Pathogenicity of four Colletotrichum coccodes isolates to potato, eastern black nightshade, and hairy nightshade was evaluated in greenhouse studies. Three Idaho isolates, AC-14, AC-28, and AC-44, and an isolate obtained from Mycogen Corporation, AC-Myc, produced lesions on potato foliage. Plants inoculated with AC-14, AC-28, and AC-44 also showed wilt symptoms similar to those produced by Verticillium dahliae as potatoes were beginning to senesce. Infection by AC-44 reduced tuber fresh weight and specific gravity. All isolates colonized eastern black and hairy nightshade, although some isolates caused little or no symptom development. Thus, both species may serve as sources of primary inoculum for C. coccodes isolates that are pathogenic to potatoes. Only AC-Myc substantially injured the leaves of both nightshade species. AC-Myc was more pathogenic to eastern black than to hairy nightshade, and to plants inoculated at the 3- to 4-leaf versus the 7- to 8-leaf stage.

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.

Two species of annual nightshades were commonly found as agronomic weeds in Minnesota. Eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun.), the most common species, was found throughout the southern half of the state. Hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides Sendt. ♯3 SOLSA) was found only in a few scattered locations. Eastern black nightshade seedling emergence began in mid-April or early May, and more than 80% of the total yearly emergence occurred before June. Hairy nightshade emergence began in May, but less than 70% of its total yearly emergence occurred before June. Eastern black nightshade berries first contained viable seeds 4 to 5 weeks after flowering of the plants and a week or more before the berries began to turn black. Hairy nightshade generally required a week longer than eastern black nightshade for viable seed production after flowering.

Field experiments were conducted in 1994 and 1995 to evaluate weed control in imidazolinone-resistant corn with postemergence applications of imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides. Imazethapyr controlled 100% of redroot pigweed, jimsonweed, and eastern black nightshade. Control of fall panicum with imazethapyr was inconsistent, with control ranging from 42 to 85%. Imazethapyr provided less than 55% control of common lambsquarters and 43% of large crabgrass. Imazethapyr plus either atrazine, 2,4-D, or dicamba increased control of common lambsquarters compared to imazethapyr alone. Fall panicum control was > 95% with nicosufluron. CGA-152005 and MON 12000 did not control eastern black nightshade. In 1995, corn yield was greater with the hand-weeded check compared to all herbicide treatments. The greatest return over herbicide cost with imazethapyr was obtained with imazethapyr plus atrazine. Nicosulfuron plus CGA-152005 provided the greatest return over herbicide cost when averaged across years.

Under irrigated field conditions at Prosser, WA, Russian thistle [Salsola kali (L.) var. tenuifolia Tausch. ♯3 SASKR] began to emerge by mid-March each year and usually had completed its emergence by May 1. Common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L. ♯ CHEAL) was the next to appear, usually during the third or fourth week of March. Barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. ♯ ECHCG], redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L. ♯ AMARE), hairy nightshade (Solarium sarrachoides Sendt. ♯ SOLSA), black nightshade (5. nigrum L. ♯ SOLNI), eastern black nightshade (S. ptycanthum Dun.), and cutleaf nightshade (S. triflorum Nutt. ♯ SOLTR) generally began to emerge during the first 2 weeks of April and emergence generally peaked mid-April to mid-May. Russian thistle and cutleaf nightshade had the most restricted emergence patterns, whereas seedlings of common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, hairy nightshade, and black nightshade emerged each month from April through September. Shallow tillage at monthly intervals increased the overall emergence of common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, black nightshade, and eastern black nightshade; decreased the emergence of barnyardgrass; and had no effect on the emergence of Russian thistle, cutleaf nightshade, or hairy nightshade.

The basis for differences in response of eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun.), a tolerant species, and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medic. ♯3 ABUTH), a susceptible species, to foliar-applied chlorsulfuron {2-chloro-N-[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]benzenesulfonamide} was investigated by evaluating differences in spray retention and herbicide absorption, translocation, and metabolism. Based upon a foliar-applied rate causing a 50% reduction in dry weight, velvetleaf was greater than 20000 times more susceptible to chlorsulfuron than was eastern black nightshade. The differences detected in spray retention, absorption, and translocation were inadequate to account for the large response differences between the two species. The primary difference found was in the rate of chlorsulfuron degradation. In eastern black nightshade, 69.9% of the absorbed chlorsulfuron was metabolized within 24 h of application and 81.1% within 72 h of application. Only 7.1% of absorbed chlorsulfuron was metabolized in velvetleaf in a 72-h period.

Reductions in yields of processing tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. ‘H2653’ and ‘Earlirouge′) caused by interference from eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun. # SOLPT) and hairy nighthsade (S. sarrachoides Sendt. # SOLSA) were estimated for transplanted and seeded tomatoes at two locations in southern Ontario. Tomato yield losses were significantly greater in seeded than in transplanted tomatoes. Stomatal conductance and transpiration rates of seeded tomatoes decreased more rapidly with increased nightshade density than did those of transplanted tomatoes. Percent yield losses also differed between sites. Seeded tomatoes grown at high density in twin rows (33 300 and 45 000 plants/ha) had higher yields and lower percent yield losses than did tomatoes grown at low density in single rows (12 500 to 22 500 plants/ha). Nightshade dry weight and seed production decreased per plant but increased per unit area with increasing nightshade density. Nightshade dry weights and seed production did not vary with site or method of tomato establishment. A hyperbolic model provided an excellent fit to data on both tomato yield losses and nightshade seed production as a function of nightshade density.

Eight accessions of weedy nightshades representing five species were evaluated for response to four herbicides applied preemergence in growth chamber studies and four herbicides applied postemergence in greenhouse studies. Species differed in susceptibility to all herbicides evaluated. The largest differences were found with postemergence applications of chlorsulfuron {2-chloro-N-[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]benzenesulfonamide}; hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides Sendt. ♯ SOLSA) was relatively susceptible, but eastern black nightshade (S. ptycanthum Dun.) was very tolerant. S. ptycanthum, however, was one of the more susceptible species. It was always more susceptible than black nightshade (S. nigrum L. ♯ SOLNI) to all other herbicides evaluated.

Information from taxonomic treatments and comparisons of accessions from numerous locations grown in the field and greenhouse were combined and summarized to produce a key and descriptions of common agricultural nightshades in North America (Solanum americanum Mill., S. nigrum L., S. ptycanthum Dun., and S. sarrachoides Sendt.). Quantitative and qualitative descriptions of key characters and photographs of important morphological structures are provided to facilitate field identification. Problems with nomenclature among these species are discussed, and a system of common names that would standardize usage is proposed.