Extension workers are sensing pressure to use soils information and chemical characteristics data to guide farmers in selecting pesticides least prone to leach into groundwater. Our objective was to estimate differences in herbicide migration to groundwater under conditions typical for the Southeast Coastal Plain, and to consider how a farmer might be advised to use such knowledge in selecting herbicides. We used a simple computer code for microcomputers to predict persistence and migration of 17 herbicides through a hypothetical, coarse-textured soil typical of the Southeast Coastal Plain. Appropriate herbicides were selected for several common crop-weed problems, such as sicklepod in soybean and Palmer amaranth in corn. Groundwater was assumed to be 3.15 m below the soil surface. Herbicides selected covered a broad range of half-lives and organic carbon partition coefficients. Only after the first-order degradation rate constant was reduced by a factor of five did predicted soil water concentrations of several herbicides at the groundwater interface reach normal detection limits. Still, predicted concentrations were below the level established for health effects advisory purposes. Due to the large number of uncertainties and the inability to estimate practical benefits, we conclude that data relating to soil and herbicide characteristics cannot be used at this time to override cost effectiveness, efficacy, and other factors normally considered by farmers and Extension professionals in herbicides for weed control.

Diuron, fluorochloridone, hexazinone, metribuzin, norflurazon, oryzalin, prodiamine, simazine, and terbacil controlled seedling asparagus planted in sprinkler-irrigated plots similarly (>89%). In furrow-irrigated plots, cinmethylin, diuron, fluorochloridone, hexazinone, napropamide, oryzalin, and prodiamine provided similar control (>86%) of planted seedling asparagus. Herbicides with high water solubilities that depended upon root uptake for maximum activity tended to control seedling asparagus better in sprinkler-irrigated tests than in furrow-irrigated tests. Fluorochloridone, norflurazon, and prodiamine provided partial control of volunteer asparagus (48 to 84%) in an established stand of furrow-irrigated asparagus.

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of tillage level on weed control and yield of asparagus grown on a sandy loam soil under sprinkler irrigation. Without herbicides, horseweed and kochia populations increased in no-till asparagus production over a 3-yr period, compared to asparagus that was rototilled either once in the spring or once in the spring and again at layby. Without herbicides, hairy nightshade populations increased most when asparagus was rototilled both in the spring and at layby. Volunteer asparagus was controlled best when herbicides and tillage were combined in the spring and again at layby. Common groundsel was controlled without herbicides by rototilling both in the spring and at layby. Diuron at 1.4 kg ai/ha plus prodiamine at 1.4 kg/ha or metribuzin at 0.9 kg/ha plus norflurazon at 2 kg/ha controlled all weeds under all three tillage levels when split-applied in the spring and at layby. Tillage level had no effect on total asparagus spear number or weight if tillage was performed in mid March before asparagus emergence.

Field experiments were conducted at two locations in Virginia to evaluate the following herbicides: alachlor, diphenamid, diuron, metolachlor, napropamide, norflurazon, oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, pendimethalin, and simazine. One experiment involved newly-transplanted apple trees; the others, three in apple and one in peach trees, involved one-year-old trees. Treatments were applied in the spring (mid-April to early-May). Control of annual weed species was excellent with several treatments. A broader spectrum of weeds was controlled in several instances when the preemergence herbicides were used in combinations. Perennial species, particularly broadleaf species and johnsongrass, were released when annual species were suppressed by the herbicides. A rye cover crop in nontreated plots suppressed the growth of weeds. New shoot growth of newly-transplanted apple trees was increased with 3 of 20 herbicide treatments and scion circumference was increased with 11 of 20 herbicide treatments compared to the nontreated control. Growth of one-year-old apple trees was not affected. Scion circumference of one-year-old peach trees was increased with 25 of 33 herbicide treatments.

Experiments were conducted from 1987 through 1989 to determine the most effective and consistent control of velvetleaf in cotton with soil-applied herbicides. Norflurazon was applied at 1.1 or 1.7 kg ha-1 either preplant (PPI) or preemergence (PRE) or by splitting these rates and applying half PPI and the other half PRE. All methods of norflurazon application were compared with and without a PRE application of diuron at 1.1 kg ha-1. The most consistent control was achieved with PPI norflurazon at either 1.1 or 1.7 kg ha-1 followed by diuron. In 1988, crop injury at 2 wk varied and was 29% or greater for preemergence norflurazon tank-mixed with diuron.

A new machine consisting of a detachable hopper of containerized granules with a preselected circular orifice to regulate flow of granules, and a revolving hollow-cone spreader turned by an electric motor, was tested. Flow of herbicide granules at typical use rates was linearly correlated with orifice diameter. Coefficients of determination for flow rates of alachlor [2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide], trifluralin [2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzenamine], and norflurazon [4-chloro-5-(methylamino)-2-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-3 (2H)-pyridazinone] were 0.96 or greater. Based on patterns of distribution of commercial trifluralin granules parallel and perpendicular to a linear path, the machine could be used to apply herbicide granules in row crops. Control of johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. # SORHA] with alachlor plus oryzalin [4-(dipropylamino)-3,5-dinitrobenzenesulfonamide] applied preemergence (pre) as sprays and granules did not differ significantly in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ‘Forrest′]. Trifluralin granules applied preplant incorporated (ppi) at 1.1 kg ai/ha controlled 80 to 95% of the johnsongrass and doubled soybean yield compared to the cultivated control plot. Norflurazon plus alachlor pre at 1.7 to 2.2 plus 2.2 to 3.0 kg ai/ha controlled annual grasses and prickly sida (Sida spinosa L. # SIDSP) equally with sprays and granules.

Field experiments were established to evaluate coffee senna control in cotton with registered PRE, early POST-directed (EPD), and late POST-directed (LPD) herbicides and with pyrithiobac applied PRE and early POST. Fluometuron and norflurazon applied PRE controlled coffee senna 87 and 65%, respectively, 6 wk after planting (WAP). Methazole applied EPD controlled coffee senna 96% 2 wk after application, whereas fluometuron and MSMA applied EPD controlled 70 and 16%, respectively. LPD applications of cyanazine, diuron, and prometryn averaged only 45% control 8 WAP. MSMA applied LPD controlled coffee senna only 12%. Fluometuron and norflurazon applied PRE followed by methazole applied EPD and cyanazine applied LPD controlled coffee senna 98 and 99% 6 WAP, respectively. PRE, early POST, and PRE followed by early POST applications of pyrithiobac controlled coffee senna 88, 89, and 95% 6 WAP, respectively. Seed cotton yields were similar to weed-free cotton with all treatments except MSMA applied EPD and the LPD treatments, all of which provided unacceptable (12 to 49%) control 8 WAP.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate PRE and POST cotton herbicides for control of MSMA-resistant (R) and -susceptible (S) common cocklebur biotypes, and to determine potential cross-resistance of the R biotype to other arsenical and membrane disruptor herbicides. Cyanazine and clomazone applied PRE were the most effective herbicides for control of R populations. Lactofen or cyanazine in combination with MSMA controlled R and S biotypes better than fluometuron or pyrithiobac combined with MSMA. MSMA-resistant common cocklebur was not cross-resistant to other arsenical herbicides. Significant differences in cellular electrolyte leakage and chlorophyll content of the treated leaf between biotypes were not evident for paraquat, acifluorfen, and MSMA.

Efficacy of herbicide programs containing clomazone PPI plus fluometuron PRE or clomazone plus pendimethalin PPI plus fluometuron PRE was compared with that of standard programs of pendimethalin PPI plus fluometuron PRE and norflurazon PPI plus norflurazon and fluometuron PRE. Cotton injury was less than 5% with all treatments when disulfoton or phorate was applied in the seed furrow. Control of fall panicum, goosegrass, large crabgrass, eclipta, entireleaf morningglory, ivyleaf morningglory, pitted morningglory, tall morningglory, prickly sida, redroot pigweed, smooth pigweed, hemp sesbania, spotted spurge, sicklepod, and velvetleaf and cotton yields with 0.8 kg ai ha−1 of clomazone plus fluometuron or 0.6 kg ha−1 of clomazone plus pendimethalin plus fluometuron equalled or exceeded that from the standard herbicide programs. POST-directed application of methazole at 0.8 kg ai ha−1 plus MSMA at 2.2 kg ae ha−1 increased sicklepod and morningglory control and cotton yield. Clomazone applied PRE at 0.6 kg ha−1 with fluometuron controlled broadleaf signalgrass, goosegrass, large crabgrass, prickly sida, and smooth pigweed equally with that of standard treatments of trifluralin or trifluralin plus norflurazon PPI and fluometuron PRE, whereas pitted morningglory control and cotton yield with clomazone plus fluometuron exceeded that with the standards.

Soil and surface residues from cotton field studies in Stoneville, MS (1994 through 1996) and Florence, SC (1995 through 1996) were sampled to evaluate effects of cover crop and tillage on herbicide dissipation. Mississippi treatments included tillage (conventional [CT]; none [NT]) and cover crop (ryegrass; none [NC]). South Carolina treatments included tillage (CT; reduced tillage [RT]) and cover crop (rye; NC). Fluometuron was applied preemergence (PRE) in both Mississippi and South Carolina, and norflurazon was applied PRE in Mississippi. Soils were sampled various times during the growing season (depths: 0 to 2 cm, 2 to 10 cm). Cover crop residues were sampled from RT or NT cover crop areas. Soil and cover crop sample extracts were analyzed for herbicides. Soil organic carbon tended to increase with tillage reduction and presence of cover crop and was positively correlated with herbicide sorption, especially in the surface. Across locations, herbicide half-lives ranged from 7 to 15 d in the soil surface. Tillage had mixed effects on herbicide persistence in surface soil, with higher herbicide concentrations in CT at early samplings, but differences were insignificant later on. The most consistent effects were observed in RT/NT with cover crops, where cover crop residues intercepted applied herbicide, impeding subsequent movement into soil. Herbicide dissipation in cover crop residues was often more rapid than in soil, with half-lives from 3 to 11 d. Herbicide retention in cover crop residues and rapid dissipation were attributed to strong herbicide affinity to cover crop residues (e.g., fluometuron Kd = 7.1 [in rye]; Kd = 1.65 [in Mississippi Dundee soil CT, NC]) and herbicide co-metabolism as cover crop residues decomposed. A fluometuron metabolite, desmethyl-fluometuron, was observed in most soil and cover crop samples after 1 wk. Only minimal herbicide or metabolite moved into the subsurface, and little treatment effect could be ascribed to herbicide or metabolite movement below 2 cm.

Field studies were conducted near Sparr, FL, in 2001 and 2002 to evaluate the response of ‘Valencia 102’ grown for the green peanut market (or boiling peanut) to preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) applications of herbicides registered for dry peanut production (roasted market). Green peanut exhibited excellent tolerance to most PRE and POST treatments. There was minimal injury (8%) from flumioxazin applications when evaluated early season in both years, and peanut quickly recovered. Norflurazon caused chlorosis to peanut foliage (23%) in both years. Yield reduction was observed in 2001 for flumioxazin (15%), metolachlor (20%), and norflurazon (41%) compared with the untreated control. However, there were no yield reductions for any of the PRE treatments in 2002. Bentazon + paraquat early postemergence (EPOST) followed by (fb) 2,4-DB POST, bentazon + paraquat EPOST fb clethodim POST, and imazapic EPOST caused ≤5% injury and had no effect on yield in either year.

Poa annua control with norflurazon was different between two field trials in 1999. At the field site with suspected diuron-resistant P. annua, control was less than at the site with known diuron-susceptible P. annua. Diuron-resistant and -susceptible biotypes of P. annua were subjected to a range of norflurazon rates in the greenhouse. The diuron-resistant P. annua biotype (R/S : of 2.5) was collected in 1995 from a Lolium perenne L. seed production field near Tangent, OR. The R/S : for norflurazon in these experiments was 4.8; thus, confirming that diuron-resistant P. annua is resistant to norflurazon.

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.

Soil-residual herbicides can be applied to the soil under grapevines during fall or spring before weed emergence. But, early spring moisture and warm weather conditions may enhance weed emergence before spring herbicide applications. Therefore, fall application of herbicide can be useful if the herbicides provide adequate weed control the following spring and summer. Fall and spring applications of oryzalin or norflurazon, applied alone or in combination with diuron, simazine, or oxyfluorfen, were evaluated for weed control in grape at Oskaloosa and Eudora in northeast Kansas in the 2002 to 2003 and 2003 to 2004 growing seasons. Weeds were not controlled adequately with oryzalin or norflurazon applied alone. At the end of the growing season, weed control was 10 to 20% greater when herbicides were applied in the spring than when applied in the fall. In addition, weed control with norflurazon was slightly greater than with oryzalin. In general, norflurazon or oryzalin applied in combination with simazine, diuron, or oxyfluorfen gave greater weed control than norflurazon or oryzalin applied alone. The greatest control was with norflurazon or oryzalin applied with oxyfluorfen. In general, all herbicide combinations provided similar weed control 4 mo after spring treatment in 2003 and 3 mo after spring treatment in 2004. This study showed that acceptable weed control can be achieved when norflurazon or oryzalin is applied with oxyfluorfen or diuron in the fall.

With rapid progress being made in deciphering plant genomic sequences, determining the function of these genes is one of the main challenges that plant molecular biologists face today. Herbicidal inhibitors have been very useful for understanding gene function in at least two examples, represented by herbicidal inhibitors of hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) and deoxyxylulosephosphate reductoisomerase (DXR). In the first, an albino mutant of Arabidopsis isolated during the study of carotenoid biosynthesis was found to have an intact carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. A number of “bleaching herbicides” in development at about the same time (e.g., sulcotrione) produced similar symptoms by strongly inhibiting HPPD, a key enzyme in plastoquinone biosynthesis. Examination of the Arabidopsis mutant revealed that the HPPD gene had been inactivated in the albino plants. Inhibition of the HPPD pathway also led to reduced levels of tocopherol (vitamin E), an end product of the pathway. Further studies and manipulation of the pathway produced plants with significantly higher levels of vitamin E. This result is a clear demonstration of how an herbicidal inhibitor was able to lead to the identification of a gene that was responsible for a particular phenotype. As a second example, identification of fosmidomycin as a specific inhibitor of DXR in the recently elucidated nonmevalonate pathway of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) biosynthesis was instrumental in furthering the understanding of an important route to synthesis of many important terpenoid products.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine yellow nutsedge response to selective placement of a 5-cm layer of norflurazon-treated soil above, below, or above plus below pregerminated nutsedge tubers. Norflurazon at 1.68 kg ai/ha applied postemergence (POST) as a foliar, soil, or foliar plus soil treatment was also evaluated. Soil concentrations of norflurazon at 1.5 mg/kg (w/w) applied below or above plus below nutsedge tubers reduced yellow nutsedge shoot numbers at least 69%, shoot height at least 71%, shoot dry weights at least 77%, and root tuber dry weights at least 89%. Yellow nutsedge growth reduction with norflurazon was greatest when norflurazon was placed in the soil profile below or above plus below the yellow nutsedge tubers. Placement of norflurazon above yellow nutsedge tubers did not reduce shoot number, height, or dry weight until the foliar portion of plants were removed 39 d after treatment. POST application of norflurazon did not reduce initial yellow nutsedge shoot number regardless of application method. Foliar-only POST application of norflurazon was less effective for reducing numbers of emerged yellow nutsedge than application to soil only or soil plus foliage.

Invasive watermilfoils, specifically Eurasian watermilfoil and the interspecific hybrid of Eurasian watermilfoil × northern watermilfoil, continue to be problematic for water resource managers. Herbicides are often used to control these nuisance weeds and have been historically successful in controlling Eurasian watermilfoil. A population of hybrid watermilfoil from Townline Lake in Michigan has shown increased tolerance to the herbicide fluridone. The objective of this work is to determine if cross- and multiple tolerance have also developed in this population. Eurasian watermilfoil plants collected from multiple sites and plants from Townline Lake were treated with 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, or 80 µg L−1 of fluridone, norflurazon, or topramezone. Fluridone and norflurazon inhibit phytoene desaturase, whereas topramezone is a 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase-inhibiting herbicide. Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and pigment content was measured at 10 d after treatment. Townline Lake plants responded differently from susceptible plants when treated with fluridone, norflurazon, and topramezone at 40 µg L−1. These results indicate that the Townline population of hybrid watermilfoil has inherent tolerance to multiple herbicide modes of action. These results are especially significant as topramezone has recently been labeled for aquatic use. Screening of additional herbicides to determine potential herbicide tolerance of the Townline Lake population is recommended.

The development of fluridone resistance by hydrilla has significantly impacted hydrilla management, and research is ongoing to develop alternate herbicides for effective hydrilla control. We determined the potential cross-resistance in fluridone-resistant hydrilla to other bleaching herbicides norflurazon, mesotrione, and topramezone-methyl. Phytoene, β-carotene, and chlorophyll contents as a function of hydrilla biotype and herbicide treatment were evaluated. Hydrilla shoot tips were collected from fluridone-susceptible (S) and -resistant (R) biotypes and exposed to 5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 µg L−1 of herbicide. The susceptible biotype showed an increase in phytoene and a decrease in β-carotene and chlorophyll contents when treated with 5 µg L−1 fluridone, whereas higher doses of fluridone were required to affect these pigments in the resistant biotype. There was no difference in response by S and R biotypes to mesotrione and topramezone-methyl, with both biotypes showing significant affects on pigment contents at 5 µg L−1. Higher doses of norflurazon were required to affect these pigments in the R compared to the S biotype. The S biotype had EC50 values of 11.7, 12.2, and 4.7 µg L−1, whereas the R biotype had EC50 values of 56.6, 41.1, and 41.7 µg L−1 fluridone for phytoene, β-carotene, and chlorophyll contents, respectively. There was no difference in EC50 for phytoene, β-carotene, and chlorophyll values between the hydrilla biotypes for mesotrione and topramezone-methyl herbicides. In fluridone-susceptible and -resistant hydrilla biotypes, EC50 values for phytoene, β-carotene, and chlorophyll were 12.4 to 11.8, 10.2 to 13.2, and 3.1 to 4.6 µg L−1 mesotrione and 12.6 to 13.5, 13.3 to 11.9, and 4.6 to 5.7 µg L−1 topramezone-methyl, respectively. For norflurazon, S and R biotypes had EC50 values of 33.1, 45.4, and 40.6 µg L−1 and 84.6, 81.0, and 92.7 µg L−1 for phytoene, β-carotene, and chlorophyll, respectively. These studies confirmed negative cross-resistance of fluridone-resistant hydrilla to mesotrione and topramezone-methyl and a positive cross-resistance to norflurazon.

Pitted morningglory control with norflurazon or fluometuron preemergence (PRE), each at 1.12 kg/ha, was 72% or less 14 d after a postemergence (POST) application of pyrithiobac in 1993 and 1994. Pyrithiobac POST at 70 g/ha following fluometuron or norflurazon PRE cultivated at any timing controlled pitted morningglory at least 76%. Pyrithiobac POST controlled common cocklebur equal to the weed-free in 1993 at 14 d after the POST application. In 1994, when rated 28 d after pyrithiobac POST, cultivation 3 d before a single application of pyrithiobac controlled less common cocklebur than any other herbicide treatment containing pyrithiobac. At 28 d after pyrithiobac POST, no treatment controlled common cocklebur as well as the weed-free. In 1993 and 1994, seed cotton yield was equal to the weed-free when pyrithiobac followed fluometuron PRE cultivated at any timing or a single application of pyrithiobac cultivated prior to 7 d after POST application.

Soil-applied herbicides are commonly used for broad-spectrum residual weed control in Florida citrus. Groundwater contamination from some soil-applied herbicides has been reported in citrus growing areas in Florida. Indaziflam is a new soil-applied herbicide recently registered for broad-spectrum weed control in Florida citrus. There is no information available on leaching behavior of indaziflam in sandy soil. Experiments were conducted to compare leaching of indaziflam with five commercially used residual herbicides in a Florida Candler soil under simulated rainfall of 5 or 15 cm ha−1. Herbicide movement down soil columns was measured by visually evaluating injury and harvesting aboveground biomass of the bioassay species annual ryegrass. Ryegrass was not injured and plant biomass was not affected beyond 30 cm when indaziflam at a recommended rate of 73 g ai ha−1 was leached through the soil column. Leaching of indaziflam increased with increasing amounts of rainfall. For example, indaziflam leached up to 12.2 ± 0.8 cm (values are expressed ± SD) and 27.2 ± 2.6 cm at 5 and 15 cm ha−1 rainfall, respectively. The herbicide ranking from high to low mobility at 15 cm ha−1 of rainfall was bromacil = norflurazon > indaziflam > simazine = pendimethalin > diuron. Overall results suggested that indaziflam leaching was limited in Florida Candler soil in this study; however, field experiments are required to confirm the leaching of indaziflam under natural rainfall situation.