Imazethapyr at 0.05 to 0.14 kg ai/ha applied preplant incorporated, preemergence, and postemergence was evaluated alone and with complementary herbicides in the field for weed control in soybean. Imazethapyr controlled 90% or more smooth pigweed regardless of application method or herbicide rate. Imazethapyr at 0.05 kg/ha controlled jimsonweed 30% better postemergence compared to soil applications. Imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha controlled 90% or more velvetleaf regardless of application method. The addition of alachlor to soil-applied imazethapyr enhanced giant foxtail, jimsonweed, and velvetleaf control. Adding acifluorfen or bentazon to postemergence imazethapyr antagonized weed control. Adding sethoxydim to postemergence imazethapyr was not beneficial.

Eight triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilides were tested for metabolic stability in a number of crop and weed species. These data, along with in vitro determinations of activity (I50) against acetolactate synthase, successfully described the in vivo activity of these compounds in a two-parameter model. Whole plant activity increased with increasing compound stability and decreasing I50 (r2 =.78, N = 36). The difficulty in obtaining metabolic stability data during a structure optimization program prompted a study with substituent parameters in models of in vivo activity. Models describing whole plant activity in jimsonweed were developed using a series of 5-methyl triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilides that differed only in ortho and meta substituents on the aniline ring. The I50 term and clogP were most important to jimsonweed activity. Hence, in vitro activity (I50) may be a useful component of whole plant structure activity models to aid in identification of barriers to in vivo performance.

Common cocklebur, jimsonweed, and velvetleaf were grown with soybeans in the field to determine how soybean interference affects weed canopy architecture. Common cocklebur had more leaves within the soybean canopy than jimsonweed or velvetleaf. At the end of the season, common cocklebur leaf area was distributed evenly below and above the top of the soybean canopy, while nearly all the jimsonweed and velvetleaf leaf area was above the soybean canopy. Common cocklebur exhibited more shade tolerance than jimsonweed or velvetleaf by also maintaining leaves in the shade within the soybean canopy. Differences among these weeds in leaf distribution within the soybean canopy were not related to differences in abscission of the lower leaves but to a differential response of lower axillary buds to soybean shading. Growth from lower axillary buds in jimsonweed and velvetleaf was strongly inhibited by soybean interference, but interference had little effect on lower axillary bud growth in common cocklebur. Axillary bud growth in the lower canopies of both common cocklebur and soybeans, and their similarity in height, caused these plants to compete for the same aboveground niche. However, common cocklebur had more extensive axillary growth along the lower stem than soybeans, which may allow it to compete for resources in this niche more aggressively than soybeans. Velvetleaf and jimsonweed did not share the same aboveground niche with soybeans due to the placement of their leaves above rather than within the soybean canopy. The lower branching characteristics and apparent shade tolerance of common cocklebur may be important factors in the superior competitive ability with soybeans compared to jimsonweed and velvetleaf.

Field and laboratory studies were conducted in 1985 and 1986 to determine the effect of herbicide application timing and level of corn residue on metribuzin plus metolachlor for weed control in soybean. Herbicides were applied early preplant (35 days before planting), sequentially (early preplant and preemergence), or preemergence. Giant foxtail control was better with sequential application than early preplant herbicide application in both years. Control of velvetleaf, smooth pigweed, and jimsonweed was independent of application timing, except in 1986, when jimsonweed control was less from herbicides applied early preplant compared to sequentially. Metribuzin reaching the soil was less when applied to high levels of corn residue compared to low residue levels. However, corn residue level had no effect on weed control.

In 1992 and 1993, rimsulfuron alone at 17, 35, and 70 g ai/ha, and at 35 g/ha plus metribuzin at 280 g ai/ha, respectively, was evaluated PRE and POST for weed control in potato. Rimsulfuron at 35 g/ha PRE and POST controlled common lambsquarters and giant foxtail and when combined with 280 g/ha metribuzin, controlled common ragweed and jimsonweed. Rimsulfuron and rimsulfuron with metribuzin caused slight to moderate chlorosis in new terminal growth of potato but chlorosis disappeared within 3 wk. Potato height, tuber yields, and tuber quality were not affected by rimsulfuron alone or with metribuzin.

In 1987 and 1988, effects of full-season interference of individual weeds on cotton yield were measured with area of influence procedures. In 1987, one spurred anoda, common cocklebur, large crabgrass, jimsonweed, common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, common ragweed, or prickly sida plant per 3 m of row reduced cotton yield between 1% and 7%. Sicklepod did not cause a detectable yield loss. Redroot pigweed, common cocklebur and common ragweed caused 7%, 6% and 5% yield loss, respectively, in 1987. In row weed influence varied from 17 cm (large crabgrass interference) to 86 cm (common cocklebur interference). In 1988, yield losses by individual weeds ranged from 3% to 27%. Common cocklebur, jimsonweed, and common ragweed reduced cotton yields 28%, 15% and 12%, respectively. Spurred anoda and common cocklebur influenced 160 cm and 136 cm of cotton row, respectively. Sicklepod influenced only 47 cm of cotton row.

Interference between jimsonweed and soybean was investigated. Jimsonweed growing within the soybean row had little influence on vegetative characteristics of soybean during the first 12 wk of the growing season. The influence of an individual jimsonweed plant was first detected 10 wk after planting and extended 20 cm within the row. At harvest, interference extended 50 cm from individual jimsonweed plants, and yield within the 1.2 m of row surrounding a single jimsonweed plant was reduced 12%. Jimsonweed spaced 60 cm apart within the row reduced yield 18%. Soybean interference with jimsonweed growth increased steadily during the season, reducing the size of jimsonweed plants within the soybean row 80 to 93% compared with jimsonweed plants free of soybean interference. Jimsonweed grown within the soybean rows produced an average of 4900 seeds per plant whereas jimsonweed grown crop-free produced nearly 69 000 seeds per plant.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) sprayed on intact jimsonweed plants at 10 to 200 μg ml–1 caused chlorosis and necrosis on three- to four-leaf plants and reduced their height and biomass. Excised leaves of jimsonweed were necrotic on both surfaces after treatment with FB1 at 10 to 200 μg ml–1. The degree of damage increased with the concentration of FB1. The minimum amount of FB1 that damaged excised leaves was 0.05 μg. The symptoms of toxicity on sensitive plants varied with concentration of FB1. Symptoms observed included: chlorosis (creeping cucumber), necrosis (jimsonweed and common sunflower), black leaf lesions (sicklepod), curl of tissues (soybean), stunting, defoliation (hemp sesbania and northern jointvetch), and death (prickly sida, spurred anoda, northern jointvetch, and jimsonweed). Monocots (barley, bermudagrass, corn, johnsongrass, rice, sorghum, and wheat) were not visibly affected by FB1. This is the first evidence of the phytotoxic properties of fumonisin B1 against a wide variety of weeds and crop cultivars.

A random mail survey of Ohio growers was conducted to determine the geographic distribution of weeds across Ohio and the influence of production practices on the severity of agronomic weed problems. Statewide, the ten most severe weed problems, in descending order, were Canada thistle > foxtail spp. > velvetleaf = common ragweed > common cocklebur > giant ragweed = annual morningglory spp. > quackgrass = common lambsquarters = Pennsylvania smartweed. Distribution of most weeds varied geographically. Infestations of common and honeyvine milkweeds, hemp dogbane, and tree seedlings increased as tillage was reduced. Infestations of common cocklebur and common ragweed decreased as tillage was reduced. As crop rotation became more diverse, infestations of velvetleaf, common cocklebur, giant ragweed, Pennsylvania smartweed, and jimsonweed decreased. Where rotations included forage or hay crops, infestations of large crabgrass, common chickweed, wild carrot, and common dandelion increased.

Soybean seed yield losses due to interference from common cocklebur, velvetleaf, and jimsonweed, with and without a PPI application of 0.42 kg ai ha-1 metribuzin, were determined in 1986, 1987, and 1988. Damage functions were calculated based on weed density, weed leaf density, and relative weed leaf area index, respectively. Functions relating crop yield losses to weed density varied significantly among treatments and years for each species. Weeds which escaped soil-applied metribuzin were shorter with fewer leaves at 3 wk after planting, and caused lower crop yield losses than control plants at equal densities. Yield loss estimates based upon relative weed leaf area at 3 wk after planting showed least variation between years and treatments.