Comparison of Glufosinate-Based Herbicide Programs for Broad-Spectrum Weed Control in Glufosinate-Resistant Soybean

Because of the increasing number of glyphosate-resistant weeds, alternate herbicide-resistant crops and herbicides with different modes of action are required to protect crop yield. Glufosinate is a broad-spectrum POST herbicide for weed control in glufosinate-resistant crops, including soybean. The objective of this study was to compare herbicide programs with glufosinate applied singly at late-POST (LPOST) or sequentially at early POST (EPOST) followed by (fb) LPOST applications and PRE herbicides fb EPOST/LPOST glufosinate alone or tank-mixed with acetochlor, pyroxasulfone, orS-metolachlor in glufosinate-resistant soybean. A field experiment was conducted at the South Central Agriculture Laboratory in Clay Center, NE, in 2012 and 2013. Glufosinate applied in a single LPOST or sequential EPOST fb LPOST application controlled common lambsquarters, common waterhemp, eastern black nightshade, green foxtail, large crabgrass, and velvetleaf ≤ 82% and resulted in a weed density of 6 to 10 plants m−2by the end of the season. Flumioxazin-, saflufenacil-, or sulfentrazone-based premixes provided 84 to 99% control of broadleaf and grass weeds tested in this study at 15 d after PRE application and a subsequent LPOST application of glufosinate alone controlled broadleaf and grass weeds 69 to 93% at harvest, depending on the herbicide program and weed species being investigated. The PRE application of sulfentrazone plus metribuzin fb EPOST glufosinate tank-mixed with acetochlor, pyroxasulfone, orS-metolachlor controlled the tested broadleaf and grass weeds ≥ 90%, reduced density to ≤ 2 plants m−2, and reduced weed biomass to ≤ 10 g m−2and produced soybean yields of ≥ 4,450 and 3,040 kg ha−1in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Soybean injury was 0 to 20% from PRE or POST herbicides, or both and was inconsistent, but transient, during the 2-yr study, and it did not affect soybean yield. Sulfentrazone plus metribuzin applied PRE fb glufosinate EPOST tank-mixed with acetochlor, pyroxasulfone, orS-metolachlor provided the highest level of weed control throughout the growing season and increased soybean yield compared with a single LPOST or a sequential EPOST fb LPOST glufosinate application. Additionally, these herbicide programs provide four distinct mechanisms of action that constitute an effective weed-resistance management strategy in glufosinate-resistant soybean.

Water and Temperature Stress Impact Fitness of Acetohydroxyacid Synthase–Inhibiting Herbicide-Resistant Populations of Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum ptychanthum)

Many substitutions in the herbicide target enzyme acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) confer whole-plant resistance and may reduce plant fitness. This study was done to determine the impact of different watering and temperature regimes on the germination, growth, and seed production of eastern black nightshade populations resistant (R) to AHAS inhibitors as conferred by an Ala205Val substitution in their AHAS. Growth and reproductive ability of four R and four susceptible (S) populations were determined in growth-cabinet and greenhouse studies. The R populations had lower total berry and viable seed production per plant than S under optimal conditions because of slower berry maturation. Seed production of both S and R populations decreased under lower or higher than optimal watering regimes; however, this reduction was more pronounced for the S populations so that seed production was comparable across S and R. The R populations had significantly higher germination and vegetative growth under cooler alternating temperature regimes. Although there were no differences between R and S plants under stress conditions, under optimal growth conditions, the Ala205Val substitution comes at a significant cost in eastern black nightshade. Under optimal growth conditions and in the absence of herbicide selection, S populations should eventually dominate over R; however, the lack of fitness differences under stress conditions could enhance the persistence of the R individuals.

Timing Potato Cultivation Using The Weedcast Model

A weed emergence prediction model, WeedCast, was used as a decision aid to schedule potato cultivation with and without herbicides at Wooster, OH, USA; Charlottetown, PE, Canada; and Fargo, ND, USA, from 2001 to 2003. Studies were laid out in a split-plot design with herbicides (±) forming the main plots and cultivation timing as subplots. Cultivation was done at 15, 30, or 60% of predicted weed emergence. Subplots were either left unsprayed or treated with metolachlor + metribuzin at 1.68 + 0.5 kg ai ha−1and only cultivated at predetermined timing. Cultivation timing was based on predicted emergence of common lambsquarters at Wooster and Charlottetown, whereas eastern black nightshade was the indicator weed at Fargo. Weed control for the different cultivation timings varied among sites and years and was consistently better in plots where herbicides were followed by cultivation. Cultivation alone resulted in poor weed control and significantly reduced potato tuber yield compared with those in plots where weed control also included herbicides. Use of herbicides followed by cultivation and hilling increased tuber yield by 4.6, 4.3, and 8.7 t ha−1, when cultivations were done at 15, 30, and 60% of predicted weed emergence, respectively, and 12.2 t ha−1for hilled-only plots. The average potato yield increase at Charlottetown was 9.7, 5.9, 6.9, and 7.4 t ha−1for hilled-only plots and for hilled after cultivations at 15, 30, and 60% of predicted weed emergence with herbicides, respectively. There was no apparent pattern for treatment effects at Fargo, and the potato tuber yields were greatly reduced mainly because of excessive precipitation during potato establishment. Use of WeedCast as a decision-aid tool could be an asset in determining when to do the first and subsequent cultivations. It may work best for growers who use cultivations in potato to remove weeds that were not controlled by herbicides.

An Ala205Val Substitution in Acetohydroxyacid Synthase of Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum ptychanthum) Reduces Sensitivity to Herbicides and Feedback Inhibition

Twelve populations of eastern black nightshade from different locations in Ontario are resistant to imazethapyr. This study aimed at determining the molecular basis of resistance in these populations and the activity of the resistant acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) enzyme compared to that of the sensitive AHAS in response to different herbicides and branched-chain amino acid concentration. The results of partialAHASsequencing indicated that all resistant populations had a cytosine331to thymine substitution coding for an alanine205to valine substitution.In vitroAHAS enzyme assays of one resistant population showed that the specific activity of the resistant enzyme was 56% less than that of the susceptible enzyme. AHAS from the resistant population was 72-, 70-, and 64-fold less sensitive than that of the susceptible population to imazethapyr, imazamox, and primisulfuron, respectively. Furthermore, the resistant enzyme was less sensitive to feedback inhibition from branched-chain amino acids compared to the susceptible enzyme. Results confirmed that resistance in resistant populations of eastern black nightshade was conferred by target-site modification and that the Ala205Val substitution alters the kinetics and regulation of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis.

Row Spacing and Seeding Rate Effects on Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum Ptycanthum) and Soybean

Reducing seeding rates in 19- or 76-cm row soybean below the optimum rate may reduce soybean competitiveness with weeds, and indirectly increase production costs to the grower. Field studies in 2001 and 2002 evaluated the effect of soybean seeding rate and row spacing on the emergence, growth, and competitiveness of eastern black nightshade (EBN) in soybean. EBN emergence ceased within 45 d after planting (DAP), and was similar across soybean seeding rates and row spacing. EBN control by glyphosate was not affected by soybean population or row spacing. Soybean planted in 19-cm rows was more competitive with EBN, regardless of seeding rate. Increasing the soybean seeding rate in 76-cm rows from 185,000 seeds/ha to 432,000 seeds/ha reduced EBN dry weight threefold at East Lansing and nearly twofold at Clarksville in 2002. There was no increase in EBN density or dry weight in 19-cm row soybean planted at 308,000 seeds/ha compared with 556,000 seeds/ha, whereas a seeding rate of 432,000 seeds/ha in 76-cm row soybean did not suppress EBN dry weight or increase soybean yield in the presence of EBN compared with a seeding rate of 308,000 seeds/ha.

ALS-Inhibitor Resistance in Populations of Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum) from Ontario

Populations of eastern black nightshade suspected of being resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have been reported since 1999 in different locations in Ontario, Canada. This event has threatened the use of ALS inhibitors for control of this species. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the spectrum of resistance to different ALS-inhibiting herbicides and to examine the effectiveness of alternative modes of action herbicides. Growth room experiments were conducted to determine the response to imazethapyr and atrazine in seven suspected ALS inhibitor– resistant populations. One resistant and one susceptible population were further characterized for their response to ALS inhibitors and chloroacetamides. Seven populations were able to survive imazethapyr at 100 g ai/ha, while there was no resistance to atrazine. Compared to a susceptible (S) population, resistant (R) population SOLPT 1 had 726-, 31-, 6-, and 4-fold resistance to postemergence (POST) applied imazethapyr, imazamox, primisulfuron, and flumetsulam, respectively. Preemergence (PRE) application of imazethapyr, flumetsulam, cloransulam, nicosulfuron, prosulfuron, and rimsulfuron did not provide control of the R population, whereas they totally controlled the S population. The chloroacetamide herbicides metolachlor, dimethenamid, and flufenacet all provided at least 90% control of both R and S populations when applied PRE at the recommended field rates. The ALS inhibitors will not provide adequate control of these resistant populations, but acceptable control could be achieved with chloroacetamides or with atrazine.

Rimsulfuron Controls Hairy Nightshade, but not Eastern Black Nightshade, in Tomato

Nightshade species are difficult to control in tomato production and their interference reduces both tomato yield and quality. Rimsulfuron can be used to control nightshades, but species and biotypes vary in their response to rimsulfuron. The objectives of this study were to evaluate control of hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides Sendt.) and eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun.) by rimsulfuron and compare North Dakota eastern black nightshade accession response to three acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitor herbicides. In field studies conducted at Oakes, N. Dak., rimsulfuron at rates of 26 or 53 g·ha–1 a.i. was applied within 1 week after transplanting tomato (EPOST) or 2 to 4 weeks after transplanting (POST). Rimsulfuron gave excellent control of hairy nightshade when applied POST, and poor to excellent control when applied EPOST, with control being much better when hairy nightshade had emerged before the EPOST application. Rimsulfuron at 53 g·ha–1 provided greater control than at 26 g·ha–1 only for the EPOST applications. Rimsulfuron controlled hairy nightshade which allowed eastern black nightshade (which was not controlled by rimsulfuron) to dominate tomato. Tomato yield was lower when dominated by hairy nightshade than by eastern black nightshade. This was due to the earlier emergence and faster growth of hairy nightshade compared to eastern black nightshade. Tomato yield was higher in the hand-weeded check than for all other treatments in 1999, the only year the hand-weeded check was included in the study. Greenhouse studies on plants grown from seed collected at the experimental site verified that eastern black nightshade was tolerant to rimsulfuron but was controlled by tribenuron and imazethapyr. Rimsulfuron can be used in tomato production to control hairy nightshade, but not the accession of eastern black nightshade found in this study. Chemical names used: N-((4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)aminocarbonyl)-3-(ethylsulfonyl)-2-pyridinesulfonamide (rimsulfuron); (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N dipropyl-p-toluidine) (trifluralin); methyl 2-[[[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl–1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)methylamino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]benzoate (tribenuron methyl); (±)-2-[4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-5-oxo–1H-imidazol-2-yl]-5-ethyl-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid (imazethapyr).