Susceptibility of Annual Bluegrass and Turfgrasses to Bensulide and Three Uracil Herbicides

Abstract

Golf putting greens were sprayed with N-(2-mercaptoethyl) benzenesulfonamide S-(O,O-diisopropyl phosphorodithioate) (bensulide). Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) and annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) were observed for injury. Preemergence and postemergence treatments of 5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil (bromacil), 5-chloro-3-tert-butyl-6-methyluracil (terbacil), and 5-bromo-3-tert-butyl-6-methyluracil (hereinafter referred to as DP 733) were applied to a prepared seedbed planted with Kentucky bluegrasses (Poa pratensis L., var. Merion and var. Newport) and annual bluegrass.Thirty lb/A of bensulide produced leaf discoloration and root length reduction of established annual bluegrass plants without injuring creeping bentgrass. Terbacil at 0.2 lb/A and bromacil at 0.4 lb/A gave highly selective control of annual bluegrass in Merion and Newport Kentucky bluegrasses when applied preemergence to the three grasses. Postemergence applications of these compounds produced moderate selective control of annual bluegrass.