Volatility and drift are problems commonly associated with auxin-like herbicides. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted at Texas A & M University to develop a method of quantifying volatility and subsequent off-target movement of 2,4-D, dicamba, and triclopyr. Rate–response curves were established by applying reduced rates ranging from 4 × 10−1 to 1 × 10−5 times the normal use rates of the herbicides to cotton and soybean and recording injury for 14 d after treatment (DAT) using a rating scale designed to quantify auxin-like herbicide injury. Injury from herbicide volatility was then produced on additional cotton and soybean plants through exposure to vapors of the dimethylamine salt of 2,4-D, diglycolamine salt of dicamba, and butoxyethyl ester of triclopyr using air chambers inside a greenhouse and volatility plots in the field. Injury resulting from this exposure was evaluated for 14 d using the same injury-evaluation scale that was used to produce the rate–response curves. Volatility-injury data were then applied to the rate–response curves so that herbicide rates corresponding with observed injury could be calculated. Using this method, herbicide volatility rates estimated from greenhouse-cotton injury were determined to be 3.0 × 10−3, 1.0 × 10−3, and 4.9 × 10−2 times the use rates of 2,4-D, dicamba, and triclopyr, respectively. Greenhouse-grown soybean developed injury consistent with 1.4 × 10−2, 1.0 × 10−3, and 2.5 × 10−2 times the normal use rate of 2,4-D, dicamba, and triclopyr, respectively. Under field conditions, cotton developed injury symptoms that were consistent with 4.0 × 10−3, 2.0 × 10−3, and 1.25 × 10−1 times the recommended use rates of 2,4-D, dicamba, and triclopyr, respectively. Field soybean displayed injury symptomology concordant with 1.6 × 10−1, 1.0 × 10−2, and 1.1 × 10−1 times the normal use rates of 2,4-D, dicamba, and triclopyr, respectively. This procedure provided herbicide volatility rate estimates that were consistent with rates and injury from the rate–response injury curves. Additional research is needed to ascertain its usefulness in determining long-term effects of drift injury on crop variables such as yield.

Auxin-type herbicides such as 2,4-D and dicamba are commonly used to control kochia in small grain production areas, but poor kochia control with these herbicides has been reported. Several auxinic herbicide-resistant kochia inbreds were evaluated for their response to 2,4-D or dicamba and to alternative herbicide treatments. Values of the dose of the herbicide causing 50% visible injury to test plants (I50) from week 1 to week 4 after treatment with 2,4-D were unchanged for six of the seven 2,4-D–resistant inbreds, indicating that these plants may recover to produce seeds. In contrast, the corresponding I50 values for dicamba decreased for five of the six dicamba-resistant inbreds, indicating that kochia was not recovering from the treatment. Postemergence treatments with atrazine, carfentrazone, fluroxypyr, bromoxynil plus MCPA, nicosulfuron plus dicamba, and nicosulfuron plus dicamba plus atrazine, all provided adequate to excellent control of resistant kochia inbreds. Alternative chemical control options are available for managing auxinic herbicide-resistance in kochia.

Combinations of 0 to 1,120 g ae/ha 2,4-D plus 0 to 42 g ai/ha metsulfuron were evaluated in both field and greenhouse experiments. Addition of metsulfuron to 2,4-D increased Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) fresh weight reduction in the greenhouse compared with 2,4-D alone, but reduction in fresh weight was not different from 32 g/ha or more of metsulfuron applied alone. In field experiments 5 wk after treatment (WAT), combinations of metsulfuron and 2,4-D did not control Virginia buttonweed greater than 32 g/ha or more of metsulfuron alone. No synergism for the combinations was observed. Field experiments conducted from 1991 to 1993 evaluated three-way combinations of herbicides for Virginia buttonweed control. Treatments included: 2,4-D plus mecoprop plus dicamba (five herbicide premixes), 2,4-D plus dichlorprop plus dicamba, 2,4-D plus MCPA plus dichlorprop, mecoprop plus MCPA plus dichlorprop, or 2,4-D plus mecoprop plus dichlorprop. Combinations containing at least 688 g/ha 2,4-D provided the most consistent Virginia buttonweed control 2 WAT. By 7 WAT, control was no more than 60% for any treatment. A separate experiment evaluated the effects of repeated applications of two- or three-way herbicide mixtures applied at least 5 wk apart when ground cover regrowth was 25%. Treatments included: 2,4-D plus dichlorprop plus dicamba ester, 2,4-D plus mecoprop plus dicamba amine, 2,4-D plus dichlorprop amine, or 2,4-D plus dichlorprop ester. Ground cover 1 yr following application of sequential treatments was 35% or less compared to 65% in the nontreated control. Following 2 yr of herbicide application, ground cover in the treated plots was 28% or less.