Glyphosate-Resistant Horseweed (Conyza canadensis) Growth, Seed Production, and Interference in Cotton

Abstract

Field studies were conducted to examine both density and duration of glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed interference in cotton. Two studies, one examining the effect of horseweed density and a second the duration of horseweed interference, were conducted on a site with a natural population of horseweed that were treated with glyphosate at 0.84 kg ae ha−1prior to planting and at the 2nd and 4th cotton node growth stages. GR horseweed density effect on cotton height, maturity, and lint yield was determined at horseweed densities of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 plants m−2. Duration of horseweed interference was evaluated when 20 horseweed m−2were allowed to interfere with cotton from emergence to 2nd node, 6th node, 10th node, 12th node, and 1st bloom stage of cotton. The maximum cotton lint yield loss (46%) occurred when horseweed was allowed to compete with cotton from emergence to maturity at the two highest densities (20 and 25 horseweed m−2). When the data were fit to the Cousens model the estimateda(maximum yield loss) andi(yield loss per unit density as density approaches zero) were 53 ± 7.3 and 2.8 ± 0.6 SE, respectively. In both years of the study, horseweed interference from emergence to the 2nd cotton node did not reduce cotton lint yields. In 2006, cotton lint yield loss was 28% compared to 39% in 2005 when horseweed interfered with cotton from emergence until the 6th cotton node. Cotton lint yield loss was 37 and 44% when horseweed competed to the 8th cotton node in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Maximum horseweed seed production was 134,000 to 148,000 seeds m−2.