Field studies were conducted in 1995 and 1996 at three locations in Illinois to determine soybean response to combinations of thifensulfuron and bentazon. Thifensulfuron was applied at 2.2 to 8.8 g ai/ha alone or in combination with 280 to 560 g/ha of bentazon. Soybean injury 30 d after treatment ranged from 0 to 22% when thifensulfuron was applied alone at 2.2 g/ha. Increasing thifensulfuron rate to 8.8 g/ha increased soybean injury to a range of 12 to 44%. Soybean grain yield was significantly reduced compared to the yield of untreated soybean when thifensulfuron was applied at 4.4 and 8.8 g/ha in two of five and four of five experiments, respectively. The addition of bentazon to thifensulfuron consistently reduced soybean injury and stunting. In many cases, increasing the bentazon rate to 420 g/ha decreased soybean injury from thifensulfuron to a greater extent than 280 g/ha. In cases where thifensulfuron decreased soybean yield, the addition of 420 or 560 g/ha of bentazon restored yields to levels that were not lower than untreated soybeans. These studies demonstrate that thifensulfuron at 2.2 to 8.8 g/ha in combination with bentazon at 420 g/ha may be safely applied to soybean for broadleaf weed control.

Chlorsulfuron at 0.018 kg ai/ha, metsulfuron at 0.0045 kg ai/ha, and 2,4-D at 1.1 kg ae/ha plus dicamba at 0.28 kg ae/ha were applied over snow-covered winter wheat to study the feasibility of combining herbicides with a graphite snow-removal treatment. Chlorsulfuron or metsulfuron applied on snow effectively controlled annual broadleaf weeds when tank mixed with urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) at 28 kg N/ha and graphite powder at 20 kg/ha. Over-snow treatments of 2,4-D plus dicamba plus UAN did not control weeds. There was no antagonism or synergism among herbicides, UAN, or graphite.

POST herbicides were applied at four soybean growth stages to evaluate their effect on triazine-resistant (TR) kochia in 1991, 1992, and 1993. Applying imazethapyr at 70 g ai/ha or bentazon plus imazethapyr at 1,120 plus 70 g ai/ha controlled 75 to 100% of 1- to 13-cm-tall TR kochia consistently across growth stages and years. Acifluorfen at 560 g ai/ha, chlorimuron at 13 g ai/ha, or chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron at 4 plus 4 g ai/ha controlled 68 to 96% of 1- to 2-cm-tall TR kochia at soybean growth stage VC to V1, and control was inconsistent at later growth stages. In most instances, soybean seed yield was greater with herbicides applied at the V1 or V2 growth stage of soybean compared with the V4 and V5 growth stage because of better weed control. No wheat yield reduction occurred because of herbicide carryover in 1992 and 1994. However, in 1993, imazethapyr and bentazon plus imazethapyr treatments applied in 1992 caused 22% injury and reduced winter wheat yield 10% when wheat was planted after soybean harvest.

Currently, there are no effective herbicides registered for the control of hoary cress (Cardaria draba) in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) or alfalfa/grass mixtures. Due to this lack of control options, field experiments were conducted near St. Ignatius, MT, from 1995 through 1997 to determine the optimum imazethapyr rate and adjuvant combination for hoary cress control in alfalfa/orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) pastures. Imazethapyr was applied in the spring to rosette stage hoary cress plants at 33, 67, and 100 g ai/ha with either a nonionic surfactant or methylated seed oil alone or combined with 28% urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) liquid fertilizer. Hoary cress control was poorest when imazethapyr was applied at 33 g/ha, yet provided a minimum of 80% control. Imazethapyr applied at 67 and 100 g/ha provided greater than 90% control during the year of application regardless of surfactant or UAN additions. None of the treatments controlled hoary cress the year following application. Alfalfa yield was unaffected by imazethapyr applications. First-cutting orchardgrass yield decreased as imazethapyr rate increased, but total seasonal forage yield was unaffected.

Lima bean cultivar ‘Improved Kingston’ was evaluated for sensitivity to herbicide treatments in a field experiment, conducted from 1999 to 2001 in Ontario. Crop was evaluated for visual injury at 7, 14, and 28 d after emergence following preemergence (PRE) applications of metolachlor (1,600 and 3,200 g ai/ha) and imazethapyr (75 and 150 g ai/ha). Crop visual injury to postemergence (POST) applications of imazamox + fomesafen (25 + 200 g ai/ha and 50 + 400 g ai/ha) and quizalopfop-P (72 and 144 g ai/ha) was evaluated at 7, 14, and 28 d after treatment. Plant height and crop yield were also assessed. The imazamox + fomesafen mixture caused significant visual injury and tended to decrease lima bean height and yield. Despite some initial injury observed in the metolachlor, imazethapyr, and quizalofop-P treatments, yield was not significantly decreased. Because of their margin of crop safety, metolachlor applied PRE at 1,600 g/ha, imazethapyr applied PRE at 75 g/ha, and quizalofop-P applied POST at 72 g/ha have excellent potential as weed management tools in Ontario lima bean production.

Field studies were conducted at three sites in Delaware from 1997 to 1999 to evaluate fall glyphosate applications followed by postemergence (POST) field corn herbicides on horsenettle control and shoot densities. The fall treatments were either no fall treatment or 2.2 kg ai/ha glyphosate as a preharvest treatment in soybean at least 2 wk prior to frost. POST treatments were applied the following spring in no-tillage field corn 4 wk after planting (WAP) and included glyphosate, CGA 152005 plus primisulfuron plus dicamba, halosulfuron plus dicamba, atrazine plus dicamba, nicosulfuron plus rimsulfuron plus atrazine plus dicamba, or nicosulfuron plus dicamba. The fall glyphosate application delayed horsenettle shoot emergence in the spring and resulted in > 90% control at the time of POST in-crop applications. At 11 WAP, the highest horsenettle control was observed with a fall glyphosate application followed by POST in-crop treatments of CGA 152005 plus primisulfuron plus dicamba, halosulfuron plus dicamba, or nicosulfuron plus rimsulfuron plus dicamba and no fall treatment followed by CGA 152005 plus primisulfuron plus dicamba.

The effect of nicosulfuron application timing on wild-proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) control and sweet corn (Zea mays) yield was evaluated in the field during 1991, 1992, and 1993. Sweet corn yields were equal to hand weeded controls when nicosulfuron was applied to wild-proso millet shorter than 9 cm, but the best (> 95%) wild-proso millet control occurred when nicosulfuron was applied to wild-proso millet plants between 11 and 19 cm tall. However, nicosulfuron controlled wild-proso millet 90 to 95%, 13 wk after planting, when nicosulfuron was applied to plants 8 to 10 cm tall. Nicosulfuron applications made to wild-proso millet plants less than 8 cm were made early in the season and failed to control subsequent wild-proso millet flushes. Additionally, nicosulfuron failed to control completely wild-proso millet plants larger than 20 cm. Consequently, nicosulfuron applied to wild-proso millet plants shorter than 8 cm or taller than 20 cm resulted in a rapid decline in wild-proso millet control 13 wk after planting. Nicosulfuron applied following 6.7 kg ai/ha EPTC plus 2.2 kg ai/ha cyanazine PPI in 1991, could be applied to wild-proso millet 25 cm tall without subsequent losses in wild-proso millet control or sweet corn yield. Wild-proso millet control was 93% and sweet corn yields were equal to hand-weeded controls when nicosulfuron was applied to wild-proso millet 4 cm tall and followed by one cultivation 14 d after application.

Experiments were conducted in North Carolina during 2002 and 2003 to evaluate broadleaf signalgrass and large crabgrass control by clethodim and sethoxydim applied in two-, three-, or four-way mixtures with fungicides, insecticides, and foliar fertilizer–plant growth regulator treatments. Broadleaf signalgrass and large crabgrass control by clethodim and sethoxydim was not reduced by the insecticides esfenvalerate, indoxacarb, or lambda-cyhalothrin. The fungicides azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, pyraclostrobin, and tebuconazole reduced large crabgrass control by clethodim or sethoxydim in one or more of three experiments for each herbicide. Disodium octaborate and the plant growth regulator prohexadione calcium plus urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) mixed with clethodim and fungicides improved large crabgrass control in some experiments. In contrast, prohexadione calcium plus UAN and disodium octaborate did not affect broadleaf signalgrass or large crabgrass control by sethoxydim.

Two field studies evaluating horsenettle control were conducted from 1997 to 1999 to examine the efficacy of various fall-applied herbicides and rates and to evaluate the effect of the stage of horsenettle senescence on the effectiveness of fall glyphosate applications. The herbicides and rates evaluated in the fall herbicide efficacy study included 1.1, 2.2, or 3.4 kg ai/ha glyphosate, 1.7, 2.2, or 3.4 kg ai/ha glyphosate-trimesium, 0.6, 1.1, or 2.2 kg ai/ha dicamba, 0.06 plus 0.16, 0.09 plus 0.2, or 0.17 plus 0.44 kg ai/ha BAS 654 plus dicamba, respectively, or 2.2 kg ai/ha glyphosate plus 0.6 kg ai/ha dicamba. The highest horsenettle control in the following spring was observed with all rates of glyphosate or glyphosate-trimesium, the highest rate of BAS 654 plus dicamba, or glyphosate plus dicamba. In the study on the horsenettle stage of senescence, 2.2 kg ai/ha glyphosate was applied at stages of senescence in the fall. The presenescence stage reduced horsenettle shoot density from fall to spring and provided the highest level of control in June and July of the following year compared with plants that had already begun leaf color change and leaf drop.

Field studies were conducted in 1995 and 1996 to investigate postemergence (POST) applications of rimsulfuron (12 g ai/ha) plus thifensulfuron-methyl (6 g ai/ha) in tank-mixtures with various acetolactate synthase (ALS)- and non–ALS-inhibitor herbicides for weed control in corn. Rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl controlled giant foxtail and common lambsquarters at least 95% but did not control common ragweed. Rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl tank-mixed with 20 g ai/ha primisulfuron-methyl, 17 g ai/ha CGA-152005 plus 18 g ai/ha primisulfuron, 18 or 36 g ai/ha halosulfuron-methyl, 18 g ai/ha nicosulfuron, or 280 g ai/ha dicamba controlled giant foxtail at least 89%, common lambsquarters at least 96% and, with the exception of the nicosulfuron combination, controlled common ragweed at least 88%. Rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl tank-mixed with flumetsulam (26 g ai/ha) plus clopyralid (69 g ai/ha) plus 2,4-D (140 g ai/ha), atrazine (560 g ai/ha), 2,4-D (280 g/ha), or dicamba (308 g/ha) plus atrazine (588 g/ha) reduced the control of giant foxtail to less than 78% 26 d after treatment (DAT). Corn injury was less than 12% from rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl and from mixtures of rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl with other herbicides except when rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl was mixed with flumetsulam plus clopyralid plus 2,4-D. This combination injured corn 26%. In these studies the appropriate tank-mix partners for rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl were primisulfuron, CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron, and halosufluron-methyl.

Experiments were conducted in the 2000 to 2001 and 2001 to 2002 growing seasons to evaluate the efficacy of AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 with nonionic surfactant (NIS) or methylated seed oil (MSO) plus urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) applied in November (early postemergence, EP), January (middle postemergence, MP), and March (late postemergence, LP) for control of Italian ryegrass in barley. AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 was also combined with MSO and UAN and various postemergence (POST) small grain herbicides at the three application timings. All AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 treatment combinations controlled Italian ryegrass at least 84% at the three application timings. Treatment combinations of AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 applied LP generally resulted in lower yields because of increased duration of Italian ryegrass competition, increased barley injury, and insufficient time for barley to recover from the injury. Transient phytotoxicity to barley occurred after EP and MP applications of all AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 treatment combinations. LP applications of MSO and UAN or other POST small grain herbicides combined with MSO and UAN increased barley injury compared with injury from AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 applied with NIS. Results indicate that AE F130060 03 plus AE F107892 treatments are an effective method for control of Italian ryegrass in barley; however, treatments should be applied either EP or MP to reduce early Italian ryegrass competition and allow sufficient time for barley recovery from injury before harvest.

Field and greenhouse studies were conducted near Painter, VA, in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to evaluate mesotrione postemergence for control of horsenettle in corn. Mesotrione at 105 g ai/ha controlled horsenettle at least 80% in all studies, and in 2001, after two consecutive annual applications, mesotrione controlled horsenettle up to 91%. Additions of primisulfuron, dicamba, and 2,4-D to mesotrione did not increase horsenettle control. Occasionally, combinations of dicamba with mesotrione controlled horsenettle less than did mesotrione alone, and primisulfuron combinations with mesotrione delayed or reduced development of bleaching symptoms associated with mesotrione. Initial horsenettle response to mesotrione was increased by addition of 280 g ai/ha atrazine; however, late-season horsenettle control was not improved by atrazine. Two consecutive annual applications of mesotrione alone decreased horsenettle biomass > 89%. Treatments of primisulfuron plus dicamba, primisulfuron plus CGA 152005 plus dicamba, and 2,4-D plus dicamba provided similar horsenettle control and biomass reductions as did 105 g/ha mesotrione alone.

Experiments were conducted in North Carolina during 2002 and 2003 to evaluate entireleaf morningglory control by 2,4-DB applied alone or with seven fungicides. In a separate group of experiments, tall morningglory control by 2,4-DB was evaluated when applied in four-way mixtures with the following: the fungicides azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, pyraclostrobin, or tebuconazole; the insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin; and the foliar fertilizer disodium octaborate or the plant growth regulator (PGR) prohexadione calcium plus urea ammonium nitrate. Pyraclostrobin, but not azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorothalonil, fluazinam, propiconazole plus trifloxystrobin, or tebuconazole, reduced entireleaf morningglory control by 2,4-DB. Mixtures of fungicides, insecticides, and foliar fertilizer/ PGR did not affect tall morningglory control by 2,4-DB. Placing artificial morningglory in the peanut canopy when fungicides were applied did not intercept enough fungicide to increase peanut defoliation by early leaf spot and web blotch or reduce pod yield compared with fungicide applied without artificial morningglory.

Field experiments were conducted at five locations in Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming to determine the effects of imazamox rate and application timing on winter annual grass control and crop response in imidazolinone-tolerant winter wheat. Imazamox at 35, 44, or 53 g ai/ha applied early-fall postemergence (EFP), late-fall postemergence, early-spring postemergence (ESP), or late-spring postemergence (LSP) controlled jointed goatgrass at least 95% in all experiments. Feral rye control with imazamox was 95 to 99%, regardless of rate or application timing at Hays, KS, in 2001. Feral rye control at Sidney, NE, and Torrington, WY, was highest (78 to 85%) with imazamox at 44 or 53 g/ha. At Sidney and Torrington, feral rye control was greatest when imazamox was applied EFP. Imazamox stunted wheat <10% in two experiments at Torrington, but EFP or LSP herbicide treatments in the Sidney experiment and ESP or LSP treatments in two Hays experiments caused moderate (12 to 34%) wheat injury. Wheat injury increased as imazamox rate increased. Wheat receiving imazamox LSP yielded less grain than wheat treated at other application timings in each Hays experiment and at Sidney in 2001. No yield differences occurred in one Torrington experiment. However, yields generally decreased as imazamox application timing was delayed in the other Torrington experiment. Generally, imazamox applied in the fall provided the greatest weed control, caused the least wheat injury, and maximized wheat yield.

Field experiments were conducted in southern Wisconsin from 1996 to 1998 to evaluate the effects of acetochlor applied preemergence (PRE) followed by nicosulfuron or sethoxydim applied postemergence (POST) and of cultivation on woolly cupgrass control, corn grain yield, and woolly cupgrass seed production. Sethoxydim treatments provided greater woolly cupgrass control than nicosulfuron treatments in 1997 and similar control to nicosulfuron treatments in 1996 and 1998. However, neither herbicide killed all emerged woolly cupgrass plants, regardless of herbicide rate or POST application timing. Late postemergence treatments provided greater season-long control than early postemergence treatments in 1996 and 1998, but there was no difference in control between timings in 1997. Acetochlor applied PRE at 1,800 g ai/ha (1×) followed by nicosulfuron (35 g ai/ha) or sethoxydim (213 g ai/ha) at the registered rate (1×) or at one half of the registered rate (0.5×) consistently provided sufficient woolly cupgrass control to maximize corn yield, regardless of cultivation or POST herbicide application timing. Acetochlor PRE treatments, cultivated and noncultivated, followed by sethoxydim POST and cultivated acetochlor PRE treatments followed by nicosulfuron POST treatments provided sufficient control in each year to limit woolly cupgrass seed production to a level that decreased the predicted future seedbank density, regardless of herbicide rate or POST herbicide application timing. However, noncultivated acetochlor treatments followed by nicosulfuron applied at 1× followed by 0.5× or at 0.5× followed by 0.5× did not consistently reduce seed production to a level that decreased the predicted future seedbank density. These results suggest that the rate of sethoxydim can be reduced to 0.5× if a full rate of acetochlor is applied PRE with little effect on corn yield or woolly cupgrass seedbank density. However, reducing the rate of nicosulfuron to 0.5× following an application of acetochlor at the full rate or reducing both the acetochlor and nicosulfuron or sethoxydim rate to 0.5× is recommended only if a cultivation is planned.

Field studies were conducted in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to determine the effectiveness of mesotrione applied preemergence (PRE) or postemergence (POST) in no-till corn. Also, a proposed prepackage mix of mesotrione plus acetochlor (1:11 ratio of mesotrione–acetochlor) in combinations with the trimethylsulfonium salt of glyphosate (glyphosate-TMS), paraquat, and 2,4-D was investigated. Mesotrione PRE at 235 g ai/ha or greater controlled common lambsquarters, smooth pigweed, and common ragweed at least 80%. POST mesotrione at 35 g/ha and higher controlled common lambsquarters 91% or greater. Mesotrione applied POST at 140 g/ha controlled smooth pigweed greater than 97%. Common ragweed control from POST mesotrione was inconsistent, ranging from 56 to 97%. PRE and POST applications of mesotrione did not adequately control goosegrass, giant foxtail, fall panicum, johnsongrass, or cutleaf eveningprimrose. The mesotrione plus acetochlor prepackage mix plus glyphosate-TMS or paraquat controlled field pansy and ivyleaf morningglory similar to or better than did the prepackage mixture of the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate (glyphosate-IPA) plus atrazine plus acetochlor. But common ragweed control by mesotrione plus acetochlor plus glyphosate-TMS or paraquat was occasionally lower than control by the prepackage mixture of glyphosate-IPA plus atrazine plus acetochlor. Corn injury was generally less than 10% with PRE and POST mesotrione applications.

Three studies were conducted in 1999 and 2000 to determine whether acetolactate synthase (ALS)–resistant common ragweed and giant ragweed biotypes were present in Ohio. Results of field studies indicated that biotypes of both species had cross-resistance to three chemical families of ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Cloransulam-methyl applied postemergence at 9, 18, and 36 g/ha controlled more than 85% of two susceptible populations of common and giant ragweed 28 d after treatment, whereas less than 35% control of resistant populations was achieved at the same rates. Fomesafen, lactofen, and glyphosate applied alone at the recommended rates provided the most effective control of ALS-resistant common and giant ragweed. Mixtures of cloransulam-methyl with either fomesafen or lactofen did not significantly increase ALS-resistant common and giant ragweed control compared with each diphenylether herbicide used alone. Dose–response bioassays conducted in the greenhouse indicated that susceptible common and giant ragweed tended to be more sensitive to cloransulam-methyl and chlorimuron than to imazamox. ALS-resistant common ragweed demonstrated a high level of resistance to all the herbicides tested because GR50 values were not reached with rates 1,000 times higher than the recommended rate. ALS-resistant giant ragweed treated with 13,000 g/ha of chlorimuron and 18,000 g/ha of cloransulam-methyl was not inhibited enough to obtain a GR50 value, thus also demonstrating a high level of resistance. The GR50 for ALS-resistant giant ragweed treated with imazamox was 1,161 g/ha. Results of these studies confirmed the presence of ALS–cross-resistant populations of common and giant ragweed in Ohio and suggest that herbicides with different mechanisms of action will be required to manage these weeds effectively.

Field studies were conducted in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to investigate weed control and crop safety with preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) applications of mesotrione alone and in tank mixtures with acetochlor and atrazine. Corn injury was less than 4% with all mesotrione treatments in 1999 and 2001, but it was 8 to 20% in 2000, when rainfall was 3.1 cm 7 d after PRE applications. Mesotrione PRE at 0.16 and 0.24 kg ai/ha did not adequately control most broadleaf weeds or giant foxtail. Tank mixtures of mesotrione plus acetochlor controlled smooth pigweed and giant foxtail but did not adequately control common ragweed, common lambsquarters, or morningglory species. Control by tank mixtures of mesotrione plus atrazine at 0.56 kg ai/ha was frequently low and varied with rainfall after PRE applications. All weed species were controlled 80% or more by mesotrione plus acetochlor PRE or atrazine plus acetochlor PRE followed by mesotrione POST at 0.11 kg/ha.

Field studies were conducted in 2000, 2001, and 2002 at Brownstown, DeKalb, Perry, and Urbana, IL, to evaluate weed control and corn tolerance from postemergence (POST) applications of foramsulfuron in sequential and total-POST herbicide programs. Foramsulfuron applied alone controlled giant foxtail, fall panicum, and redroot pigweed 88, 99, and 99%, respectively, 28 d after treatment (DAT), which was comparable with the standard treatment of nicosulfuron. However, control of common cocklebur, velvetleaf, and common lambsquarters was significantly higher with foramsulfuron compared with nicosulfuron. Sequential herbicide programs of atrazine, S-metolachlor, or isoxaflutole applied preemergence (PRE) followed by a POST application of foramsulfuron provided greater than 85% control of giant foxtail, fall panicum, common cocklebur, velvetleaf, common waterhemp, and redroot pigweed. Of the sequential herbicide treatments, atrazine applied PRE followed by a POST application of foramsulfuron provided the greatest Pennsylvania smartweed control. A PRE application of either atrazine or isoxaflutole was needed before a POST application of foramsulfuron to control common lambsquarters. POST tank mixtures of foramsulfuron with atrazine, dicamba, and dicamba plus diflufenzopyr improved control of Pennsylvania smartweed, common cocklebur, velvetleaf, common lambsquarters, and common waterhemp when compared with foramsulfuron applied alone. The tank mixture of foramsulfuron with mesotrione improved control of all species, except Pennsylvania smartweed, common lambsquarters, and common cocklebur. Foramsulfuron tank mixtures with carfentrazone did not improve control of any weed species to commercial acceptance. Adjuvant selection was important for POST tank mixtures. Control of giant foxtail and fall panicum was reduced when atrazine was tank mixed with foramsulfuron and crop oil concentrate (COC). However, when methylated seed oil (MSO) was added to the atrazine–foramsulfuron tank mixture instead of COC, giant foxtail and fall panicum control were similar to foramsulfuron applied alone.

Field studies were conducted from 1997 to 1999 to evaluate the influence of weed competition and herbicides on glyphosate-resistant soybean at the Belleville Research Center at Belleville, IL. Season-long weed competition did not delay maturity or reduce soybean population. However, season-long weed competition reduced soybean height by 10% and grain yield by 68%. Competition from weeds 30 cm in height or less did not increase days to maturity or reduce plant population, height, or grain yield. Chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron caused 6% height reduction at 21 d after treatment. Despite the injury from herbicides, none increased days to maturity or reduced plant height, population, or grain yield of soybean. The soil-applied herbicides alachlor, imazaquin, and pendimethalin and the postemergence herbicides acifluorfen, bentazon, chlorimuron, imazethapyr, and thifensulfuron did not reduce yield of glyphosate-resistant soybean.