Response of ‘Russet Burbank’ Seed Tubers Containing Dicamba and Glyphosate

Abstract

Increased use of dicamba and/or glyphosate in dicamba/glyphosate-tolerant soybean might affect many sensitive crops, including potato. The objective of this study was to determine the growth and yield of ‘Russet Burbank’ potato grown from seed tubers (generation 2) from mother plants (generation 1) treated with dicamba (4, 20, and 99 g ae ha−1), glyphosate (8, 40, and 197 g ae ha−1), or a combination of dicamba and glyphosate during tuber initiation. Generation 2 tubers were planted near Oakes and Inkster, ND, in 2016 and 2017, at the same research farm where the generation 1 tubers were grown the previous year. Treatment with 99 g ha−1dicamba, 197 g ha−1glyphosate, or 99 g ha−1dicamba + 197 g ha−1glyphosate caused emergence of generation 2 plants to be reduced by up to 84%, 86%, and 87%, respectively, at 5 wk after planting. Total tuber yield of generation 2 was reduced up to 67%, 55%, and 68% when 99 g ha−1dicamba, 197 g ha−1glyphosate, or 99 g ha−1dicamba + 197 g ha−1glyphosate was applied to generation 1 plants, respectively. At each site year, 197 g ha−1glyphosate reduced total yield and marketable yield, while 99 g ha−1dicamba reduced total yield and marketable yield in some site-years. This study confirms that exposure to glyphosate and dicamba of potato grown for potato seed tubers can negatively affect the growth and yield potential of the subsequently grown daughter generation.