Preemergence Herbicides Influence Sprig Establishment of ‘TifEagle’ Bermudagrass

Abstract

The presence of weeds during bermudagrass putting green establishment can reduce growth and turf quality. Three field experiments were conducted in Georgia to investigate efficacy of dimethenamid,S-metolachlor, and oxadiazon on the establishment of ‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass from sprigs. Dimethenamid at 0.85 and 1.7 kg ai ha−1,S-metolachlor at 1.1 and 2.2 kg ai ha−1, and oxadiazon at 1.1, 2.2, and 4.4 kg ai ha−1did not reduce bermudagrass cover from the untreated after 8 wk.S-metolachlor at 4.4 kg ha−1was the only treatment that reduced sprig cover from the untreated after 12 wk. AllS-metolachlor and oxadiazon treatments provided excellent (≥ 90%) green kyllinga control by 8 wk after treatment (WAT) while dimethenamid at 0.85, 1.7, and 3.4 kg ha−1provided 78, 85, and 92% control, respectively. Dimethenamid treatments provided poor control (< 70%) of spotted spurge but fair control (70 to 79%) was achieved fromS-metolachlor at 4.4 kg ha−1and oxadiazon at 2.2 and 4.4 kg ha−1by 8 WAT. Overall, low to middle rates of the herbicides tested appear to temporarily inhibit TifEagle bermudagrass sprig establishment but high rates of dimethenamid andS-metolachlor may reduce cover from the untreated.