitor), respectively. However, no differential dose response between resistant and susceptible plants of this kochia accession to bromoxynil, fluroxypyr, or glyphosate was observed. A previous study had found marked differences in growth and development between resistant and susceptible plants of this accession, but not of the other accessions examined in this experiment. Negative cross-resistance exhibited by resistant plants of accession MBK2 to PPO and HPPD inhibitors in this experiment may be a pleiotropic effect related to the Trp574 mutation.

Kochia poses a challenge to vegetation management in both agricultural and noncrop areas. This species has developed widespread resistance to several herbicides with differing modes of action, including acetolactate synthase inhibitors and photosynthesis inhibitors. Resistance is also beginning to appear against the synthetic auxins and glycines. Therefore, alternative PRE and POST herbicides are needed for effective kochia management, especially in roadside bare-ground zones. Both PRE and POST herbicides were screened on rights-of-way in Pennsylvania. Mixtures containing diuron, flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, pendimethalin, prodiamine, and bromacil were evaluated for PRE activity in combination with glyphosate. POST kochia control was assessed for 15 noncrop herbicides. Results from all trials varied with kochia size and vigor at time of treatment. Although diuron is the current industry standard for PRE control in tank mixes, sulfentrazone appeared to have the most POST activity against vigorously growing kochia. All PRE herbicides evaluated performed better than the standard, sulfometuron plus chlorsulfuron alone. Dicamba, dicamba plus diflufenzopyr, fluroxypyr, and glyphosate performed best against kochia when applied POST. The recently available chemistries saflufenacil and aminocyclopyrachlor require further evaluation of application timing and use rates, respectively, for POST activity on kochia.

Field experiments were conducted at the Montana State University Southern Agricultural Research Center, Huntley, MT, in 2011 through 2013 to determine the effect of nitrogen (N) rate, seeding rate, and weed removal timing on weed interference in barley. A delay in weed removal timing from the 3- to 4-leaf (LF) stage to the 8- to 10-LF stage of barley resulted in up to 3.5-fold increase in total weed biomass and 10% reduction in barley biomass, and this was unaffected by a N rate that ranged from 56 (low) to 168 (high) kg ha−1. The effect of N rate on barley biomass was more pronounced when weed removal was delayed from the 3- to 4-LF stage to the 8- to 10-LF stage of barley and in nontreated plots. Increasing the barley seeding rate from 38 to 152 kg ha−1 increased the barley plant density by 50%, biomass by 13%, and grain yield by 29%, averaged over N rates and weed removal timing. On the basis of 5 and 10% levels of acceptable yield loss, the addition of ≥112 kg N ha−1 delayed the critical timing of weed removal by at least 1.3 wk in barley, compared with the 56 kg N ha−1 rate. A medium or high N rate prevented reduction in barley grain quality (plumpness and test weight) observed when the seeding rate was increased from 38 to 76 or 152 kg ha−1 at the low N rate. In a separate greenhouse study, the effect of N rate on the effectiveness of various herbicides for controlling wild oat, green foxtail, kochia, or Russian thistle was investigated. Results highlighted that wild oat or green foxtail grown under 56 kg N ha−1 (low N) soil required 1.4 to 2.6 times higher doses of clodinafop, fenoxaprop, flucarbazone, glyphosate, glufosinate, pinoxaden, or tralkoxydim for 50% reduction in shoot dry weights (GR50) compared with plants grown under 168 kg N ha−1 (high N). Similarly, a reduced efficacy of thifensulfuron methyl + tribenuron methyl, metsulfuron methyl, or bromoxynil+pyrasulfotole was observed (evident from the GR50 values) for kochia or Russian thistle grown under low- vs. high-N soil. Information gained from this research will aid in developing cost-effective, integrated weed management (IWM) strategies in cereals and in educating growers on the importance of fertilizer N management as a component of IWM programs.