Kentucky Bluegrass Control with Postemergence Herbicides
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HORTSCIENCE 41(1):255–258. 2006. fl uazifop-P and clethodim effectively con- trolled creeping bentgrass and suggested the ACCase inhibiting herbicides may be utilized Kentucky Bluegrass Control with as alternative herbicides in the development of integrated management strategies for control Postemergence Herbicides of glyphosate-resistant bentgrass. Several of 1 2 these herbicides such as clethodim, fl uazifop-P, Patrick E. McCullough and Stephen E. Hart and sethoxydim are also labeled for broadcast Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers, The State University of or directed applications in landscape planting New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 beds and some turfgrass species for control of unwanted annual and perennial grass spe- 3 Shawn Askew cies (BASF Corp. and MicroFlo Co., 2002e; Department of Plant Pathology,Physiology, and Weed Science Virginia Syngenta, 2002b; Valent Corp., 2002a). Re- Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0330 searchers have also observed that fl uazifop-P and sethoxydim were highly phytotoxic to Peter H. Dernoeden4 ‘Penncross’ creeping bentgrass (Agrosits sto- Department of Natural Resource Sciences and Landscape Architecture, lonifera Huds.) (Higgins et al., 1987). University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Another potential alternative for controlling glyphosate-resistant turf species is glufosinate. Zachary Reicher5 and Dan Weisenberger6 Glufosinate is a nonselective herbicide which Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 inhibits the enzyme glutamine synthase, result- ing in a toxic accumulation of ammonia in plant Abstract. With the potential introduction of glyphosate-resistant kentucky bluegrass cells and disruption of photosynthesis (Logusch (GRKB) (Poa pratensis L.), postemergence herbicides must be identifi ed for renovation from et al., 1991; Wild et al., 1987; Wild and Wendler glyphosate-resistant stands or control escaped GRKB. Field experiments were conducted 1993). Askew et al. (2004) noted sequential in Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia from July to September 2004 to investigate applications of glufosinate controlled creeping effi cacy of postemergence herbicides for kentucky bluegrass control. Herbicides tested bentgrass 96% to 100%. included clethodim at 0.28 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), fl uazifop-p at 0.43 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), formasulfuron Herbicides in the sulfonylurea family such at 0.03 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), glufosinate at 1.12 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), glyphosate at 1.68 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), rim- as rimsulfuron, trifl oxysulfuron, and formasul- sulfuron at 0.03 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), sethoxydim at 0.53 kg·ha–1 (a.i.), and trifl oxysulfuron at 0.03 furon control many annual and perennial grass kg·ha–1 (a.i.). One and two applications of each herbicide were applied to separate plots species and in some instances can be used in with the sequential applied 4 weeks after initial treatments (WAIT). Single applications of turf and noncrop sites (Bayer Environmental glyphosate completely controlled kentucky bluegrass 4 WAIT in Maryland, New Jersey, Sciences, 2003b; Griffi n L.L.C., 2002d; Valent and Virginia. Glufosinate completely controlled kentucky bluegrass with one applica- Corp., 2003a). These herbicides control plants tion in Maryland and New Jersey but single and sequential applications provided only by inhibiting acetolactate synthase, a key 80% to 88% control in Indiana and Virginia. Foramsulfuron and rimsulfuron required enzyme in the biosynthesis of the branched- sequential applications for complete kentucky bluegrass control 8 WAIT in New Jersey chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine, and and Maryland but <82% control was obtained in Indiana and Virginia. Trifl oxysulfuron valine (Chaleff and Mauvais, 1984; Shaner et controlled kentucky bluegrass 95% to 100% with single applications in Maryland, New al., 1984; Stidham, 1991). Jersey, and Virginia. Single applications of clethodim, fl uazifop, and sethoxydim provided Currently, kentucky bluegrass cultivars are minimal stand reductions but sequential applications controlled kentucky bluegrass 65% being developed with glyphosate resistance to 100%. Results suggest glufosinate and trifl oxysulfuron have the greatest potential for mechanisms (Riego, personal communication). controlling GRKB while other herbicides provided erratic control and require sequential Kentucky bluegrass is widely used throughout applications. the northeastern U.S. for its desirable color, quality, and cold tolerance for lawns, sports Glyphosate is a nonselective herbicide that logical and environmental profi le. Glyphosate fi elds, golf courses, and commercial turf sites controls a broad spectrum of annual and peren- exhibits low toxicity to nontarget organisms (Beard, 1973). Kentucky bluegrass is generally nial grasses and broadleaf weeds (Syngenta, (Padgette et al., 1996), binds readily to soil, not found as a weedy species, unlike creeping 2002c). On golf courses, lawns, landscapes, and is rapidly biodegraded by soil bacteria, bentgrass, but control with postemergence sod farms, and turfgrass seed production fi elds, thus limiting the potential for groundwater herbicides may be needed for renovations. glyphosate is commonly used for the control contamination and persistence in the soil The objective of this experiment was to of turfgrass species in areas where they are (Atkinson, 1985). investigate effi cacy of postemergence herbi- undesirable. In addition, glyphosate is often In recent years, turfgrasses have been bred cide alternatives to glyphosate for kentucky used to desiccate existing turfgrass stands for with resistance mechanisms to glyphosate by bluegrass control. renovations. utilizing the cp4 epsps gene, which codes for Glyphosate controls plants by inhibiting the an altered EPSP enzyme (Lee, 1996). The Materials and Methods enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate introduction of glyphosate-resistant turf will (EPSP) synthase, which is involved in the allow practitioners broad spectrum weed con- Field experiments were conducted in Adel- synthesis of aromatic amino acids (Amrhein, trol options with relative safety to the desired phia, N.J., College Park, Md., West Lafayette, 1980). Advantages of using glyphosate include turf. Before these grasses can be introduced Ind., and Blacksburg, Va., from July to Sep- its relatively low-cost and favorable toxico- to the turf industry, herbicides other than tember 2004. The experimental design was a glyphosate must be identifi ed for their control randomized complete block consisting of 17 Received for publication 30 Apr. 2005. Accepted when renovation is desired. treatments with four replications. Control plots for publication 18 June 2005. Researchers have recently investigated the 1 were included per block. Trial information by Progam associate. To whom reprint requests effects of cyclohexanediones and arlyoxy- location is presented in Table 1. Single versus should be addressed; e-mail mccullough@aesop. phenoxy propionate herbicides as turfgrass two applications of clethodim, fl uazifop-p, rutgers.edu. renovation alternatives to glyphosate. These 2Associate professor. formasulfuron, glufosinate, glyphosate, rim- 3Assistant professor. herbicides inhibit the enzyme acetyl-CoA sulfuron, sethoxydim, and trifl oxysulfuron 4Professor. carboxylase, (ACCase) involved in fatty acid were evaluated on separate plots. Rates and 5Associate professor biosynthesis (Burton et al., 1989; Focke and formulations are presented in Table 2. Initial 6Research agronomist. Lichtenthaler, 1987). Hart et al. (2005) noted and sequential application dates were 8 July HORTSCIENCE VOL. 41(1) FEBRUARY 2006 255 FFebruaryBookebruaryBook 1 225555 112/14/052/14/05 111:00:411:00:41 AAMM Table 1. Information from four locations for experiments conducted July to September 2004 investigating postemergence herbicides for kentucky bluegrass control. Stand Plot Application CO2 age size Soil Soil volz pressure Location Cultivar (years) (m) type pH (L·ha–1) Nozzley (kPa) Indiana Merit, Fairfax, 6 1.5 × 1.5 Starks-Fincastle Loam 7.2 407 8001.5(3) 240 Freedom, SR2100 Marlyand Impact 2 1.5 × 1.5 Keyport Silt Loam 5.9 460 8004E (1) 240 New Jersey Baron 3 1 × 3 Holmdel Sandy Loam 6.5 370 9504E (1) 220 Virginia Kelly 9 1.8 x 1.8 Groseclose loam 6.6 280 VS11004 (4) 275 zInitial and sequential application dates were 8 July and 6 Aug. 2004 in Indiana, 16 Aug. and 13 Sept. 2004 in Maryland, 13 July and 10 Aug. 2004 in Virginia, and 6 Aug. and 3 Sept. 2004 in New Jersey. yNumber in parenthesis indicates how many nozzles used per boom. Table 2. Herbicide formulations and rates applied to fore, results are presented by location. Single experiments in New Jersey and Oregon was kentucky bluegrass in Indiana, Maryland, New glyphosate applications completely controlled less consistent in controlling creeping, colo- Jersey, and Virginia in Fall 2004. kentucky bluegrass by 8 WAIT at all locations nial, redtop (Agrostis gigantean Roth.), and Rate (Table 3). Single glufosinate applications dryland (Agrostis castellana Boiss. and Reut.) Herbicidez Formulation (kg·ha–1 a.i.) completely controlled kentucky bluegrass in bentgrasses compared to fl uazifop-P. However, Clethodimy 0.94EC 0.28 New Jersey and Maryland by 4 WAIT. Single in North Carolina, sequential applications Fluazifop-py 2EC 0.43 glufosinate applications controlled kentucky of clethodim provided the highest levels of Foramsulfuron 0.19SC 0.03 bluegrass only 7% by 8 WAIT in Indiana, while creeping bentgrass control 8 WAIT in both Glufosinate 1SL 1.12 sequential applications