Drill-interseeding cover crops into standing corn (V3 to V5 growth stage) provides opportunities for increasing functional diversity in cropping systems by facilitating use of cover crop mixtures that include grass, legume, and brassica species. Designing herbicide-based weed control programs that negotiate tradeoffs between crop protection and environmental goals when interseeding mixtures remains a major challenge. The objective of this study was to use greenhouse-based dose-response assays to describe the relative sensitivity of 12 cover crop species that differ in traits, including taxonomic group and seed mass, to chloroacetamide (acetochlor, dimethenamid, S-metolachlor; Group 15 herbicides as categorized by the Weed Science Society of America) and pyrazole (pyroxasulfone; Group 15) herbicides. Nonlinear models were fit, and effective doses were estimated (ED50) to compare relative sensitivities of cover crop species to each herbicide. Brassica species (winter canola, Dwarf Essex rape, daikon radish) were less sensitive than small-seeded legumes (medium red clover, crimson clover) and grasses (annual ryegrass) in response to each chloroacetamide, but similar in response to pyroxasulfone. Austrian winter pea, a large-seeded legume, was less sensitive to each herbicide compared to other legumes (crimson clover, medium red clover, hairy vetch). Cereal rye and triticale were less sensitive to dimethenamid, S-metolachlor, and pyroxasulfone compared to annual ryegrass, but similar sensitivities were observed for acetochlor. These results suggest that relative differences in sensitivity to chloroacetamide and pyrazole herbicides could be exploited when designing cover crop mixtures for interseeding. It is imperative, however, to use these findings in conjunction with field-based observations of cover crop injury potential in interseeded systems.

Cover crops can provide many benefits to peanut and cotton crops planted in rotation including suppressing weeds, conserving soil moisture after termination, increasing soil organic matter, and reducing soil erosion. However, herbicide carryover can affect cover crop establishment. The objective of this study was to investigate the responses of 6 cover crops (daikon radish, cereal rye, oat, crimson clover, winter wheat, and common vetch) to 12 soil residual herbicides. A multiyear (2016–2018), multilocation study was conducted in Macon and Henry counties, Alabama. Herbicide treatments included S-metolachlor, acetochlor, pyroxasulfone, diclosulam, imazapic, chlorimuron-ethyl, bentazon plus acifluorfen, pyrithiobac-sodium, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, diuron, prometryn, and flumioxazin, each applied at 10% of the full-labeled rate. At 42 to 52 and 145 to 149 d after planting (DAP), cover crop plant heights and stand counts were evaluated, as was biomass at 145 to 149 DAP. Treatments varied from year to year but not locations. In 2016, significant stand reductions (P ≤ 0.10) of 36% to 43% in rye and 44% to 75% in wheat were observed at 48 to 52 DAP for S-metolachlor, acetochlor, pyroxasulfone, imazapic, and bentazon plus acifluorfen compared with nontreated plants. Vetch had stand reductions ranging from 14% to 80% for all treatments 50 DAP except for plants treated with prometryn. S-metolachlor, pyroxasulfone, and acetochlor reduced stands of rye, wheat, and vetch more than any other herbicides. In 2017, at 147 to 149 DAP, clover stands were reduced by 29% with diclosulam and by 38% with trifloxysulfuron-sodium. Similarly, radish stands were reduced by 64% with diclosulam treatment. No significant biomass reductions were observed for any cover crop species either year. Oat showed the most tolerance with no treatments reducing any growth parameters either year. Although initial injury and stunting may occur, biomass at termination of cover crops were not affected by herbicide residues evaluated in this study.

Winter cover crops (CCs) provide soil conservation benefits for strip-tillage tobacco producers, but soil-residual herbicides may interfere with their establishment and growth. Tobacco is planted later than many agronomic crops, but growers often terminate CCs early to minimize CC residue at planting, and this may reduce weed suppression potential. We examined residual herbicide effects on CCs across two seasons and the potential for CC-based weed suppression within strip-tilled tobacco. Mixtures of wheat plus crimson clover and cereal rye plus crimson clover were examined, with a no-CC control. Herbicides included two rates of PRE sulfentrazone (177 or 354 g ai ha–1) plus carfentrazone (20 or 40 g ai ha–1); the higher rate was also followed by POST clomazone (840 g ai ha–1) or mixed with PRE pendimethalin (1,400 g ai ha–1). Controls with no weed management and hand weeding were also included. CC density and biomass were not reduced by weed management (WM) treatments with residual herbicides. However, CCs did not reduce density of annual grasses, small-seeded broadleaves, or perennials in the tilled in-row or untilled between-row zones. Cereal rye plus crimson clover resulted in lower weed biomass at tobacco harvest in the untilled between-row zone in 2017. WM effects were variable between the years, weed groups, and zones. Adding clomazone or pendimethalin was more consistent for reducing weed density and biomass compared to the low rate of sulfentrazone plus carfentrazone. Tobacco yield was unaffected by CCs in 2017 but lower in some WM treatments in 2018. In this study, tobacco herbicides did not interfere with wheat, cereal rye, or crimson clover establishment, but additional research should determine if these results apply to other environments and soil types. However, when these CC species were terminated 5 to 6 wk before transplanting, they did not consistently contribute to weed control.

Across the southeastern United States, pyridine carboxylic acid herbicides are widely used for broadleaf weed control in permanent grass pastures. This family of herbicides has proved very successful for controlling most broadleaf weeds commonly present in southeastern pastures and hayfields. In the southern United States, producers have expressed concern when overseeding legume species into warm-season perennial sods following application of commonly used pyridine carboxylic acid herbicides, as legumes are generally highly sensitive to this herbicide family. Field experiments were established to evaluate two herbicide treatment programs (residual vs nonresidual) on crimson clover overseeded into bermudagrass sod. The residual herbicide program included aminopyralid plus 2,4-D (0.09 + 0.7 kg ae ha–1), and the nonresidual program included triclopyr plus fluroxypyr (0.63 + 0.21 kg ae ha–1) plus 2,4-D (1.12 kg ae ha–1). Herbicide programs were applied at two key timings: in spring (May) and early summer (June). Spring applications were also evaluated when used in single vs repeated annual application. Our results did not indicate soil residual herbicide issues for crimson clover planted in the fall following spring or early-summer application of aminopyralid + 2,4-D at either location. Additionally, there were no cumulative negative impacts on crimson clover following 2 yr of spring herbicide application. Crimson clover cover, however, strongly decreased as grass and weed cover increased––an event that may be related to greater interspecific competition at higher levels of grass and weed cover. Soil fertility, weather, and competition from resident annual grasses and weeds strongly influenced productivity, suggesting that changes in pasture dynamics had a greater influence on clover productivity than did herbicide treatment or timing of application.

Herbicide resistance has increased the need for novel weed control strategies. Fluridone has herbicidal as well as potential germination stimulant activity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate fluridone as a fall-applied germination stimulant for weed control and to assess rotational crop tolerance. Fall-applied fluridone was compared with a nontreated control in areas established with false cleavers, volunteer canola, and wild oat at Lacombe, AB, in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016, and at St Albert, AB, in 2015–2016. In the fall, there was a trend for weed densities to be higher in fluridone treatments than in untreated controls across site-years. The stimulatory effect of fluridone on weed germination was not statistically significant in fall assessments, while the weed control effect was significant in 33% of spring assessments. While fluridone reduced weed biomass for some site-years, it also reduced canola crop emergence and biomass at St Albert in 2015–2016, and caused injury symptoms on wheat and field pea. Risk of carryover to subsequent crops outweighed the benefits of using fluridone in the fall to stimulate weed germination in this study.

In the southeastern United States, growers often double-crop soft red winter wheat with peanut. In some areas, tobacco is also grown as a rotational crop. Pyrasulfotole is a residual POST-applied herbicide used in winter wheat, but information about its effects on rotational crops is limited. Winter wheat planted in autumn 2014 was treated at Feekes stage 1 or 2 with pyrasulfotole at 300 or 600 g ai ha−1. Wheat was terminated by glyphosate at Feekes stage 3 to 4. Peanut was planted via strip tillage, while tobacco was transplanted into prepared beds after minimal soil disturbance. Peanut exhibited no differences in stand establishment, growth, or yield, and tobacco stand, growth, and biomass yields were not different from the nontreated control for any pyrasulfotole rate or treatment timing.

In the mid-Atlantic region, there is increasing interest in the use of intercropping strategies to establish cover crops in corn cropping systems. However, intercropping may be limited by potential injury to cover crops from residual herbicide programs. Field experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2015 at Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York locations (n=8) to evaluate the effect of common residual corn herbicides on interseeded red clover and annual ryegrass. Cover crop establishment and response to herbicide treatments varied across sites and years. S-metolachlor, pyroxasulfone, pendimethalin, and dimethenamid-P reduced annual ryegrass biomass relative to the nontreated check, whereas annual ryegrass biomass in acetochlor treatments was no different compared with the nontreated check. The rank order of observed annual ryegrass biomass reduction among chloroacetamide herbicides was S-metolachlor>pyroxasulfone>dimethenamid-P>acetochlor. Annual ryegrass biomass was not reduced by any of the broadleaf control herbicides. Mesotrione reduced red clover biomass 80% compared to the nontreated check. No differences in red clover biomass were observed between saflufenacil, rimsulfuron and atrazine treatments compared to the nontreated check. Red clover was not reduced by any of the grass control herbicides. This research suggests that annual ryegrass and red clover can be successfully interseeded in silt loam soils of Pennsylvania following use of several shorter-lived residual corn herbicides, but further research is needed in areas with soil types other than silt loam or outside of the mid-Atlantic cropping region.

The duration of imazaquin soil activity on corn, grain sorghum, rice, and cotton was studied from 1988 to 1990. Imazaquin applied at 0.035, 0.07, 0.14 (1× rate), and 0.28 kg ai ha−1 was incorporated into the soil, and rotational crops were planted at various times after application. Initial crop visual injury was directly related to imazaquin application rate. Cotton was most susceptible, followed by corn, grain sorghum, and rice. The carryover of imazaquin from soybeans to cotton, grain sorghum, and wheat was studied in separate experiments in Arkansas in 1987 to 1989. Wheat planted in the fall following soybean harvest was not affected by imazaquin residues. Grain sorghum planted the following spring was injured (16–35%), but there was no yield reduction. Cotton recovered from early injury (< 35%) in one year and did not recover from severe injury (> 50%) in the other, resulting in yield reduction.

In 1985, when weed densities were low (169 plants/m2 in untreated control), imazaquin applied at 0.07 kg ai/ha early preplant controlled over 90% of all weeds before no-till planting of soybeans. In 1986 and 1987 when weed densities were higher (589 plants/m2 in untreated control), addition of 1.1 kg ai/ha or more of metolachlor to imazaquin (0.07 kg/ha) before soybean planting controlled 95% or more of the grass weeds and 83% or more of the broadleaf weeds. Imazaquin plus metolachlor applied less than 1 day after soybean planting controlled less than 70% of the emerged weeds in 1986 and 1987; common lambsquarters was most tolerant. Early preplant treatments controlled more weeds throughout the growing season than treatments applied after planting. Splitting herbicide treatments among application times generally did not increase weed control compared to single applications. Early preplant applications resulted in higher soybean densities and taller soybeans 30 days after planting in 1986 and 1987 than treatments applied after planting. Soybean yields increased as weed control increased. Weed control and soybean yields were greater with early preplant treatments than paraquat plus alachlor plus metribuzin applied preemergence in 1986 and 1987. No carryover of imazaquin residue was detected through corn bioassay in the field.

In field experiments in 1981, 36 g ai/ha of chlorsulfuron {2-chloro-N-[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino] carbonyl] benzenesulfonamide} applied to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ‘Arthur’) in early spring reduced seed yield in conventional and no-till plantings of double-cropped soybeans [Glycine max (L.) ‘Essex’]. From 1982 to 1984, three rates of chlorsulfuron (9, 18, and 36 g/ha) were applied at three different times (preemergence, early winter, and early spring) to study their residual effects on double-cropped soybeans. Chlorsulfuron at 36 g/ha applied preemergence or early spring reduced soybean seed yields when averaged over the 3-yr period. Metsulfuron {2-[[[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl)amino] carbonyl] amino] sulfonyl] benzoic acid} was tested at three rates (4.5, 9, and 18 g/ha) applied at three times (same as chlorsulfuron) in field studies in 1983 and 1984. Metsulfuron did not injure subsequently planted no-till soybeans.

Laboratory and field studies were conducted in 1988 through 1990 to determine the effect of soil pH on imazaquin adsorption and persistence in a Crosby silt loam (1.6% organic matter) and a Hoytville clay (3.3% organic matter). Above a pH of 6, 6 to 7% of the total imazaquin present was adsorbed to both soils. Adsorption increased as pH decreased from about 7 to 4.5, with a maximum of 16.5 and 31% adsorbed on Crosby and Hoytville soils, respectively. Imazaquin was more persistent in the Hoytville clay than in the Crosby silt loam. Herbicide dissipated more slowly in both soils in 1988 than in 1989 due to dry soil conditions immediately prior to and following herbicide application in 1988. In both soils, imazaquin persistence increased as soil pH decreased, over a pH range from 6.5 to 4.5. Increased persistence with decreasing pH was attributed in part to increased adsorption and decreased availability for microbial degradation.

Clomazone at 0.7 kg ai/ha or more, applied early preplant, completely controlled weeds before planting of no-till soybeans. Under low weed density (57 plants/m2 in untreated control) in 1985, grass weed control was nearly complete and not affected by clomazone application time. Late-season broadleaf weed control was less with preemergence application of clomazone at 1.1 or 1.4 kg/ha than with an early preplant or early preplant-preemergence split application of the same clomazone rate. Addition of metribuzin at 0.2 kg ai/ha overcame this control deficiency. Under greater weed densities (330 plants/m2 in untreated control) during 1986 and 1987, early preplant-preemergence split applications gave the greatest control of both grass and broadleaf weeds throughout the growing season. Preemergence application of clomazone failed to completely control common lambsquarters emerged at the time of application. Early preplant applications failed to maintain redroot pigweed control throughout the season. Differences in soybean yield were attributed to differences in weed control. No significant carryover of clomazone residue was detected through greenhouse or field bioassays.

Spent spearmint hay from mint that had been treated with clopyralid in the fall or spring injured ‘Russet Burbank’ potato planted into loamy sand soil amended with 50 g hay/kg soil. Lowering the ratio of mint hay to soil from 50 to 3.1 g/kg reduced, but did not eliminate, the injury to potato. Potato was inured by clopyralid at concentrations as low as 3 ppbw in soil.

Early-preplant herbicide application for uncultivated production of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ‘Williams’] slot-seeded into untilled oat (Avena sativa L. 'Stout’) stubble was studied. Foliar- and soil-active herbicides were applied to stubble of recently harvested oats to control weeds without tillage so that soil moisture could accumulate during the fallow period. The following spring, five herbicide treatments were applied 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks prior to soybean planting as well as preemergence to control weeds selectively in uncultivated soybeans. Broadleaf weeds were more effectively controlled than grass weeds, but both were controlled adequately with several herbicide combinations and at all five application times. Selective control of weeds was sufficient to eliminate yield loss of uncultivated soybeans seeded into untilled oat stubble. This production method could provide the Great Plains soybean producer with an effective weed control system while conserving soil, soil moisture, labor, and fuel.

Nicosulfuron (50 and 100 g ai ha−1), primisulfuron (40 and 80 g ai ha−1), imazethapyr (70 and 140 g ai ha-1), and DPX-PE350 (100 and 200 g ai ha-1) injury to corn, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, and soybean was evaluated at Fayetteville, AR, during 1989-90 and 1990-91. The crops were planted 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 14 or 16, and 52 wk after herbicide application. Visible injury to all crops declined as the time interval increased. No visible injury was observed to any crop planted at least 14 wk after nicosulfuron or primisulfuron application, or 52 wk after DPX-PE350 application. Imazethapyr injured all crops except soybean at the 52-wk interval in 1990 but not in 1989.

Field research was conducted at Fargo, Langdon, and Prosper, ND to determine carryover of clopyralid applied at 70 to 560 g ae ha-1 in soil as indicated by response of crops planted 1 yr after application. Flax, potato, and safflower growth at Fargo were not affected by clopyralid residues. At Fargo, soybean height, stand, and yield were reduced by residues from clopyralid at 560 g ha-1, and sunflower heads ha-1 and yield were reduced by residues from clopyralid at 280 and 560 g ha-1 and 560 g ha-1, respectively. Potato and sunflower at Langdon and Prosper and lentil at Langdon were not affected by clopyralid residues. Soybean yield at Prosper was not affected by clopyralid residues, but plant height was reduced by residues from clopyralid at 280 and 560 g ha-1. These results indicate that residues from clopyralid applied at labeled cropland rates, of 280 g ha-1 or less, in silty clay, clay loam, and silty clay loam soils in North Dakota probably will not adversely affect the dicot crops tested in these experiments planted 11 mo or more after application.

The potential of alachlor, SAN 582H (Proposed name, dimethenamid), chlorimuron plus metribuzin, clomazone, imazaquin, imazethapyr, metolachlor, sulfentrazone, and trifluralin plus flumetsulam to injure rice the year following application to soybean was evaluated on silty clay and silt loam soils in Louisiana. These herbicides did not cause rice injury or yield reduction. Rice tolerance of the amine salt of 2,4-D or thifensulfuron plus tribenuron applied 0, 7, 14, and 28 d prior to planting was also evaluated on these soils. The amine salt of 2,4-D at 1.1 kg ai/ha injured rice 43 and 52% on silty clay and silt loam soils, respectively, in 1994 when applied the day of planting. In 1995, injury was 78 and 88% on these respective soils at this timing. When applied 7 d or more before planting, 2,4-D amine injured rice in one of four trials. Thifensulfuron plus tribenuron (17 + 9 g ai/ha) injured rice in one of four trials when applied the day of planting, but did not injure rice when applied 7 d before planting. No visual rice injury was observed when 2,4-D amine or thifensulfuron plus tribenuron was applied 14 or 28 d before planting. Rice grain yield was not affected by thifensulfuron plus tribenuron regardless of the interval between application and rice planting. In contrast, rice grain yield was reduced in all trials when 2,4-D amine was applied on the day of planting, and in one of four trials when applied 7 or 14 d before planting.

Field experiments were conducted in North Carolina from 1994 through 1998 to evaluate the effects of five weed management strategies and four corn (Zea mays)–peanut (Arachis hypogaea) rotation sequences on purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) population development. Effects of these weed management programs on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and peanut production in following years were also investigated. Herbicide programs included a nontreated control, a carbamothioate preplant incorporated (PPI) combination treatment utilizing vernolate in peanut and butylate in corn, an early postemergence (EPOST) acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor combination treatment utilizing imazapic in peanut and halosulfuron in corn, and EPOST treatments of imazapic and imazethapyr in both peanut and imidazolinone-resistant corn. Crop rotation sequences for the 3 yr included continuous corn (CCC), corn–peanut–corn (CPC), peanut–corn–peanut (PCP), and continuous peanut (PPP). The imazapic and ALS inhibitor combination treatments both provided excellent shoot and tuber control. After 3 yr, imazapic and the ALS inhibitor combination treatment reduced shoot and tuber population densities to less than 10% of the nontreated control. Imazethapyr provided variable but better control than the carbamothioate treatment with tuber densities (measured from 0 to 15 cm soil depth) and shoot densities increasing from 733 to 2,901 tubers/m3 of soil and 16 to 43 shoots/m2, respectively, after 3 yr. Tuber densities increased in the nontreated control from 626 to 9,145 tubers/m3 of soil and from 962 to 5,466 tubers/m3 of soil in the carbamothioate treatment during this same period. Also, shoot densities increased in the nontreated control from 22 to 159 shoots/m2 and from 8 to 92 shoots/m2 in the carbamothioate treatment. There was a 31% peanut yield reduction from 1994 to 1996 when peanut was continuously planted or rotated to corn for only 1 yr. Herbicide carryover effects were not observed in cotton during 1997.

Field research was conducted at Arlington, WI, in 1988 and 1989 to determine the influence of application time on weed control and residue carryover with imazethapyr in no-tillage soybean production. Imazethapyr at ≥ 55 g ai ha−1 applied early preplant controlled > 90% of the common lambsquarters, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail before no-tillage planting of soybean. Early preplant and sequential treatments with an early preplant component controlled ≥ 88% of all weeds for the entire growing season. Delaying the initial imazethapyr application until immediately after soybean planting reduced weed control compared to the early preplant treatments. Low level of weed control with planting time treatments appeared to be due to a lack of control of common lambsquarters emerged at the time of imazethapyr application and dry weather following imazethapyr application. No soybean injury from imazethapyr was observed and differences in soybean yield appeared to be due to differences in weed control. No significant carryover of imazethapyr was detected through a corn bioassay in the field.

Eleven sweet corn hybrids representing a wide range of injury with imazethapyr in a greenhouse study were evaluated in simulated imazethapyr carryover field studies conducted at Arlington, WI. Imazethapyr at 0, 11, 22, and 44 g ai/ha was applied and incorporated 15 d prior to planting sweet corn. The greatest injury occurred 28 d after planting, with reductions in height ranging from 0 to 25%. Reductions in corn ear yields were similar all years for 10 of the 11 hybrids. Reductions in corn ear yield for ‘Crisp N’ Sweet 710,’ ‘Cornucopia,’ ‘Super Sweet Jubilee,’ ‘Excellency,’ and ‘DMC 20–35′ were less than for ‘Natural Sweet 9000,’ ‘Jubilee,’ ‘Zenith,’ ‘Green Giant 40,’ and ‘Green Giant 97.’ In 1992, plots were prepared for an actual imazethapyr carryover study by applying imazethapyr PPI at 70 and 140 g/ha and planting soybean. In 1993, four sweet corn hybrids were planted. Corn ear yield of Green Giant 97 was reduced following previous-year applications of 140 g/ha imazethapyr. Corn ear yields of Excellency, Super Sweet Jubilee, and Jubilee were not reduced at either actual carryover rate. These studies indicate variability among sweet corn hybrids in susceptibility to imazethapyr. Greenhouse results were indicative of field responses and may be useful as a rapid test to determine hybrid susceptibility.