Evaluation of Tribenuron-Methyl on Sulfonylurea-Resistant Lettuce Germplasm

Abstract

A sulfonylurea (SU) herbicide resistance allele discovered in prickly lettuce was previously transferred to domestic lettuce with the cultivar name ‘ID-BR1’. ID-BR1 was acquired, and the SU resistance allele was transferred through traditional breeding methods to five common commercial lettuce types: butterhead, crisphead, green leaf, red leaf, and romaine. Field trials were conducted at Salinas, CA during 2011 and 2012 to evaluate POST applications of tribenuron-methyl (tribenuron) on SU-susceptible and SU-resistant lettuce types. Treatments included a nontreated control, pronamide applied PRE at 1,340 g ai ha−1, and tribenuron at 4, 9, and 17 g ai ha−1applied POST. Data collected were: weed control, crop injury estimates (0 = safe, 100 = dead), stand counts, and lettuce yields. Injury to lettuce from tribenuron was high in SU-susceptible lettuce types and low in SU-resistant accessions. With the exceptions of a romaine lettuce line that still may have some susceptible individuals, tribenuron did not reduce yield of SU-resistant lettuce, but did reduce the yield of SU-susceptible lettuce. Suppression of weeds such as common groundsel and annual sowthistle was higher with tribenuron than with pronamide. Tribenuron should be considered for registration as a lettuce herbicide for SU-resistant lettuce to improve current weed management options for that crop.