Progressive Kill of Rhizomatous Johnsongrass (Sorghum Halepense) from Repeated Treatment with Dalapon, MSMA, or Asulam

Abstract

Space-planted johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense(L.) Pers. ♯ SORHA] was clipped back to a height of 26 cm after flowering and, when 45 to 61 cm in height, was treated with various rates of the sodium salt of dalapon (2,2-dichloropropionic acid), MSMA (monosodium methanearsonate), or the sodium salt of asulam (methylsulfanilylcarbamate). Treatments were reapplied as needed during the growing season whenever a majority of surviving plants in a plot had initiated new foliar growth. Most plants were not killed by a single application of any herbicide, although rhizome development, as measured by the number of rhizome buds, was inhibited by the initial herbicide treatments. MSMA at 4.5 kg ai/ha was more phytotoxic to johnsongrass than other herbicide treatments or MSMA at 2.3 kg ai/ha; a single application at the higher rate reduced the original number of rhizome buds on plants by 50 to 60%, and two applications killed 86 to 93% of the plants. Asulam at 4.5 and 6.7 kg ae/ha and dalapon at 6.7 and 9.0 kg ae/ha primarily controlled plants by inhibiting growth for an extended period. After two or three applications of asulam or dalapon at 6.7 kg ae/ha, only about 40% of the plants had been killed, but the original number of rhizome buds on surviving plants had been reduced by about 80%.