Field experiments in 1984 and 1985 near Headland, AL involved the influence of 18 integrated weed management systems incorporated from nine herbicide-tillage systems (H-T) and two row patterns on control of large crabgrass and Texas panicum, crop yield, and net returns in grain sorghum. The conventional-tillage system plus herbicide combinations; alachlor preplant incorporated (PPI), atrazine postemergence (POST), and paraquat POST directed, provided 90% or greater control of large crabgrass throughout the season and high sorghum yields in one of two years; and 90% or greater control of Texas panicum from mid-June through mid-August and high sorghum yields in both years. Results in 1984 and 1985 similar to those above were obtained with strip tillage plus herbicide combinations; alachlor PPI, atrazine POST, and paraquat POST directed; alachlor PPI and tridiphane plus atrazine POST; and tridiphane plus atrazine POST and paraquat POST directed. Row patterns did not consistently influence control of large crabgrass, Texas panicum, or sorghum yield. Economic net returns ranged from – $20 to $210 per hectare for the large crabgrass control systems in 1984; however, low sorghum yields in 1985 resulted largely in negative returns. Similar net returns were obtained in the Texas panicum experiment.

Dinitroaniline herbicides are major herbicides used to control annual grass weeds in cool-season turfgrasses. At least three herbicides, benefin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin are labeled preemergence to control weeds in established turfgrass. Prodiamine could be a competitive product. Benefin at 2.2 to 3.4 kg ai/ha, pendimethalin at 1.7 to 3.4 kg ai/ha, prodiamine at 0.6 to 1.7 kg ai/ ha, and benefin plus trifluralin at 1.1 plus 0.6 to 2.3 plus 1.1 kg ai/ha effectively control many annual grass weeds, including large and smooth crabgrass, yellow and green foxtail, barnyardgrass, goosegrass, fall panicum, and annual bluegrass. Most dinitroaniline herbicides provide residual preemergence weed control for the entire growing season. In general, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, red fescue, and other cool-season turfgrasses tolerate most of these herbicides, although higher-than-normal rates of any dinitroaniline herbicide could restrict root growth and cause stand thinning in turfgrass species.

Barnyardgrass, large crabgrass, and Texas panicum were evaluated in field experiments over 3 yr to measure their duration of interference and density on grain sorghum yield. When grain yield data were converted to a percentage of the weed-free control, linear regression predicted a 3.6% yield loss for each week of weed interference regardless of year or grass species. Grain sorghum grown in a narrow (61-cm) row spacing was affected little by full-season interference; however, in wide (91-cm) rows, interference increased as grass density increased. Data from the wide-row spacing were described by linear regression following conversion of grain yield to percentages and weed density to log10. A separate nonlinear model also was derived which could predict the effect of weed density on grain sorghum yield.

Field experiments were conducted in 1986 to 1990 to determine the effect of different rates and application times of BAS 514 and dithiopyr alone and in combination on control of large crabgrass and dandelion in Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Herbicides evaluated were applied PRE, early POST, and late POST. Results indicated that both herbicides provided excellent PRE control in all years. BAS 514 rates ranged from 0.84 to 0.56 kg ai ha-1. Rates of dithiopyr ranged from 0.43 to 0.56 kg ai ha-1. In addition to crabgrass control, both herbicides controlled dandelion, BAS 514 exhibiting slightly better activity than dithiopyr. BAS 514 at 0.84 to 1.12 kg ai ha-1 and dithiopyr at 0.26 to 0.56 kg ai ha-1 resulted in excellent early POST crabgrass control when applied at the one- to three-leaf stage of crabgrass. BAS 514 and dithiopyr applied late POST (2 to 3 tillers of crabgrass) resulted in 63 to 85% control of crabgrass and 29 to 85% control of dandelion at 10 wk after application. No weed control enhancement was evident from tank mixing the two herbicides. Excellent turf safety was demonstrated by both herbicides on all three turf species.

Sweet corn was grown with a living mulch of white clover, a dead mulch of rye, and without mulch, in both till and no-till conditions. Unplanted controls were also included in the experimental design. Corn yields were highest in clover treatments early in the experiment but lowest in later years. The declining yields in the clover living mulch were related to the strip application of glyphosate which allowed establishment of perennial and biennial weeds, notably dandelion and horseweed. These overwintering weeds apparently prevented effective control of summer annuals, especially redroot pigweed, common lambsquarters and large crabgrass, by atrazine and metolachlor. Presence of a rye mulch decreased weed biomass and had no detrimental effect on corn yield. In general, corn yield was not affected by tillage, although the number of marketable ears was reduced in the no-till treatments during the drought year of 1988. The much greater weed biomass in the unplanted control treatments showed the importance of crop competition for weed control in sweet corn cropping systems.

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.

Clomazone was evaluated preplant incorporated (PPI) or post-transplant (PT) for weed control in sweet potatoes. No crop injury by clomazone was detected. Clomazone controlled (≥90%). broadleaf signalgrass, large crabgrass, barnyardgrass, and prickly sida at all rates and methods of application (MOA). Common cocklebur was controlled (≥93%) by clomazone at 1.1 kg ai ha-1 applied PT or at 3.4 kg ai ha-1 PPI in 1988 and at all rates and MOA in 1989. Clomazone did not control carpetweed.

Experiments were conducted in Massachusetts and New York to evaluate the potential influence of plant growth stage, spray volume, nozzle type, additional surfactant, and herbicide formulation on smooth and large crabgrass control in turf with fenoxaprop. At a well-watered site, crabgrass control with fenoxaprop was equal to or greater than with MSMA. On an irrigated, fertilized site, crabgrass growth stage did not influence fenoxaprop efficacy. Excellent control of up to 5-tiller smooth crabgrass was obtained with 0.20 kg/ha of fenoxaprop. On nonirrigated turf, fenoxaprop was less effective on tillered crabgrass than on 2- to 5-leaf weeds. Under very dry conditions, fenoxaprop was ineffective regardless of growth stage. Control with MSMA was less affected by drought than was fenoxaprop. Spray volumes, between 140 and 1120 L/ha, did not affect fenoxaprop efficacy; however, high volume applications (1120 L/ha) with floodjet nozzles were less effective than flat fan nozzle treatments in two of three tests. Added surfactant did not improve efficacy except with floodjet nozzles on a droughty site. No differences were observed between the water-based and the emulsifiable concentrate formulations of fenoxaprop. Fenoxaprop caused temporary phytotoxicity (≤20% reduction in turf quality) to established Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass.

The control of three summer annual grass weeds with herbicides during establishment of forage grasses was studied near Concord and Mead, NE, in 1984, 1985, and 1986. Three cool-season forage grasses, intermediate wheatgrass, tall fescue, and smooth bromegrass, and two warm-season grasses, big bluestem and switchgrass, were included. The control of three major summer annual grasses, green foxtail, barnyardgrass, and large crabgrass, was excellent with fenoxaprop at 0.22 kg ai/ha. Slight to moderate injury to cool-season forage grasses and severe injury to warm-season grasses were evident. Sethoxydim at 0.22 kg ai/ha and haloxyfop at 0.11 kg ai/ha controlled green foxtail and large crabgrass, but not barnyardgrass. Sulfometuron-treated big bluestem and switchgrass plots had the best forage stand frequencies and yields and, at the rate used, sulfometuron satisfactorily controlled green foxtail but only marginally controlled barnyardgrass and large crabgrass.

Field experiments were initiated to determine the efficacy of fluazifop as influenced by growth stage for green, yellow, and giant foxtail, large crabgrass, and Japanese millet. Additionally, the influence of air temperature and simulated rainfall on fluazifop efficacy for green foxtail and Japanese millet was determined by greenhouse and growth-room experiments. In both 1983 and 1984, fluazifop activity was reduced as the growth stage increased from 3- to 5- to 7-leaf for all species. Significant differences among species in susceptibility to fluazifop were evident with the descending order of tolerance: green foxtail > large crabgrass > yellow foxtail > giant foxtail > Japanese millet. Increasing the air temperature from 18 to 30 C reduced fluazifop control of green foxtail at herbicide rates less than 0.14 kg ai/ha but did not affect Japanese millet. A 1- to 2-h rain-free interval was required for optimum control of green foxtail and Japanese millet at 0.07 kg/ha fluazifop; the interval was reduced to 45 and 15 min, respectively, when fluazifop rates were 0.14 kg/ha. The longer rain-free interval required for optimum control of green foxtail compared to Japanese millet may reflect a slower rate of herbicide absorption in green foxtail.

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.

Experiments were conducted in 1988 and 1989 at four sites in Virginia to test weed control efficacy in double-crop, no-till soybean production systems with reduced rates of nonselective herbicides. Chlorimuron plus linuron at 0.04 plus 0.46 kg ha-1 gave more than 94% control of five weed species, but only 81 to 86% control of three weed species. Tank mix additions of reduced rates of either glyphosate, HOE-0661 or paraquat to the chlorimuron plus linuron treatment increased large crabgrass and common ragweed control.

A 2-yr field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ICIA-0051 for the control of annual grass and broadleaf weed species in conventional tillage corn. Treatments consisted of postemergence applications of ICIA-0051 alone and in combination with cyanazine or atrazine. ICIA-0051 at 0.6 kg ha-1 alone and in combination with cyanazine or atrazine at 1.1 kg ha-1 controlled large crabgrass, yellow foxtail, fall panicum, common lambsquarters, and redroot pigweed effectively (over 90%). The addition of cyanazine or atrazine at 1.1 kg ha-1 to the lowest rate (0.3 kg ha-1) of ICIA-0051 also improved large crabgrass, yellow foxtail, and fall panicum control by 9, 7, and 26%, respectively. None of the treatments of ICIA-0051 except the highest rate (1.1 kg ha-1) reduced either silage or grain yields of corn.

The interaction of imazethapyr and selected graminicides on annual grass control was studied in field experiments. Tank-mix combinations of imazethapyr with clethodim, fluazifop-P, quizalofop, or sethoxydim resulted in an antagonistic interaction. Control of large crabgrass, fall panicum, and broadleaf signalgrass by each graminicide decreased when tank-mixed with imazethapyr as compared with each graminicide applied alone. Sequential applications of imazethapyr, relative to each graminicide, successfully overcame the antagonism. Imazethapyr applied 5 d before or 1 d after each of the graminicides did not decrease grass weed control compared with each graminicide alone. Imazethapyr applied 3 or 1 d before, or the same day as the graminicides, generally decreased grass weed control.