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Weed management in container crops is primarily accomplished through frequent PRE herbicide applications and supplemental hand weeding. However, many ornamental species are sensitive to herbicides, and a significant number of tropical plants, ornamental grasses, and foliage crops have not been screened for herbicide tolerance. As nursery crops are produced in inert substrates that are largely composed of bark or peat, strategic fertilizer placement has the potential to significantly reduce weed growth in container-grown ornamentals. Growth and reproduction of three common container nursery weed species, eclipta [Eclipta prostrata(L.) L.], large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis(L.) Scop.], and spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculataL.), were evaluated following fertilization via alternative methods, including subdressing or dibbling in comparison with industry standard practices of topdressing or incorporating a controlled-release fertilizer (17-5-11 [8 to 9 mo.]) to each 3.8-L container at 36.5 g per container. Fertilizer placement had little to no effect on germination ofEclipta prostrataorD. sanguinalis, but incorporation increasedE. maculatagermination by 77% to 183% compared with other placements or a nonfertilized control. Subdressing reduced seed production by 94%, 63%, and 92% forEclipta prostrata,D. sanguinalis, andE. maculata, respectively, compared with the average number of seeds produced in the conventional placement methods (average of incorporation and topdressing). Dibbling fertilizer resulted in similar decreases in the case ofD. sanguinalisandE. maculata, whileEclipta prostrataproduced no seeds when fertilizer was dibbled. Similar to reductions observed in reproduction, subdressing fertilizer resulted in biomass decreases of 90%, 81%, and 85% compared with the average biomass of the incorporation and topdressed placements. Results suggest alternative fertilizer placements could be implemented as part of an integrated weed management program in container production to reduce weed growth.

Row-middle weed control in Florida vegetable production is challenging and often necessitates several PRE and POST herbicide applications. Coordinating POST spray applications with emergence timings should increase herbicide efficacy by targeting susceptible growth stages. Most published emergence models were developed in temperate climates, and adapting them to subtropical climates can be complex and requires reductionist insights into seed ecology, particularly germination and dormancy. The study objective was to examine the influence of temperature and osmotic potential on seed germination of carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata L.), Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum L.), eclipta [Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.], and goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.]. Mollugo verticillata seed germination was positively photoblastic, with increased germination at high temperatures (≥35 C), more so with high fluctuating temperatures (35/20 and 35/25 C), and occurred at osmotic potentials as low as −0.5 MPa. Geranium carolinianum seed germinated between 10 and 20 C in light or darkness and at osmotic potentials as low as −0.4 MPa. Eclipta prostrata seed germination was entirely positively photoblastic, occurring optimally between 15 and 25 C and at osmotic potentials as low as −1 MPa. Eleusine indica seed germination demonstrated some degree of positive photoblasticity, with greater germination in the light, peak germination at 35 C, and germination occurring at osmotic potentials as low as −0.5 MPa. Described germination ecology for selected species will provide insights for building ecology-based growing degree-day accounting restrictions for empirically derived emergence models.

Eclipta, widespread in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions, is one of the main malignant broadleaf weeds and thrives in moist and dryland fields. Field rates of acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have failed to control eclipta in some farmlands in China. One ALS inhibitor–resistant population (R) collected from Jiangsu province in China was confirmed in the greenhouse in our preliminary work. Whole-plant assays revealed that this R population was highly resistant to four sulfonylureas (pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, 134-fold; bensulfuron-methyl, 172-fold; metsulfuron-methyl, 30-fold; and tribenuron-methyl, 195-fold), two triazolopyrimidines (pyroxsulam, 98-fold; penoxsulam, 30-fold), and one pyrimidinylthio-benzoate (bispyribac-sodium, 166-fold) and was moderately resistant to two imidazolinones (imazethapyr, 10-fold; imazapic, 19-fold). ALS enzyme-activity assays showed insensitivity of the ALS from the R population (resistance index values ranged from 12 to 293) to all of the above ALS inhibitors in vitro. Chromatograms from ALS gene sequence analysis detected a homozygous Pro-197-Ser amino acid substitution in the R population. These results confirmed that the Pro-197-Ser substitution results in broad-spectrum cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors in the eclipta R population. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report broad cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors in eclipta and to obtain the full-length ALS gene sequence.Nomenclature: bensulfuron-methyl; bispyribac-sodium; imazapic; imazethapyr; metsulfuron-methyl; penoxsulam; pyrazosulfuron-ethyl; pyroxsulam; tribenuron-methyl; eclipta, Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.

Crop residues acting as mulches can influence weed seedling emergence and weed biomass. A field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of rice residue amounts (0, 3, and 6 t ha−1) on seedling emergence of eight weed species in zero-till dry-seeded rice. The highest seedling emergence of spiny amaranth, southern crabgrass, crowfootgrass, junglerice, eclipta, goosegrass, and Chinese sprangletop was observed in the absence of residue. Seedling emergence of these weeds declined with increasing residue amounts; however, the greatest and most substantial reductions in emergence occurred with 6 t ha−1of residue. The presence of residue also resulted in less weed biomass than with the no-residue treatment. The emergence and biomass of threelobe morningglory seedlings, however, were not influenced by residue amounts. The use of residue also increased the time taken to reach 50% of maximum emergence for some species, for example, spiny amaranth and Chinese sprangletop. The results of our study suggest that the use of residue at high rates can help suppress seedling emergence and growth of many weeds. However, there is a need to integrate other weed management strategies with residue retention to achieve season-long weed control.

Planting peanut in narrow rows for weed control has not been investigated in recently released Virginia market peanut cultivars. Research was conducted in North Carolina from 2007 to 2009 to determine the effect of cultivar, planting pattern, and level of weed management inputs on weed control, peanut yield, and estimated economic return. Experiments consisted of three levels of weed management (clethodim applied POST, cultivation and hand-removal of weeds, and clethodim and appropriate broadleaf herbicides applied POST), three levels of planting pattern (single rows spaced 91 cm apart, standard twin rows spaced 20 cm apart on 91-cm centers, and narrow twin rows consisting of twin rows spaced 20 cm apart on 46-cm centers), and two Virginia cultivars (‘NC 12C’ and ‘VA 98R’). Weed management affected common lambsquarters, common ragweed, eclipta, nodding spurge, pitted morningglory, Texas millet, and yellow nutsedge control, irrespective of cultivar or planting pattern. Cultivar and planting pattern had only minor effects on weed control and interactions of these treatment factors seldom occurred. Weed control achieved with cultivation plus hand-removal was similar to weed management observed with grass and broadleaf herbicide programs. Pod yield did not differ among treatments when broadleaf weeds were the dominant species but did differ when Texas millet was the most prevalent weed. The highest yield with conventional herbicide weed management was in standard twin and narrow twin row planting patterns, although no differences among planting patterns were noted when cultivation and hand-removal were the primary weed management tactics. Differences in estimated economic return were associated with weed species, and interactions of treatment factors varied by year for that parameter.

Experiments were conducted to determine the influence of various environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence of eclipta. Seed germination was completely inhibited in the dark, whereas in the light/dark it was 76, 93, and 87% at 25/15, 30/20, and 35/25 C alternating day/night temperatures, respectively. Germination was greater than 80% up to a temperature of 140 C, when seed were placed in an oven for 5 min followed by incubation at 30/20 C for 14 d, but declined progressively with a further increase in exposure temperature with no germination at 200 C. Seed germination was tolerant of salt stress but highly sensitive to water stress. Seed germinated (87 to 93%) over a pH range of 4 to 10. Seedling emergence was greatest (83%) for the seed placed on the soil surface but declined thereafter, and no seedlings emerged from a depth of 0.5 cm. Seedling emergence was slower and lower with the addition of 4 to 6 t ha−1of plant residue. The information gained from this study identifies some of the factors facilitating eclipta becoming a widespread weed in the humid tropics and might contribute to its control.

Hand-held hyperspectral reflectance data were collected in the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004 to differentiate unique spectral characteristics of common turfgrass and weed species. Turfgrass species evaluated were: bermudagrass, ‘Tifway 419’; zoysiagrass, ‘Meyer’; St. Augustinegrass, ‘Raleigh’; common centipedegrass; and creeping bentgrass, ‘Crenshaw’. Weed species evaluated were: dallisgrass, southern crabgrass, eclipta, and Virginia buttonweed. Reflectance data were collected from greenhouse and field locations. An overall classification accuracy of 85% was achieved for all species in the field. A total of 21 spectral bands between 378 and 1,000 nm that were consistent over the three data collection periods were used for analysis. Only centipedegrass, zoysiagrass, and dallisgrass were correctly classified less than 80% of the time. An overall classification accuracy of 69% was achieved for the greenhouse species. Spectral bands used in this analysis ranged from 353 to 799 nm. Creeping bentgrass and Virginia buttonweed were classified correctly at 96 and 92%, respectively.

Experiments were conducted in Lewiston, NC, in 1999 and 2000 and Rocky Mount, NC, in 1999 to evaluate weed management systems in strip- and conventional-tillage peanut. The peanut cultivars grown were ‘NC 10C’, ‘NC 12C’, and ‘NC 7’, respectively. Weed management systems consisted of different combinations of preemergence (PRE) herbicides including diclosulam and flumioxazin plus commercial postemergence (POST) herbicide systems. Dimethenamid plus diclosulam or flumioxazin PRE controlled common lambsquarters, eclipta, and prickly sida at least 91%. Diclosulam and flumioxazin provided variable control of three Ipomoea species (59 to 91%) and bentazon plus acifluorfen POST provided > 90% control. Only diclosulam systems controlled yellow nutsedge 90% late season. Annual grass control required clethodim late POST, regardless of tillage system. Dimethenamid plus diclosulam or flumioxazin PRE produced equivalent yields and net returns with no significant differences between the two PRE options. Both sy...

The effect of sequential hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous methanol extracts of ‘Regal’ sweetpotato periderm on seed germination of sweetpotato, proso millet, and seven weed species was studied. The hexane extract, which contained the nonpolar components of the periderm tissue, was least inhibitory. It inhibited velvetleaf, proso millet, black nightshade, and redroot pigweed germination, and maximum inhibition was 56% for black nightshade at 200 mg of periderm extracted ml–1. The ethyl acetate fraction was inhibitory to proso millet, velvetleaf, black nightshade, goosegrass, tall morningglory, coffee senna, and redroot pigweed. The estimated I50for ethyl acetate ranged from 17 mg periderm extracted ml–1for black nightshade to 201 mg ml–1for coffee senna. Sweetpotato, tall morningglory, and eclipta germination was not inhibited by this extract at the concentrations tested. The aqueous methanol extract was much more inhibitory than the hexane or ethyl acetate extracts, and there was considerable variation between species in response to this extract The I50estimates for the aqueous methanol extract were 0.5, 0.6, 2.8, 4.4, 5.1, 9.6, 15.7, 21.0, and 25.8 mg ml–1for velvetleaf, proso millet, black nightshade, goosegrass, sweetpotato, tall morningglory, eclipta, coffee senna, and pigweed, respectively.