Evaluation of Control of Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum) with Tillage and Herbicides

Abstract

AbstractNapiergrass has potential as a cellulosic biofuel crop because of its rapid growth habit in the southern United States. However, it is also listed as a potential invasive species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. For field renovation, information about napiergrass control in response to tillage and herbicides is required. Field studies were initiated to evaluate control of napiergrass established in fields for over 3 yr at Plains, GA, and Tifton, GA. For tillage and POST herbicides, imazapyr plus glyphosate consistently controlled napiergrass relative to diclosulam plus glyphosate, sulfentrazone plus glyphosate, or tillage in terms of visual injury, stem height and dry biomass reduction. One application of imazapyr plus glyphosate controlled napiergrass 74 and 94%, and reduced plant stem height to 6 and 15% of the nontreated control. When diclosulam plus glyphosate, sulfentrazone plus glyphosate, or tillage was used alone with no sequential herbicides, napiergrass control ranged from 12 to 33%; when these control tactics were followed by two sequential applications of either sethoxydim or glyphosate, napiergrass control varied from 45 to 99%. Reductions in plant heights were reflective of injury 47 d after final herbicide applications (May/June). Napiergrass yield in dry biomass production was reduced by imazapyr plus glyphosate ≥ 86% relative to the nontreated control (NTC). Diclosulam plus glyphosate, sulfentrazone plus glyphosate, or tillage alone was not effective in reducing napiergrass dry biomass yields ranging from 1 to 47% compared with the NTC; when these treatments were followed by sequential applications of sethoxydim or glyphosate, napiergrass dry biomass was reduced 46 to 91% compared with the NTC. Tillage plus two applications of sethoxydim or glyphosate exhibited control potential because they provided levels of napiergrass control similar to imazapyr-based treatments. Tillage plus multiple applications of sethoxydim or glyphosate offers flexibility to crop rotations as compared with the residual herbicide imazapyr, which has many crop rotation restrictions because of carryover concerns.