Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate sensitivity of red rice ecotypes from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to soil- and foliar-applied herbicides. Ecotype response to herbicides was variable. Molinate at 4.48 kg ai/ha controlled red rice ecotypes 92 to 100% and cultivars ‘Lemont,’ ‘Mars,’ and ‘Maybelle’ 39 to 63%. Red rice control with thiobencarb at 4.48 kg ai/ha was at least 89%. The tank mixture of fenoxaprop at 0.08 kg ai/ha plus fluazifop-P at 0.10 kg ai/ha controlled red rice and rice cultivars more than for either herbicide applied alone. Red rice and rice cultivar control with paraquat at 0.70 kg ai/ha was 83 to 100%. Blackhulled red rice TX 4 was less sensitive to paraquat and glufosinate than other ecotypes and cultivars. Glufosinate at 1.12 kg ai/ha was required to provide at least 94% control of ecotype TX 4.

Weed control with thiobencarb, molinate, or fertilizer granules coated with quinclorac or bensulfuron was evaluated in 1992 and 1993. With thiobencarb or fertilizer granules, less than 55% control of 4-leaf junglerice was obtained, regardless of additional herbicide coating. Coating thiobencarb or fertilizer granules with quinclorac at 550 g ai/ha increased junglerice control, but was not satisfactory. Molinate granules at 4.4 kg ai/ha controlled junglerice at least 81% and improved rice yields over fertilizer or thiobencarb granules. Fertilizer coated with bensulfuron at 111 g ai/ha controlled ducksalad 86 to 96%.

Field experiments were conducted to investigate methods of controlling red rice (Oryza sativa L. ♯ ORYSA) in drill-seeded rice (O. sativa). Treatments included the rice cultivar ‘Mars', coated with calcium peroxide (CaO2) at 40% (w/w) and a crop protectant, R-33865 (O,O-diethyl-O-phenyl phosphorothioate) at 0.5 and 1% (v/w). Molinate (S-ethyl hexahydro-1H-azepine-1-carbothioate) at 6.7 kg ai/ha was applied preplant incorporated (ppi). The land was flooded (2.5 to 5 cm deep) after seeding with rice (100 kg/ha, 2.5 cm deep), and the water was maintained throughout the growing season. CaO2, with or without molinate, increased rice grain yield 50% and increased rice culm density fivefold above untreated rice. Molinate applied ppi controlled 96% of the red rice. Rice seed coated with only CaO2 or with CaO2 plus R-33865 at 0.5%, each combined with ppi molinate, produced 5690 and 6030 kg/ha of grain, respectively. These high yields were associated with red rice control by molinate and good stands of rice provided by O2 supplied by CaO2. R-33865 applied to rice seed at 1% (v/w) injured rice by reducing rice culm densities 41%, compared with rice without protectant.

Field research was conducted in 1973, 1974, 1977, and 1978 to compare water-culture practices and rates of molinate (S-ethyl hexahydro-1H-azepine-1-carbothioate) for control of “strawhull” red rice (Oryza sativa L.) in water-seeded rice (O. sativa L.). Water-culture treatments (continuously drained, alternately drained and flooded, or continuously flooded during the first 28 days after seeding) alone, or preplant, soil-incorporated treatments of molinate (3.4, 4.5, and 6.7 kg/ha) alone did not control red rice. Treatments of preplant-incorporated molinate at 4.5 and 6.7 kg/ha in a continuously flooded culture or 6.7 kg/ha in an alternately drained-flooded culture controlled 87 to 93% of the red rice and permitted production of satisfactory yields of high quality rice grain.

Preplant control of mannagrass was greater than 90% with clethodim, glyphosate, sethoxydim, and sulfosate. Glyphosate at 0.5 to 1.0 kg ai/ha controlled mannagrass greater than 97%, and was not increased with any adjuvant. Fenoxaprop applied POST controlled mannagrass 97% but injured rice 33%. Except for fenoxaprop-ethyl, all POST treatments increased rice yields at least 1560 kg/ha more than the non-treated check. Southern watergrass was controlled 79 and 89% with 1.0 kg ai/ha glyphosate and 4.5 kg ai/ha sulfosate, respectively, while control was less than 55% with other herbicides.

Experiments were conducted on Sharkey clay and Gigger silt loam soils in northeast Louisiana from 1990 through 1993 to compare season-long barnyardgrass control, rice yield, and estimated economic returns with single and multiple applications of propanil alone or with molinate or thiobencarb. Multiple herbicide applications were more effective than single applications in controlling barnyardgrass and provided the greatest rice yields and economic returns. Applying residual herbicides with propanil improved barnyardgrass control in five of six experiments and increased rice yield and economic returns in three of six experiments.

Field experiments were conducted to compare barnyardgrass control and rice grain yield following a single postemergence (POST) application of propanil plus clomazone with single or repeat POST applications of propanil alone or single POST applications of propanil plus pendimethalin, molinate, quinclorac, or thiobencarb. In four of 10 experiments, propanil plus clomazone controlled barnyardgrass better than single or repeat applications of propanil alone or single applications of propanil plus pendimethalin, molinate, quinclorac, or thiobencarb. The most consistent increase in rice yield over a single application of propanil occurred where clomazone was applied in mixture with propanil.

Propanil and carbaryl mixtures, propanil formulated with carbaryl, the package mixture of propanil plus molinate (alone and plus pendimethalin), propanil plus quinclorac, and propanil plus pendimethalin were evaluated in field experiments for control of propanil-resistant and -susceptible barnyardgrass in 1995 and 1996 in Arkansas. Propanil alone at 3.3 kg ai/ha did not control propanil-resistant barnyardgrass when applied to two-leaf and repeated at four-leaf barnyardgrass. Propanil at 3.3 kg/ha with carbaryl at 0.1 to 0.3 kg ai/ha controlled propanil-resistant barnyardgrass at least 90% when applied at the two-leaf stage with no rice yield reduction. Applications repeated at the four-leaf stage also controlled propanil-resistant barnyardgrass, but rice injury was 66% with 0.3 kg/ha carbaryl in 1 of 2 yr, and rice yield was reduced. Control of resistant barnyardgrass with the commercial formulation of propanil plus carbaryl and propanil plus molinate was lower with a single application than with repeat applications. Propanil plus quinclorac, propanil plus pendimethalin, and propanil plus molinate plus pendimethalin controlled resistant barnyardgrass with one application at the two-leaf stage.

A study was conducted from 1994 through 1996 to evaluate barnyardgrass control, rice yield, and estimated economic returns with delayed preemergence (DPRE) applications of pendimethalin, quinclorac, thiobencarb, pendimethalin plus quinclorac, and pendimethalin plus thiobencarb applied alone or followed by postemergence (POST) applications of propanil or propanil plus molinate. Late-season barnyardgrass control with pendimethalin plus quinclorac was greater than with pendimethalin, quinclorac, thiobencarb, or pendimethalin plus thiobencarb. Control with pendimethalin, quinclorac, and pendimethalin plus thiobencarb exceeded that with thiobencarb. Propanil plus molinate controlled barnyardgrass more effectively than propanil. Quinclorac and pendimethalin plus quinclorac were the only DPRE herbicide treatments where yield and estimated economic returns were not improved by POST herbicides.

Field experiments were conducted from 1994 through 1996 in dry-seeded and water-seeded Oryza sativa to compare weed control and O. sativa yield in conventional tillage and reduced tillage (stale seedbed and Triticum aestivum cover crop) systems with no in-season herbicide, propanil applied early postemergence (EPOST), and propanil EPOST followed by propanil plus molinate (dry-seeded production) or granular molinate (water-seeded production). The T. aestivum cover crop reduced Echinochloa crus-galli, Heteranthera limosa, Ammania coccinea, and Cyperus esculentus infestation and reduced the need for in-season herbicides in some but not all experiments. Oryza sativa grain yield was affected by both tillage systems and herbicide programs; however, these treatment factors influenced yield independently. Increasing the number of in-season herbicide applications increased weed control and O. sativa yield in some but not all experiments.

The efficacy of imazethapyr in drill-seeded imidazolinone-resistant rice was evaluated in Louisiana in 2000 and 2001. Imazethapyr was applied preemergence (PRE), or no PRE, followed by a postemergence (POST) application of imazethapyr alone, or in a mixture with bensulfuron, bentazon plus aciflurofen, carfentrazone, halosulfuron, propanil plus molinate, triclopyr, or V-10029. Imazethapyr applied PRE followed by a POST application of imazethapyr controlled barnyardgrass equivalent to or higher than other treatments evaluated. Red rice control at 35 days after postemergence treatment (DAT) was 66 to 81% with imazethapyr applied PRE followed by any POST application, but a reduction in control was observed with a POST application of imazethapyr. Although alligatorweed control increased with POST applications, these treatments suggested only suppression. Hemp sesbania control never exceeded 10% with imazethapyr-only treatments and at 35 DAT, all POST applications, except bensulfuron, increased control above 84%. Rice yield increased with treatments receiving a PRE application of imazethapyr compared with no imazethapyr applied PRE.

A 2-yr field study was conducted to evaluate the response of rice to rotational crop herbicides in combination with rice herbicides in water-seeded culture. Fluometuron, imazethapyr, metolachlor, and norflurazon were applied at 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, and 0.063 times the recommended use rates preplant incorporated (PPI) to simulate herbicide carryover from previous crops. Molinate and thiobencarb at 4.5 kg ai/ha were applied PPI, and quinclorac at 0.43 kg ai/ha postemergence. No interaction between rice herbicides and rotational crop herbicides was observed for rice injury at 4 wk after planting (WAP), plant dry weight, stand, and height at 8 WAP, or rice grain yield. However, rice heading was delayed with some rotational crop herbicide and rice herbicide combinations. Fluometuron at the 0.5 and 0.25× rates injured rice 64 and 21% at 4 WAP, and reduced rice yield 96 and 20%, respectively. At 4 WAP, metolachlor at the 0.5 and 0.25× rates injured rice 93 to 29%, and reduced rice yield 85 to 20%, respectively. An 84 to 100% rice injury at 4 WAP and a 81 to 100% rice yield reduction were observed with norflurazon at the 0.5 and 0.25× rates, respectively. Imazethapyr caused 15 to 26% rice injury 4 WAT and 22 to 41% yield reduction.

A study was conducted in 2000 and 2001 to evaluate interaction of fenoxaprop with other herbicides for barnyardgrass control in rice. Changes in herbicide interaction over time were also evaluated, and herbicide combinations were ranked on the basis of compatibility. Fenoxaprop at 0.075 kg/ha plus bentazon or propanil plus molinate resulted in an additive response for barnyardgrass control at 10, 20, and 30 d after treatment (DAT); however, when the rate of fenoxaprop increased to 0.089 kg/ha, an antagonistic effect was found. Carfentrazone and halosulfuron consistently antagonized the activity of fenoxaprop at both rates on barnyardgrass. Bensulfuron at 10 and 20 DAT and triclopyr at 20 DAT were antagonistic to fenoxaprop. An increase in interaction over time was detected when fenoxaprop at 0.089 kg/ha was applied in mixture with carfentrazone at 0.04 kg/ha or halosulfuron at 0.05 kg/ha. These results indicate that propanil plus molinate and bentazon are more compatible with fenoxaprop at 0.075 kg/ha for barnyardgrass control, whereas bensulfuron, carfentrazone, halosulfuron, and triclopyr can antagonize fenoxaprop activity on barnyardgrass.

A study was conducted to evaluate weed control with imazethapyr applied at different timings or a combination of timings with or without an early POST application of bensulfuron, bentazon plus aciflurofen, bispyribac, carfentrazone, halosulfuron, propanil plus molinate, or triclopyr in drill-seeded imidazolinone-resistant rice. Control of barnyardgrass, red rice, and alligatorweed was insufficient with imazethapyr at 87 g/ha PRE or at 53 g/ha late POST alone. Imazethapyr at 87 g/ha PRE followed by imazethapyr at 53 g/ha late POST controlled red rice 86% or greater but did not control hemp sesbania. The imazethapyr PRE followed by late POST combination was also weak on barnyardgrass and alligatorweed early in the season. The addition of an early POST application of the other herbicides to the imazethapyr combination improved overall weed control, especially hemp sesbania control. Among the early POST herbicides, bispyribac, carfentrazone, or propanil plus molinate were more effective in helping improve the overall weed control, resulting in better rice grain yield.

Arkansas has been the leading state in rice production in the United States for many years. Barnyardgrass is the dominant weed in Arkansas rice. Propanil was the first highly effective herbicide for weed control in rice and has been used in Arkansas since 1959 as the primary herbicide for rice weed control. By 1989, its continual use led to the development of propanil-resistant barnyardgrass, which had spread to 16 of the 38 rice-producing counties in Arkansas by 1992. Arkansas rice growers are dependent on herbicides for the control of weeds in this drill-seeded crop. The residual herbicides thiobencarb, molinate, and pendimethalin mixed with propanil applied early postemergence improved control of propanil-resistant barnyardgrass. But it was quinclorac, introduced in 1992, that became the real replacement treatment for propanil-resistant barnyardgrass. Then in 1999, a barnyardgrass biotype with resistance to both quinclorac and propanil was confirmed in Craighead County, Arkansas. Additionally, problems with quinclorac drift to other crops, especially tomato, led to restrictions on application of quinclorac in Arkansas by 1994. Fortunately, alternative herbicides for barnyardgrass control were developed, and clomazone was introduced in 2000. Clomazone is currently the standard herbicide for annual grasses in rice, including barnyardgrass. Herbicides recently developed for rice allow a broad range of options for a resistance management program, based on rotational and sequential herbicide applications. These include fenoxaprop and cyhalofop (both acetyl-CoA carboxylase [ACCase] inhibitors), bispyribac and penoxsulam (acetolactate synthase [ALS] inhibitors), and imazethapyr and imazamox (also ALS inhibitors for imidazolinone-resistant rice). From a global standpoint, there is considerable evidence that barnyardgrass has the propensity to develop resistance to most of these herbicide groups. Therefore, efforts to manage and monitor for herbicide resistance in this species need to be diligently continued. Research on nonchemical options is in progress utilizing weed-suppressive rice breeding lines to control barnyardgrass.

Field experiments were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to evaluate barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) control, rice (Oryza sativa) yield, and grain quality with cyhalofop-butyl applied early postemergence (EPOST) or late postemergence (LPOST) in drained or flooded plots at rates of 0.15 to 0.4 kg ai/ha and standard treatments of molinate or propanil. Control with cyhalofop-butyl at 0.15 and 0.2 kg/ha applied in drained plots was greater compared to propanil and generally increased when treatments were applied EPOST to plots reflooded 2 d after treatment. Barnyardgrass control with cyhalofop-butyl at 0.15 and 0.2 kg/ha applied in flooded plots was similar to or better than the control obtained with molinate. Rice yields generally reflected differences in barnyardgrass control and were greatest with cyhalofop-butyl applied EPOST in drained plots. The 0.4 kg/ha rate of cyhalofop-butyl resulted in rice foliar injury and significant reductions in grain yield. Grain qualitative characteristics (total milling yield, grain vitreosity, grain length, and grain length to width ratio) were better with cyhalofop-butyl applied EPOST in drained plots compared with propanil or molinate.

Intensive selection pressure from repeated use of propanil and quinclorac led to the evolution of herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass biotypes. Twenty-two composite field samples were tested for level of resistance in 2002 and 2003, and field studies were conducted at the Rice Research and Extension Center, Stuttgart, AR, in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate alternative rice herbicides to control propanil-resistant (PR) and quinclorac-resistant (QR) barnyardgrass. Of the 22 composite samples, four were PR (30 to 40% control); four had a mixed population of PR, QR, and susceptible (S) barnyardgrass; and two had multiple resistance to propanil and quinclorac (P/QR), with control from propanil of 15 to 30% and control from quinclorac of 5 to 10%. ‘Wells’ rice was used where conventional herbicide programs were evaluated, and Clearfield rice ‘CL-161’ (imidazolinone-resistant) was used for herbicide programs involving imazethapyr. All PR and QR barnyardgrass were controlled > 90% by alternative herbicides, including all preemergence (PRE) and delayed preemergence (DPRE) treatments. By 56 d after emergence (DAE), cyhalofop or fenoxaprop applied to two- to three-leaf barnyardgrass (early postemergence [EPOST]), followed by (fb) a preflood application, controlled barnyardgrass > 93%. Pendimethalin controlled PR barnyardgrass 21 DAE, but not all season long. In contrast, imazethapyr in Clearfield rice controlled all grass weeds 100% all season long. Midpostemergence (MPOST) bispyribac application at the four- to five-leaf stage also provided season-long control of all barnyardgrass biotypes (> 88%, 56 DAE). Rice yields ranged from 5,300 to 5,700 kg ha−1 in conventional weed-control treatments and from 2,800 to 5,000 kg ha−1 in imazethapyr-treated plots. Nontreated plots yielded 1,500 kg ha−1.

Echinochloa oryzoides and E. phyllopogon have become the most serious weeds in California Oryza sativa since continuous flooding was used to suppress E. crus-galli. Continuous use of a limited number of available graminicides and an increasing number of control failures led to the investigation of herbicide resistance in E. oryzoides and E. phyllopogon. Greenhouse dose-response studies with postemergence (POST) applications of molinate, thiobencarb, fenoxaprop-ethyl, and bispyribac-sodium estimating GR50 (herbicide dose to inhibit growth by 50%) values suggested resistance to all herbicides in two E. phyllopogon accessions and to molinate and thiobencarb in one E. oryzoides accession when compared with susceptible E. phyllopogon and E. oryzoides controls, respectively. No resistance was detected in dose-response studies with propanil. Minimum and maximum ratios (R/S) of the GR50 values of resistant to susceptible E. phyllopogon plants (in two experiments involving two resistant accessions) were 7.8 and >13.3 for thiobencarb, 2.2 and 4.3 for molinate, 16.5 and 428.7 for fenoxaprop-ethyl, and 2.0 and 12.0 for bispyribac-sodium. Minimum and maximum E. oryzoides R/S ratios (average of two experiments) were 21.9 and 4.6 for thiobencarb and molinate, respectively. A resistant E. phyllopogon (one accession tested) and the susceptible control were killed by POST applications of glyphosate, glufosinate, and clomazone, and by a preemergence application of pendimethalin. Thus, the repeated use of the few available grass herbicides in the predominantly monocultured O. sativa of California has selected for herbicide resistance in E. oryzoides and E. phyllopogon. The introduction of herbicides with new mechanisms of action will be useful to manage herbicide-resistant E. oryzoides and E. phyllopogon. However, cross- and multiple resistance emphasize the need to integrate herbicide use with nonchemical means of weed management.

Late watergrass is a serious weed of California rice that has evolved resistance to molinate, thiobencarb, fenoxaprop-ethyl, and bispyribac-sodium. To obtain an insight into the origin and spread of resistant (R) late watergrass in California rice fields, we evaluated similarities in morphological traits and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints among 15 R strains compared with susceptible (S) strains. All strains were derived by inbreeding from accessions collected in rice fields of the Sacramento Valley, CA. In the field, R plants were shorter than S plants; they also had narrower and shorter flag leaves and thinner culms. Spikelets also appeared smaller and more slender in R plants. There was greater morphological similarity among the 15 R strains than among the eight S strains. The mean coefficients of variation for morphological traits were much smaller among R strains, which in a cluster analysis (Ward's method) were grouped morphologically apart at early clustering stages from the more variable S strains. AFLP electropherograms also showed greater similarity between R strains. R strains were grouped separately from the S strains in a cluster analysis based on calculated Nei and Li coefficients used in an unweighted pair group method using arithmetic means. However, small genetic differences also existed because the R strains were grouped into six clusters, suggesting that R strains were not samples from an identical strain. It was concluded that R strains originated from a preexisting and preadapted mutant late watergrass population in the Sacramento Valley. This study establishes that resistance moved by spikelet dispersal, not independent mutation events, most likely defined the geographical distribution of R late watergrass in California. Prevention and control of this dispersal combined with elimination of seed-producing survivors after herbicide treatment should be relevant components of the integrated management of herbicide-resistant late watergrass in California rice.