Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted at the Lacombe Research Station to evaluate mixtures of sethoxydim and fluazifop on green foxtail, wild oat, wheat, and barley in canola. In both environments the two herbicides interacted on the grass species in a synergistic manner. Many of the observed responses to mixtures of sethoxydim and fluazifop were 100% greater than those expected assuming an additive interaction between the herbicides. Mixtures with at least 80 g ha-1 of sethoxydim and 80 g ha-1 of fluazifop controlled more than 90% of green foxtail, wild oat, wheat, and barley under field conditions. These experiments indicate that the sethoxydim/fluazifop mixture is both complementary and synergistic. The mixture may allow reduced herbicide application rates and therefore reduced herbicide costs and less potential for negative environmental impact.

Experiments were conducted in 1991 and 1992 to evaluate annual grass and broadleaf weed control with bromoxynil applied alone and with graminicides. Bromoxynil controlled velvetleaf better than entireleaf morningglory and controlled both species better than sicklepod. Mixing bromoxynil with fluazifop-P, quizalofop-P, and sethoxydim reduced control of barnyardgrass, green foxtail, large crabgrass, and shattercane. Control of broadleaf signalgrass with quizalofop-P was reduced by bromoxynil. Annual grass control with clethodim was not affected by bromoxynil.

The dynamics of buried weed seeds in ridge-tilled corn (Zea mays L.) and soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] were studied in Minnesota. Soils subjected to continuous corn production harbored at least twice as many buried weed seeds as soils under corn/soybean rotations. Truncation of ridges at the time of crop sowing removed 31 to 37% of the buried weed seeds from ridges of continuous corn, and 80 to 100% of those from ridges of the corn/soybean rotations. From 14 to 36% of weed seeds originally in ridges were lost through germination either on the ridge or in the furrow. Ridging soil at layby stimulated germination of numerous weed seeds. The resulting population of small weeds eventually produced up to 1000 seeds/m2 in continuous corn but only about 100 seeds/m2 in corn/soybean rotations, thoroughly replenishing the soil seed reserve in both cropping systems. After 7 to 8 yr of good to excellent weed control with herbicides, crop yield losses in the absence of herbicides were 10 to 27% in continuous corn, and 0% for corn and 6 to 10% for soybeans in corn/soybean rotations.

Studies were conducted to determine the usefulness of HOE-39866 (HOE-00661) in chemical fallow systems on the Canadian prairies. HOE-39866 at 0.5 to 1.0 kg ai/ha controlled Russian thistle, kochia, green foxtail, wild oats, and wheat comparable to paraquat, glyphosate, and glyphosate plus the isopropylamine salt of 2,4-D. However, control of barley with HOE-39866 was unacceptable. HOE-39866 was compatible in tank mixtures with ammonium sulfate, paraquat, chlorsulfuron, and metsulfuron. Ammonium sulfate improved weed control when HOE-39866 was applied at 0.25 kg/ha but not at 0.75 kg/ha. Adding paraquat at 0.07 to 0.21 kg ai/ha to HOE-39866 improved control of grass species over HOE-39866 alone. Adding chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron to HOE-39866 provided greater initial control of certain species as well as residual control of many weeds. HOE-39866 alone or in conjunction with other herbicides is an alternative to the herbicides used in chemical fallow systems.

Field studies were undertaken in 1992 and 1993 to investigate the control of wild oat and green foxtail in flax with reduced rates of fluazifop-P and clethodim applied as tank-mixtures. Fluazifop-P plus clethodim at 50 + 18 g ai/ha controlled wild oat and green foxtail and was as effective as full rates of either herbicide applied alone. These rates represent a 20% reduction in total amount of active ingredient required to control wild oat and green foxtail. Application of fluazifop-P, and/or clethodim prior to the 3- to 4-leaf stage failed to control late emerging grass weeds. Application of graminicide mixtures at or after the 3- to 4-leaf stage controlled late emerging grass weeds and did not affect flax yield. When applied late, fluazifop-P at 175 g/ha tended to reduce flax yield, although weed control was acceptable and no foliar injury was observed following treatment. The efficacy of graminicide mixtures was reduced by addition of bromoxynil plus MCPA to the spray mix.

Velvetleaf, eastern black nightshade, wild mustard, common cocklebur, green foxtail, and yellow foxtail, grown for 4 weeks in nonaerated nutrient solution, developed satisfactorily compared to plants grown in soil. For experiments involving certain weed species grown in nutrient solution, aeration may be unnecessary.

Field experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of fluazifop-P-butyl for the control of green foxtail, wild oat, barley, and wheat in flax as influenced by spray nozzle orientation, time of day, and growth stage. Under drought conditions in 1988, control of wild oat, wheat, and barley with fluazifop-P-butyl was enhanced 75%, 53% and 78%, respectively, when nozzles were oriented to spray forward 45°. Under adequate soil moisture conditions enhancement of control was minimal. Green foxtail control improved when fluazifop-P-butyl was applied from 1700 to 2100 h, but time of day had no effect on control of wild oat, barley, or wheat. Fluazifop-P-butyl effectiveness was reduced when applied 4 d after flax emergence due to late emerging grass seedlings. Green foxtail was the most tolerant to fluazifop-P-butyl, whereas wild oat, wheat, and barley were the most susceptible.

DPX-79406 was evaluated for POST annual grass weed control in both controlled environment and field experiments. In controlled environment experiments, green foxtail was most susceptible to DPX-79406; whereas yellow foxtail was least susceptible of the species evaluated. DPX-79406 at 12 g/ha completely controlled six leaf black-seeded proso millet, yellow foxtail, green foxtail, and barnyardgrass. In the field, DPX-79406 at 3.0 to 25.0 g/ha effectively controlled annual grass weeds without injury to three- to six-leaf corn. There was more variation in the effectiveness of DPX-79406 applied in the field. Early POST applications provided less weed control than the late application, especially for barnyardgrass, because of weeds emerging after application. As a result, higher doses were sometimes needed for effective control. In weed-free field trials at two sites in 1990 and 1991, corn tolerated doses up to 75 g/ha of DPX-79406 applied at the three- to six-leaf growth stage. However, doses as low as 18.8 g/ha applied at the six- to nine-leaf growth stage reduced grain yield. In 1991, corn tillering increases and height and yield reductions were related linearly to the dose of DPX-79406 applied during later growth stages. DPX-79406 should be applied early POST in order to avoid crop injury while providing effective weed control.

Field experiments were conducted at the Lacombe Research Station from 1989 to 1991 to determine the influence of various adjuvants on sethoxydim activity. In all experiments sethoxydim was applied at 100 g ai ha-1 to green foxtail, wheat, wild oat, and barley seeded in a canola crop. Of the four grass species, green foxtail was the most susceptible and barley was the least susceptible to sethoxydim. CC 16255 was the most effective adjuvant followed by either of two sources of ammonium sulphate (liquid or granular) and then Merge. Liquid and granular forms of ammonium sulphate were equally effective in enhancing sethoxydim activity. Several other adjuvants, including Enhance, Savol, and XE 1167, were moderately effective in the enhancement of sethoxydim activity. Adding Canplus 411 to Merge was not usually beneficial, but additions of Canplus 411 to Enhance often increased sethoxydim activity compared with sethoxydim and Enhance alone. Agral 90 and LI-700 were of little or no value as adjuvants with sethoxydim.

The influence of light, soil moisture, and temperature on establishment of selected species through hairy vetch residue on the soil surface was investigated under controlled conditions in the greenhouse. Hairy vetch residue at rates ranging from 0 to 616 g m−2 had no effect on corn, slightly reduced velvetleaf and green foxtail establishment, and severely inhibited common lambsquarters establishment under full sunlight conditions. The same rates of hairy vetch residue reduced velvetleaf, green foxtail, and common lambsquarters establishment more under a shade cloth with 9% light transmittance than under full sunlight. Day/night temperatures of 24/16 or 32/26 C had no effect and soil moistures of 50 or 133% field capacity had little effect on response of all species to residue rates. Weed establishment was similar under shade cloth without residue as under residue with an equivalent light transmittance, suggesting that light was more important than allelopathy or physical impedance for weed suppression by hairy vetch residue.

In F2 progeny, derived from F1 hybrids, shoot growth of seedlings, measured 4 d after germination, distinguished susceptible (S) and resistant (R) phenotypes. Chisquare values indicated that the F2 data fit a 3:1 (S:R) ratio for both populations and all trifluralin concentrations in which S and R phenotypes could be differentiated. Results indicate that trifluralin resistance in these green foxtail populations is controlled by a single, nuclear recessive gene. This study is the first to demonstrate recessive gene control of herbicide resistance in a weed species. The highly selfed nature and prolific seed production of green foxtail may have facilitated evolution of the recessive trait.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate postplant crop residue, green and yellow foxtail control, and wheat grain yield after fall application of trifluralin granules in undisturbed small grain stubble. Levels of postplant residue were at least 48% cover (line transect method) and 2750 kg/ha of aboveground dry matter where herbicide granules were left unincorporated or were incorporated with conservation-till methods, including an undercutter, rotary hoe, or undercutter followed by a rotary hoe. Trifluralin at 0.56 kg/ha applied as granules in mid October in untilled stubble and incorporated with conservation-till methods controlled foxtail 81 to 88%, with control appearing slightly lower when granules were not incorporated. The 81 to 88% foxtail control in conservation-till treatments was comparable to control achieved with trifluralin at 0.56 kg/ha applied in mid October on conventionally-tilled soil and incorporated by a field cultivator. Foxtail control improved somewhat as trifluralin rate was increased to 0.84 and 1.12 kg/ha in conservation-till treatments. Slight wheat stand reductions at 1.12 kg/ha of trifluralin did not appear to reduce wheat yield. Fall application of trifluralin granules in these high-residue conditions apparently minimizes herbicide losses by photodecomposition and volatility, thereby facilitating good trifluralin efficacy the following season.

A weed survey system methodology was developed and used annually for 4 yr in the province of Saskatchewan. Based on a stratified random sampling procedure, fields were selected in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), rape (Brassica napus L., Brassica campestris L.), and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) crops. The boundaries of the 43 agricultural extension districts in the province formed the strata. The provincial agricultural extension service provided staff to conduct the survey. Computer processing of the data enabled reports, containing summary tables and distribution maps, to be distributed to extension, research, and industry personnel within 3 months after completion of the field survey. The field surveys were conducted late in the growing season before harvest commenced; hence, the weed populations consisted of species that had been present during the early part of the growing season and may have contributed to yield losses. During the 4 yr of the survey, weeds were counted in 4423 fields. Of the 164 species recorded, 97 species occurred in more than three fields. Only 29 species were encountered frequently in the fields. Green foxtail [Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. # SETVI), wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus L. # POLCO), and wild oat (Avena fatua L. # AVEFA) were the top three species based on a ranking system using a measure called relative abundance.

Recently, roundleaved mallow, redroot pigweed, and annual smartweed species have become problems for flax producers in the Canadian prairies. The use of thifensulfuron to enhance weed control with commonly used herbicide mixtures was tested at Indian Head, SK and Morden, MB. Visible crop injury and reduced height, yield, and quality occurred at rates as low as 0.5–1.0 g/ha. Improved control of broadleaf weeds was not consistent and antagonism of grassy weed control with sethoxydim occurred.

Weed seed and seedling populations, and weed competition were compared in plots of continuous corn and corn/soybean rotation under ridge and conventional tillage. After 7 to 8 yr of standard chemical and mechanical weed control, from 1500 to 3000 weed seeds/m2 (to a 10-cm depth) were found in continuous corn with ridge tillage whereas about two-thirds fewer seeds were found in conventionally tilled corn. Soil from a corn/soybean rotation had from 200 to 700 seeds/m2 in both tillage systems. Annual loss of weed seeds from the soil through germination was from 3 to 12% in ridge tillage and 11 to 43% in conventional tillage. Additions to the seed pool were supplied by small weeds whose germination was stimulated by “layby” cultivation, with up to 10 times more emergence and 140 times more seed production in ridge than in conventional tillage. Withholding herbicides for 1 yr reduced yields of continuous corn by 10 to 27% in ridge tillage, only 2 to 4% in conventional tillage, and negligibly in corn/soybean rotations regardless of tillage. Reducing seed production of small layby weeds in ridge tillage may aid in solving the weed problem in this conservation tillage system.

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate early postemergence (POST) tank mixtures of SAN 582 with fluazifop-P, imazethapyr, or sethoxydim. In the greenhouse, SAN 582 synergistically improved barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass, and johnsongrass control from imazethapyr and sethoxydim. Half-rates of imazethapyr and sethoxydim tank-mixed with SAN 582 controlled grass weeds as well as full rates of either herbicide applied alone. Grass weed control with imazethapyr increased up to 40% with the addition of SAN 582. In field experiments, SAN 582 increased grass control with imazethapyr to a lesser degree than observed in the greenhouse. In a multispecies study, grass weed control increased up to 15% when SAN 582 was tank-mixed with a reduced rate of imazethapyr, although the full rate of imazethapyr applied POST with or without SAN 582 controlled grass weeds 80% or less. The combination of SAN 582 with sethoxydim was synergistic for barnyardgrass and johnsongrass control in this experiment. When applied POST in soybean, SAN 582 plus fluazifop-P or sethoxydim controlled barnyardgrass throughout the season better than a single POST application of a graminicide.

The response of Persian darnel, green foxtail, wild oat, and volunteer cereals to clethodim applied at two growth stages, and the effect of these treatments on flax yield and quality were determined in a series of field experiments in which each weed species was evaluated separately. Clethodim applied at 45 g/ha provided excellent control of Persian darnel, green foxtail, wild oat, and volunteer wheat and barley. Sethoxydim applied at 150 g/ha provided excellent control of Persian darnel, green foxtail, wild oat, and volunteer barley. Rax was tolerant at five times the recommended rate of application and was unaffected by plant growth stage at time of application. When applied at an early (2- to 3-leaf) stage, control of Persian darnel, green foxtail, wild oat, and volunteer wheat and barley was excellent at 20 g/ha. Except for Persian darnel, weed control as determined by reduction in plant dry weight, was negatively affected by growth stage at time of application. Although visible control and reduction in plant dry weight were somewhat less when clethodim was applied at the 4-to 5-leaf stage, control of each weed species was acceptable. When weight of water in plant tissue (fresh weight – dry weight) was used as a measure of living plant tissue, wild oat and volunteer barley control were unaffected by growth stage at time of application.

An experiment was initiated in 1970 and continued through 1979 by exhuming and germinating seed of 12 economic weed species buried beneath 23 cm of soil in eastern and western Nebraska. Loss in germination of exhumed seeds over years is mathematically characterized by the formula for the rectangular hyperbola, which represents many shapes of curves that have zero as their lower limit. Of the 12 weed species, only fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.) and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) seed germination did not drop significantly over the 10-yr burial period. Germination of redroot pigweed seed was higher when buried in eastern Nebraska, but was higher for smooth groundcherry (Physalis subglabrata Mack&Bush.) and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medic.) when buried in western Nebraska. Germination of the other nine species were not affected by burial location. The 12 weed species can be ranked as those showing most to least rapid loss of germination during burial for 10 yr as follows: honeyvine milkweed [Ampelamus albidus (Nutt.) Britt.], hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum L.), kochia [Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.], sunflower (Helianthus annum L.), large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.], common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.), musk thistle (Carduus nutans L.), velvetleaf, fall panicum, redroot pigweed, green foxtail [Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.], and smooth groundcherry.

Weed management experiments with kidney beans were conducted at one irrigated site in 1991 and at two irrigated sites near Staples, MN during 1992. Green foxtail was the most difficult weed to control at the three research sites which agrees with survey results from dry bean growers regarding their worst weed problems. Hairy nightshade increased rapidly when weed management methods were reduced. Dry bean seed yields were highest in cultivated check plots on the farmer's field and in conventional practices plots at the Irrigation Research Center. Net economic returns, averaged over 1991 and 1992, for producing kidney beans at the Irrigation Research Center were $899/ha using conventional practices, $791/ha with cover crop practices, $734/ha with cultivated checks, $690/ha with herbicides only, and $208/ha on weedy checks. Kidney beans are an economical crop for North Central growers, but adequate weed management technologies are necessary for profitable production.

Fluorochloridone {3-chloro-4-(chloromethyl)-1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2-pyrrolidinone} effectively controlled wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L. # SINAR) in sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L. ‘Hybrid 894′). Preemergence (pre) treatments were more effective than preplant-incorporated (ppi) treatments at rates of 0.3 to 1.1 kg ai/ha. Applied as a foliar spray, fluorochloridone at rates of 0.12 to 0.25 kg ai/ha controlled 96% or more of wild mustard but some crop injury occurred. When fluorochloridone was mixed with trifluralin [2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzenamine] or EPTC (S-ethyl dipropyl carbamothioate) and applied ppi, several annual grasses as well as wild mustard were controlled.