Minimal Herbicide Treatments on the Establishment of Four Turfgrasses1

Abstract

AbstractEstablishment of newly planted grasses for turf is influenced by weed competition. Since herbicides may reduce weed competition during the establishment period, an experiment was initiated to determine the effects of minimal vs. no herbicide treatment during the establishment of four turfgrass varieties and species. Herbicides as preemergence treatments were applied immediately after sprigging to centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hacck.], ‘Emerald’ zoysia (Zoysia japonica × Zoysia tenuifolia Willd. ex Trin.), ‘Tifway’ and ‘Floraturf’ bermudagrasses (Cynodon sp.) in May and again the following March for experiments initiated in 1972 and 1973. The soil type was a Cecil sandy clay loam (Typic Hapludult). With the exception of Emerald zoysia, all turfgrasses grew well in untreated plots and competed successfully with the weeds after two growing seasons. Bensulide [0,0‐diisopropyl phosphorodithioate S‐ester with JV‐(2‐mercaptoethyl)benzenesulfonarnide] and terbutol (2‐ 6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐p‐tolyl methylcarbamate) generally caused more injury to the different turfgrasses than pronamide [3,5‐dichloro‐N‐(l,l‐dimethyl‐2‐propynyl)benzamide], DCPA (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate), or benefin (Nbutyl‐N V‐ethyl‐a,a,a‐trif luoro‐2,6‐dinitro‐p‐toluidine). Bensulide was the only herbicide that satisfactorily controlled grassy weeds during the first growing season both years.