Sesame (Sesamum indicum) Response to Postemergencedirected Herbicide Applications

Field studies were conducted from 2006 to 2010 under weed-free conditions in south Texas and in the Texas High Plains to determine sesame tolerance to applied postemergence-directed herbicides. Injury was greatest when herbicides were applied to 15 cm of the main stem compared to herbicide applications made to 5 cm of the main stem height. Glyphosate at 0.84 kg ae/ha and pyrithiobac-sodium at 0.07 kg ai/ha resulted in the greatest sesame stunting (28–90%) when applied up to 15 cm main stem height, while carfentrazone-ethyl, flumioxazin, and imazethapyr caused greatest injury when applied to 5 cm of the main stem. When glyphosate was applied up to 5 cm main stem height, sesame injury was 20% or less. Glyphosate applied up to the 15 cm stem height and pyrithiobac-sodium applied 5 and 15 cm stem height consistently reduced sesame yield when compared with the nontreated control. Acetochlor, diuron, fluometuron, and prometryn did not cause any sesame stunting. Carfentrazone-ethyl, diuron, flumioxazin, imazethapyr, propazine, pyraflufen-ethyl, linuron, and linuron plus diuron reduced sesame yield in at least one year in south Texas

Influence of Adjuvants on Efficacy of Postemergence Herbicides Commonly Used in Peanut (<em>Arachis hypogaea</em> L.)

Field studies were conducted for 2 years in the High Plains of Texas (34.1826o N, 101.9505o W) and in South Texas (29.1634o N, 97.0725o W) to evaluate weed control when using different adjuvants with commonly used peanut herbicides. In the High Plains, Amaranthus palmeri L. control with acifluorfen, imazapic, lactofen, and 2,4-DB at the 1X dose improved with the use of an adjuvant over no adjuvant. A. palmeri control with imazethapyr was similar to that seen with imazapic and lactofen with the exception of the 1/2X rate of imazethapyr, which showed improved control with Agridex over the use of no adjuvant or Induce in 1 year, while Induce was better than no adjuvant or Agridex in the other year. In 1 year in South Texas, A. palmeri control with imazapic at the 1X dose was ≥73% with/without an adjuvant. In another year, the 1X dose of imazapic controlled A. palmeri 64% without an adjuvant, while the addition of Cide Kick II resulted in 83% control. An adjuvant did not improve A. palmeri control with lactofen or Cucumis melo L. control with either imazapic or lactofen. Urochloa texana (Buckl.) control with clethodim at the 1X dose was not improved by the addition of an adjuvant in either year. U. texana control was not improved when using the 1X dose of fluazifop-P with any adjuvant

Using Herbicide Programs to Control Weeds in Corn (Zea mays L.) and Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Field studies were conducted to evaluate control of Amaranthus species and other weeds in corn and cotton. In corn, Palmer amaranth control was at least 90% with preemergence applications of fluthiacet‐methyl plus pyroxasulfone, atrazine plus either acetochlor, alachlor, dimethenamid‐P, S‐metolachlor, or S‐metolachlor plus mesotrione, saflufenacil plus dimethenamid‐P, and S‐metolachlor plus mesotrione. When using postemergence herbicides applied to Palmer amaranth less than 5 cm tall, atrazine, prosulfuron, and topramezone alone or the combinations of atrazine plus S‐metolachlor plus glyphosate, diflufenzopyr plus dicamba, dimethenamid plus glyphosate, halosulfuron‐methyl plus dicamba, mesotrione plus S‐metolachlor plus glyphosate, pyroxasulfone plus glyphosate, and thiencarbazone‐methyl plus tembotrione provided at least 91% control. In cotton, pyrithiobac applied preemergence resulted in no greater than 63% of control of Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp at the early season rating. Pendimethalin applied preemergence provided varied levels of control of common waterhemp. Trifluralin, applied preplant incorporated, consistently provided at least 86% or greater control of both species. A decreased level of control of both Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp was observed with pendimethalin applied preemergence followed by pyrithiobac‐applied early postemergence and followed by glufosinate applied mid‐post. Systems which included an early postemergence and mid‐postemergence application of glyphosate plus 2,4‐d choline provided at least 94% season‐long Palmer amaranth control

Castor ( Ricinus communis

Potential US castor production is limited due to only one labeled herbicide (trifluralin). Field studies were conducted at two Texas locations during 2008 and 2009 to evaluate postemergence herbicides for castor tolerance and weed control efficacy. Clethodim and fluazifop-P-butyl caused no castor stunting while acifluorfen, bentazon, imazethapyr, and lactofen caused stunting which ranged from 5 to 46%. Imazapic and 2,4-DB caused the greatest stunting (44 to 99%) and resulted in castor yields of 0 to 45% of the untreated check. Acifluorfen, imazapic, imazethapyr, lactofen, and 2,4-DB controlled at least 80% smellmelon (Cucumis melo L. var. Dudaim Naud.) while clethodim and fluazifop-P-butyl controlled at least 98% Texas millet [Urochloa texana (Buckl.) R.Webster]. Imazapic and imazethapyr provided 57 to 75% Texas millet control. Results suggest that castor tolerance to the graminicides, clethodim, and fluazifop-P-butyl is high; however, castor injury and yield reductions with the postemergence applications of broadleaf herbicides suggest that these herbicides should not be used in castor production

Influence of Simulated Imazapic and Imazethapyr Herbicide Carryover on Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum

Field studies were conducted during the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons in the Texas peanut growing regions to simulate residual concentrations of imazapic and imazethapyr in the soil and subsequent effects on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Simulated imazapic or imazethapyr rates included 0, 1/64X (1.09 g ai/ha), 1/32X (2.19 g ai/ha), 1/16X (4.38 g ai/ha), 1/8X (8.75 g ai/ha), 1/4X (17.5 g ai/ha), and 1/2X (35 g ai/ha) of the full labeled rate for peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and incorporated prior to cotton planting. Cotton stunting with imazapic or imazethapyr was more severe at Denver City than other locations. All rates of imazapic and imazethapyr resulted in cotton stunting at Denver City while at Munday and Yoakum the 1/8X, 1/4X, and 1/2X rates of imazapic resulted in reduced cotton growth when compared with the untreated check. At all locations imazapic caused more stunted cotton than imazethapyr. Cotton lint yield was reduced by imazapic or imazethapyr at 1/4 X and 1/2 X rates at all locations when compared with the untreated check

Effects of Harvest Aids on Sesame (<em>Sesamum indicum</em> L.) Drydown and Maturity

Harvest aids are traditionally used to desiccate weeds to improve crop quality and harvest efficiency. Field studies were conducted in Texas to determine the effect of harvest aids (glyphosate, diquat-dibromide, glufosinate-ammonium, and carfentrazone-ethyl) on sesame drydown and yield. The objective was to identify one or more harvest aids that could (1) accelerate drydown, (2) burn-down green weeds, (3) even up a field with varying levels of drydown, (4) stop regrowth, (5) stop vivipary, and (6) prepare to plant a new crop. Other than diquat-dibromide, the herbicides were chosen based on the effect on weeds in other crops. The plan was to apply the herbicides 1 week before physiological maturity (PM), at PM, and 1 week after PM. However, sesame maturity is very sensitive to ground moisture, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. The weather was different in all trials and some stages could not be completed. In two cases, the trials had to be abandoned; however, certain patterns emerged. All the herbicides accelerated drydown compared to the untreated check. Diquat-dibromide and glufosinate-ammonium dried sesame faster than glyphosate and carfentrazone-ethyl. The higher rates of the herbicide dried down the sesame faster than the low rate. Although there were some differences in yields across the three application periods, there was no consistent pattern

Weed Control and Grain Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor

Field studies were conducted during the 2008 and 2009 growing seasons at five locations in the Texas grain sorghum producing regions to evaluate pyrasulfotole plus bromoxynil combinations for weed control and grain sorghum response. All pyrasulfotole plus bromoxynil combinations controlled Amaranthus palmeri, Cucumis melo, and Proboscidea louisianica at least 94% while control of Urochloa texana was never better than 69%. Pyrasulfotole plus bromoxynil combinations did result in early season chlorosis and stunting; however, by the end of the growing season no visual injury or stunting differences were noted when compared to the untreated check. Early season grain sorghum chlorosis and stunting with pyrasulfotole plus bromoxynil combinations did not affect grain sorghum yields with the exception of pyrasulfotole at 0.03 kg ai/ha plus bromoxynil at 0.26 kg ai/ha plus atrazine at 0.58 kg ai/ha applied early postemergence followed by pyrasulfotole plus bromoxynil applied mid-postemergence which reduced yield at one of two locations in 2008. Grain sorghum yield increased following all pyrasulfotole plus bromoxynil treatments compared to the untreated check in 2009

Late-season surveys to document seed rain potential of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) in Texas cotton.

Weed escapes are often present in large production fields prior to harvest, contributing to seed rain and species persistence. Late-season surveys were conducted in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fields in Texas in 2016 and 2017 to identify common weed species present as escapes and estimate seed rain potential of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) and waterhemp [A. tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer], two troublesome species with high fecundity. A total of 400 cotton fields across four major cotton-producing regions in Texas [High Plains (HP), Gulf Coast (GC), Central Texas, and Blacklands] were surveyed. Amaranthus palmeri, Texas millet [Urochloa texana (Buckley) R. Webster], A. tuberculatus, ragweed parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.), and barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] were reported as the top five weed escapes in cotton fields. Amaranthus palmeri was the most prevalent weed in the HP and Lower GC regions, whereas A. tuberculatus escapes were predominantly observed in the Upper GC and Blacklands regions. On average, 9.4% of an individual field was infested with A. palmeri escapes in the Lower GC region; however, 5.1 to 8.1% of a field was infested in the HP region. Average A. palmeri density ranged from 405 (Central Texas) to 3,543 plants ha-1 (Lower GC). The greatest seed rain potential by A. palmeri escapes was observed in the upper HP region (13.9 million seeds ha-1), whereas the seed rain potential of A. tuberculatus escapes was the greatest in the Blacklands (12.9 million seeds ha-1) and the upper GC regions (9.8 million seeds ha-1). Seed rain from late-season A. palmeri and A. tuberculatus escapes is significant in Texas cotton, and effective management of these escapes is imperative for minimizing seedbank inputs and impacting weed species persistence