Utility of Maintained Weed Infestations Under Field Conditions

Abstract

Relatively pure stands of eight weed species were maintained under field conditions on a Goldsboro loamy sand at Lewiston, North Carolina, for all or part of a 6-year period. Herbicides evaluated as preemergence surface treatments for these species were 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (dinoseb), isopropyl m-chlorocarbanilate (chloropropham), 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-urea (diuron), 2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine (simazine), and 3-amino-2,5-dichlorobenzoic acid (amiben). S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate (EPTC) and a,a,a-trifluro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine (trifluralin) were evaluated as preemergence incorporated treatments. The first four herbicides were evaluated in 1961, 1964, and 1966 while the last three were evaluated in 1962, 1963, and 1965. A series of rates was used for each chemical with three replications. With the exception of diuron which failed to control goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.), all of the herbicides provided at least a moderate degree of control of goosegrass, smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) Muhl.), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) at the respective typical field use rates. In general, trifluralin and amiben gave the best grass control and dinoseb the poorest. None of the herbicides effectively controlled common cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr.) or ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq.). Trifluralin and EPTC did not control Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum L.), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), and common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.). Chloropropham was ineffective on common ragweed. Simazine, chloropropham, and amiben controlled Pennsylvania smartweed while diuron, simazine, dinoseb, and amiben were especially effective on common lambsquarters. Distinctive patterns of nematode infestations were observed as a function of weed species.