Control of Glyphosate-Resistant Common Waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis) in Glufosinate-Resistant Soybean

Abstract

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) common waterhemp has become a significant problem weed in Nebraska and several Midwestern states. Several populations of GR common waterhemp are also resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides, making them difficult to control with POST herbicides in GR soybean. Glufosinate-resistant (GFR) soybean is an alternate system for controlling GR common waterhemp, justifying the need for evaluating glufosinate-based herbicide programs. The objectives of this study were to compare POST-only herbicide programs (including one-pass and two-pass POST programs) with PRE followed by (fb) POST herbicide programs for control of GR common waterhemp in GFR soybean and their effect on common waterhemp density, biomass, and soybean yield. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 near Fremont, NE in a grower’s field infested with GR common waterhemp. Glufosinate applied early- and late-POST provided 76% control of GR common waterhemp at 14 d after late-POST (DALPOST) compared with 93% control with a PRE fb POST program when averaged across treatments. The PRE application of chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron plus flumioxazin,S-metolachlor plus fomesafen or metribuzin, saflufenacil plus dimethenamid-P fb glufosinate provided ≥95% control of common waterhemp throughout the growing season, reduced common waterhemp density to ≤2.0 plants m─2, caused ≥94% biomass reduction, and led to 1,984 to 2,210 kg ha─1soybean yield. Averaged across treatments, the PRE fb POST program provided 82% common waterhemp control at soybean harvest, reduced density to 23 plants m─2at 14 DALPOST, and caused 86% biomass reduction and 1,803 kg ha─1soybean yield compared with 77% control, 99 plants m─2, 53% biomass reduction, and 1,190 kg ha─1yield with POST-only program. It is concluded that PRE fb POST programs with multiple effective modes of action are available for control of GR common waterhemp in GFR soybean.