Field experiments were conducted during 2003 and 2004 to compare the effectiveness of KIH-485 and S-metolachlor for PRE weed control in no-tillage and conventional-tillage corn. Longspine sandbur control increased as KIH-485 or S-metolachlor rates increased in conventional-tillage corn, but control did not exceed 75% when averaged over experiments. Both herbicides controlled at least 87% of green foxtail with the exception of no-tillage corn in 2004, when KIH-485 was more effective than S-metolachlor at lower rates. Palmer amaranth control ranged from 85 to 100% in 2003 and 80 to 100% in 2004, with the exception of only 57 to 76% control at the lowest two S-metolachlor rates in 2004. Puncturevine control exceeded 94% with all treatments in 2003. In 2004, KIH-485 controlled 86 to 96% of the puncturevine, whereas S-metolachlor controlled only 70 to 81%. Mixtures of atrazine with KIH-485 or S-metolachlor generally provided the most effective control of broadleaf weeds studied.

No abstract

Irrigated field experiments were conducted near Torrington, WY, during the 2001 to 2002 (year 1) and 2002 to 2003 (year 2) winter wheat growing seasons to evaluate cultivar response to different imazamox rates, adjuvants, and application timings. Five cultivars were treated postemergence in the early fall (EF), late fall (LF), or early spring (ES) with imazamox at 54 or 108 g ai/ha, including either nonionic surfactant (NIS) at 0.25% or methylated seed oil (MSO) at 1% (v/v) as adjuvants. A 28% urea ammonium nitrate solution at 1% (v/v) was included with all treatments. Spring injury was more severe in year 1 than year 2. Severe spring injury on ‘AP502 CL’, ‘Above’, ‘IMI-Fidel’, ‘IMI-Jagger’, and ‘IMI-Madsen’ was linked to fall application of 108 g/ha imazamox with MSO. Imazamox applied at 108 g/ha plus MSO applied in the fall consistently injured all cultivars more than the same rate with NIS and 54 g/ha imazamox regardless of adjuvant and timing, although severity of injury in the experiments differed between EF and LF timings in years 1 and 2, respectively. Correlation analysis supports injury reduced reproductive tillers per meter of row and wheat yields and increased the number of seeds per spike in year 1. The reduction of reproductive tillers per meter of row in year 1 was likely the result of severe injury caused by 108 g/ha imazamox applied in the EF coupled with little snow cover to protect against cold winter temperatures. Wheat yield in year 1 was reduced by 108 g/ha imazamox applied in the early fall; however, imazamox applied at 54 g/ha with either adjuvant in EF, LF, or ES were safe. Yield parameters and wheat yields in year 2 were not affected by imazamox rate, adjuvant, timing, or interactions of these factors.

Growth chamber experiments were conducted in the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007 to determine winter wheat, flixweed, and henbit response to POST treatments of saflufenacil at 13, 25, and 50 g ai ha−1 applied alone and in combinations with bentazon at 560 g ai ha−1 or 2,4-D amine at 533 g ae ha−1 and nonionic surfactant (NIS) at 0.25% v/v. Mixtures of saflufenacil and 2,4-D amine were also applied without NIS. Necrosis was observed on wheat leaves within 1 d after treatment (DAT) and peaked at 5 to 7 DAT. Saflufenacil at 13, 25, or 50 g ai ha−1 applied alone or in combination with 533 g ae ha−1 of 2,4-D amine plus NIS caused 19 to 38% (alone) and 24 to 40% (in combination) wheat foliar necrosis, respectively. Foliar necrosis of wheat was 14% or less when saflufenacil, at any rate, was mixed with bentazon or 2,4-D amine without NIS. Combinations of saflufenacil at any of the rates tested plus bentazon and NIS did not reduce wheat dry weight. Saflufenacil plus 2,4-D amine without adjuvant resulted in similar wheat dry weights as 2,4-D amine. Saflufenacil plus 2,4-D amine without NIS provided 99% control of flixweed at 21 DAT, but henbit control ranged from 81 to 88%. In comparison, saflufenacil at 50 g ha−1 mixed with bentazon and NIS controlled flixweed at 92% and henbit at 63% at 21 DAT. This research indicates saflufenacil has potential for POST use in winter wheat to control winter annual broadleaf weeds when tank-mixed with 2,4-D amine without NIS, but additional research is needed to discover ways to improve crop safety without reducing weed control.

Field experiments in winter wheat were initiated at two locations in the fall of 2006 and 2007 to evaluate winter annual broadleaf weeds and winter wheat response to POST applications of two saflufenacil formulations applied alone and in combination with 2,4-D amine. Emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and water-dispersible granule (WG) formulations of saflufenacil at 13, 25, and 50 g ai ha−1were applied with 1.0% (v/v) crop oil concentrate (COC) and mixed with 2,4-D amine at 533 g ae ha−1without adjuvant. Regardless of rate or formulation, saflufenacil plus COC and saflufenacil plus 2,4-D amine controlled blue mustard ≥ 91% at 17 to 20 d after treatment (DAT) compared with ≤ 50% control with 2,4-D amine alone. At least 25 g ha−1of saflufenacil EC was necessary to control flixweed > 90%. Excluding COC from saflufenacil plus 2,4-D amine reduced flixweed control from the saflufenacil WG formulation more than the EC formulation. Most saflufenacil treatments did not control henbit satisfactorily (≤ 80%). Wheat foliar necrosis increased with increasing saflufenacil rate to as high as 30% at 3 to 6 DAT, but declined to < 15% at 10 to 20 DAT and was not evident at 30 DAT. Saflufenacil rate, formulation, and mixing with 2,4-D amine also influenced wheat stunting, but to a lesser extent than foliar necrosis. Saflufenacil EC consistently caused greater foliar necrosis and stunting on wheat than saflufenacil WG. Leaf necrosis and stunting were reduced by tank-mixing saflufenacil formulations with 2,4-D amine without COC. Grain yields of most saflufenacil treatments were similar to 2,4-D amine under weedy conditions and herbicide treatments had no effect on grain yield in weed-free experiments. Saflufenacil formulations at 25 to 50 g ha−1with 2,4-D amine and saflufenacil WG at 25 to 50 g ha−1with COC can control winter annual broadleaf weeds with minimal injury (< 15%) and no grain yield reductions. The addition of saflufenacil as a POST-applied herbicide would give wheat growers another useful tool to control annual broadleaf weeds, including herbicide-resistant weed species.