Studies were conducted under controlled growth conditions to determine whether differential absorption, translocation, or metabolism was the basis for the differential response of grain sorghum hybrids to mesotrione. Mesotrione-tolerant (‘Dekalb DKS35-70’) and mesotrione-susceptible (‘Pioneer 84G62’) grain sorghum hybrids were treated with ¹⁴C-labeled mesotrione. At 1 d after treatment (DAT), absorption was 7% in both hybrids; at 7 DAT, however, absorption remained nearly steady in Pioneer 84G62 but increased to 12% in Dekalb DKS35-70. Translocation of ¹⁴C-mesotrione in sorghum hybrids was similar with less than 30% of the absorbed herbicide translocated out of the treated leaf by 7 DAT. A distinct metabolite of ¹⁴C-mesotrione was separated in both hybrids at 3 DAT. The amount of mesotrione parent compound that remained in Pioneer 84G62 and DKS35-70 was 72 and 65%, respectively. Dekalb DKS35-70 had significantly less mesotrione at 3 DAT than Pioneer 84G62 did, but the amount of mesotrione was similar for both hybrids at 5 and 7 DAT. Rapid metabolism of mesotrione may help explain the differential response of grain sorghum hybrids.

Nomenclature: Mesotrione; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. SORBI.

Greenhouse studies were established in Fayetteville, AR, to investigate glyphosate resistance in Arkansas common ragweed populations. Common ragweed seed were collected from plants in Pope and Jackson counties in Arkansas. Plants grown from seed were sprayed with one of seven glyphosate rates. Populations in Pope and Jackson counties were 21-fold and 10-fold more tolerant to glyphosate, respectively, than a known susceptible population. Based on ¹⁴C-glyphosate absorption and translocation studies, reduced glyphosate absorption or translocation was not the resistance mechanism in Arkansas glyphosate-resistant common ragweed. Shikimate accumulation did not differ among the known susceptible and the two resistant populations at 3 d after treatment (DAT). However, by 5 DAT, shikimate accumulation in the two resistant populations was lower than the known susceptible population. Data indicate that glyphosate-resistant common ragweed is present in at least two locations in Arkansas, and the resistance mechanism is not an insensitive target site or reduced glyphosate absorption or translocation.

Nomenclature: Glyphosate; common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. AMBEL.

A population of shepherd's-purse suspected to be resistant to the triazinone herbicide hexazinone, a photosystem II (PS II) inhibitor, was collected from an alfalfa field in 2007 in Oregon. A whole-plant, dose–response assay confirmed that the putative-resistant population was highly resistant to hexazinone. The resistant population was 22-fold more resistant to hexazinone than the susceptible population. However, the hexazinone-resistant population was susceptible to other PS II-inhibiting herbicides, including atrazine, diuron, and terbacil. DNA sequence analysis of the chloroplast psbA gene encoding the D1 protein of PS II, the target site of PS II inhibitors, identified a point mutation from Phe to Ile at position 255 in the hexazinone-resistant population. Single- and double-point mutations at position 255, which is located in the Q_B binding niche of the D1 protein, were previously reported in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Synechococcus species, and Synechocystis species after site-directed mutagenesis and were associated with decreased binding of PS II inhibitors. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a mutation of the psbA gene at Phe₂₅₅ in a field-selected, herbicide-resistant plant.

Nomenclature: Atrazine; diuron; hexazinone; metribuzin; terbacil; alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. MEDSA; shepherd's-purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik CAPBP.

Amicarbazone is a new triazolinone herbicide with a broad spectrum of weed control. The phenotypic responses of sensitive plants exposed to amicarbazone include chlorosis, stunted growth, tissue necrosis, and death. Its efficacy as both a foliar- and root-applied herbicide suggests that absorption and translocation of this compound is very rapid. This new herbicide is a potent inhibitor of photosynthetic electron transport, inducing chlorophyll fluorescence and interrupting oxygen evolution ostensibly via binding to the Qb domain of photosystem II (PSII) in a manner similar to the triazines and the triazinones classes of herbicides. As a result, its efficacy is susceptible to the most common form of resistance to PSII inhibitors. Nonetheless, amicarbazone has a good selectivity profile and is a more potent herbicide than atrazine, which enables its use at lower rates than those of traditional photosynthetic inhibitors.

Nomenclature: Amicarbazone; photosystem inhibitor, CAS No. 129909-90-6, BAY MKH 3586; atrazine, CAS No. 1912-24-9.

Japanese knotweed is an aggressive alien species in Europe, North America, and Australia, causing a range of environmental problems. Eradication of Japanese knotweed is proving to be a difficult task, because the plant is able to propagate generatively by intra- and interspecific hybridization, and vegetatively from shoot and tiny rhizome pieces. Despite the economic consequences of Japanese knotweed on natural and built environments, its physiology is not yet fully understood; especially important are sink-source relations between old and young parts of the rhizome and growth of lateral and latent rhizome buds. Current methods of chemical control include three types of phloem-mobile herbicides, such as glyphosate, imazapyr, and synthetic auxins. These herbicides have limitations on their use, and all fail to eradicate the plant completely, for the reasons discussed in this review. Our aim is to suggest prospective approaches to enable chemical eradication: use of signals to induce controlled growth and development of quiescent rhizome buds; use of phytohormones, sugars, and light to increase allocation of phloem-mobile herbicides to the rhizome; use of xylem-mobile herbicides to exterminate the old rhizome parts; and use of different phloem-mobile herbicides at different growth stages.

Nomenclature: Glyphosate; imazapyr; synthetic auxins; Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decraene POLCU.

Recent advances in molecular methods and statistical analyses provide weed scientists with powerful tools for examining the genetic structure of weedy plant populations. The value of these studies depends on effective sampling protocols; however, there is little consensus on how to sample plant populations for genetic diversity analyses. In this review, we draw on published literature that incorporates sampling theory and spatial statistics in population genetic analyses to identify key factors to consider when designing a sampling strategy. We discuss how sampling design is affected by research objectives, biology of the study species, population structure, marker choice, and the genetic parameters to be investigated, and we offer suggestions on defining sampling units and developing sampling protocols.

The potential dispersal of Benghal dayflower seeds by mourning doves was studied in southern Georgia, U.S.A. The gut contents (both crop and gizzard) of mourning doves harvested in the autumn months were investigated to determine if mourning doves fed on Benghal dayflower and whether seeds can survive conditions in the bird gut. Research indicated that mourning doves fed selectively on Benghal dayflower with some harvested birds containing hundreds of Benghal dayflower seeds and capsules in their guts. Further, some seeds recovered remained highly viable. Germination rates in seeds taken from bird crops were similar to controls over the first 4 wk of germination and enhanced over control treatments during the latter 16 wk of a 20-wk germination study. Ultimately, seeds extracted from dove crops had 92% germination as compared to 80% for control seeds. Seeds extracted from dove gizzards had 45% germination, about half that of controls. Benghal dayflower seeds have a structurally reinforced seed coat that probably aids in survival of mechanical damage through bird intestinal tracts. Benghal dayflower seeds exposed to 1.0 M HCl treatment for 2 h had little loss in viability, successfully germinating after such treatment. When evaluating mechanisms for the eradication of Benghal dayflower from agricultural crops, consideration needs to be given to the large number of mourning doves and other bird species that visit cropland and potentially aid in its dispersal.

Nomenclature: Benghal dayflower, Commelina benghalensis L. COMBE; mourning dove, Zenaida macroura L.

Photocontrol of weeds requires knowledge about the response of weeds to light and its changes over time. Thus, littleseed canarygrass germination, as an important weed in winter crops, in response to the light environment was evaluated in seeds retrieved from different burial (10, 20, and 40 cm, under irrigated or nonirrigated conditions) or storage (room temperature 25 C and cold 3 C) conditions for 1 yr. Seeds buried in the soil showed a cyclical germination behavior when tested at 20 C, with high germination percentages (68%) occurring in August, October, and December and low percentages (12%) in February and April, with another late germination in June. Germination percentages were mostly higher for seeds incubated in light than in darkness and seeds were more likely to positively respond to light in June than at the other retrieval dates, with differences as great as 60% having been observed under irrigated conditions and at depths of 20 and 40 cm. The most outstanding effect of light as a germination stimulus was observed for seeds stored at room temperature where germination in light was always 20 to 35% higher than that in darkness. The viability of seeds did not change over time in seeds kept at room or cold temperature. However, the proportion of surviving seeds was reduced by 35 to 65% when buried in the soil. Littleseed canarygrass seeds tended to survive more when buried 40 cm deep and the differences between irrigated and nonirrigated conditions were only detectable at 10 cm deep, with higher seed mortalities under irrigated conditions. Information gained in this study would be useful in developing weed control programs for this species.

Nomenclature: Littleseed canarygrass, Phalaris minor Retz.

Scotch broom is a large, leguminous shrub that has invaded 27 U.S. states. The species produces seeds with a hard coat that remain viable in the soil for years. Growth-chamber studies were conducted to determine effects of temperature regime and cold-stratification period on seed germination. Seedling emergence, mortality, and biomass also were studied in response to sulfometuron and metsulfuron herbicides and variation in soil texture and watering regime. Germination was greatest for a dark/light temperature regime of 15/20 C. Initial rates of germination increased as stratification period was varied from 0 to 60 d, but final germination after 90 d did not differ significantly among periods. Applied alone or in combination, sulfometuron and metsulfuron decreased biomass and increased mortality of seedlings. Mortality from simulated soil drought was greater in the presence versus absence of sulfometuron (20 and 6% mortality, respectively) probably because the herbicide reduced root biomass by 58 to 95%. Invasiveness of Scotch broom is facilitated by a prolonged period of germination across a broad temperature range. Increased control of Scotch broom seedlings with sulfometuron is likely if application is timed to expose recently emerged seedlings to developing conditions of soil drought.

Nomenclature: Metsulfuron; sulfometuron; Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link CYSC4.

Weedy red rice is a highly troublesome weed of rice in the United States and throughout the world. Effective management of this weed has remained challenging to U.S. farmers, partly because of the biological diversity among red rice populations, resistance to or avoidance of control measures, and genetic similarities with crop rice that allow crossing between the two plant types. The aim of this research was to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker loci that will unambiguously differentiate between U.S. weedy red rice, commercial rice cultivars, and their hybrids, to characterize the genetic diversity and structure of U.S. weedy red rice accessions in relation to Oryza collections from international sources, and to relate genetic and geographic variability within U.S. weedy red rice. Thirty-one SSR markers were used to analyze 180 worldwide Oryza entries and 80 U.S. weedy red rice and U.S. rice cultivars. Twenty-six of the 31 SSR marker loci were highly informative with respect to genetic distinctions between U.S. weedy red rice and U.S. rice cultivars. U.S. red rice are accessions clustered into two main SSR-based collections, awnless strawhull (SA−) and awned blackhull (BA ), according to genetic distance analysis and principal coordinate analysis. Genetic structure analysis clearly identified SA− and BA red rice, rice–red rice hybrids, commercial japonica rice cultivars, indica rice, and a number of international and wild Oryza spp. standards (e.g., Oryza nivara, Oryza rufipogon, and Oryza glaberrima) as genetically distinct groups. U.S. SA− red rice exhibited greater spatial structure than did BA in that the genetic makeup of SA− accessions changed nearly twice as much with geographic distance as compared to BA . However, the overall genetic variability within SA− red rice accessions was less than for BA accessions, suggesting that the SA− types may be genetically less compatible than BA types with other Oryza plants such as rice or other red rice types present in U.S. rice fields. Several of the awned red rice entries exhibited evidence of natural hybridization with different red rice types. Our results suggest that the SA− and BA red rice collections have different genetic backgrounds. SA− accessions generally associated most closely with indica-like red- or white-bran Oryza sativa cultivar standards, while BA accessions generally associated more closely with O. nivara or O. nivara–like O. sativa entries. Although the U.S. red rice accessions appear not to have descended directly from introductions of the worldwide Oryza standards analyzed, an Oryza red-pericarp entry from Niger (UA 1012; PI 490783) was genetically very similar to some U.S. BA accessions.

Nomenclature: Oryza nivara Sharma and Shastry; Oryza rufipogon Griff.; red rice, O. sativa L.; O. glaberrima Steud.; rice, O. sativa L. ORSAT.

Field experiments were conducted in 2004, 2005, and 2006, at Pendleton, SC, to determine the effects of soybean canopy and tillage on Palmer amaranth emergence from sites with a uniform population of Palmer amaranth. In 2006, the effect of soybean canopy was evaluated only in no-tillage plots. Palmer amaranth emerged from May 10 through October 23, May 13 through September 2, and April 28 through August 25 in 2004, 2005, and 2006, respectively. Two to three consistent emergence periods occurred from early May through mid-July. Shallow (10-cm depth) spring tillage had minimal influence on the cumulative emergence of Palmer amaranth. Increase in light interception following soybean canopy formation was evident by early July, resulting in reduced Palmer amaranth emergence, especially in no-tillage conditions. In no-tillage plots, from 32 or 33 d after soybean emergence through senescence, Palmer amaranth emergence was reduced by 73 to 76% in plots with soybean compared with plots without soybean. Emergence of Palmer amaranth was favored by high-thermal soil amplitudes (10 to 16 C) in the absence of soybean. Of the total emergence during a season, > 90% occurred before soybean canopy closure. The seedling recruitment pattern of Palmer amaranth from this research suggests that, although Palmer amaranth exhibits an extended emergence period, cohorts during the peak emergence periods from early May to mid-July need greater attention in weed management.

Nomenclature: Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats. AMAPA; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the prevalence of resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides in 266 Indiana horseweed populations, both glyphosate-susceptible and glyphosate-resistant, and to characterize the response of selected biotypes to combinations of glyphosate and cloransulam. Populations with individuals resistant to ALS inhibitors were more frequent in the northern half (38% of the populations in the NW and 50% of the populations in the NE) of Indiana than in the southern half (26% of the populations in the SW and 5% of the populations in the SE). Only 2% of the populations appeared to be resistant to both glyphosate and ALS inhibitors in an initial greenhouse study. Horseweed populations with resistance to ALS inhibitors exhibited herbicide doses required for 50% reduction in plant growth (GR₅₀) values ranging from 14 to 255 g ai ha⁻¹ of cloransulam. The resistant ∶ susceptible (R ∶ S) ratio for four horseweed populations with suspected resistance to glyphosate and ALS inhibitors ranged from 0.3 to 50 and from 2.5 to 8.1 for cloransulam and glyphosate, respectively. The tank mixtures exhibited an antagonistic response to 3 of the 16 combinations of cloransulam and glyphosate on the susceptible population. The tank mixtures exhibited primarily an additive response to those same combinations in the multiple-resistant populations, but the response was occasionally synergistic for two of the four populations. The additive response between glyphosate and cloransulam indicates that, where the level of resistance is fairly low, combinations of these herbicides should be more effective for control of multiple-resistant populations compared with application of a single herbicide.

Nomenclature: Chlorimuron; cloransulam; horseweed, Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq. ERICA.

Corn poppy is the most abundant broad-leaved weed in winter cereals of Mediterranean climate areas and causes important yield losses in wheat. Knowledge of the temporal pattern of emergence will contribute to optimize the timing of control measures, thus maximizing efficacy. The objectives of this research were to develop an emergence model on the basis of soil thermal time and validate it in several localities across Spain. To develop the model, monitoring of seedling emergence was performed weekly during the growing season in a cereal field located in northeastern Spain, during 3 yr. Cumulative thermal time from sowing date was used as the independent variable for predicting cumulative emergence. The Gompertz model was fitted to the data set of emergences. A base temperature of 1.0 C was estimated through iteration for maximum fit. The model accounted for 91% of the variation observed. Model validation in several localities and years showed general good performance in predicting corn poppy seedling emergence ( values ranging from 0.64 to 0.99 and root-mean-square error from 4.4 to 24.3). Ninety percent emergence was accurately predicted in most localities. Results showed that the model performs with greater reliability when significant rainfall (10 mm) occurs within 10 d after crop sowing. Complemented with in-field scouting, it may be a useful tool to better timing control measures in areas that are homogeneous enough regarding climate and crop management.

Nomenclature: Corn poppy; Papaver rhoeas L.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops have been adopted rapidly since their commercial introduction, and with the increase in commercially available crops resistant to glyphosate, continuous use of the same herbicide mode of action is now possible in some crop rotations. A 6-yr study was initiated to investigate the effects of conventional herbicides compared with continuous use of glyphosate in GR or Roundup Ready corn and GR soybean in a corn–soybean and a corn–soybean–winter wheat rotation. Individual experiments were fully phased and established at three locations under conventional tillage (CT) and at two locations under no-tillage (NT). Results indicated that midseason weed ground cover was lower when weeds were controlled with glyphosate; however, in most cases, this did not result in improved corn or soybean yields. Within locations, species richness, which strongly influenced other diversity indicators, was most affected by the herbicide treatments. Including winter wheat in the crop rotation had little effect on corn and soybean weed ground cover, density, and community structure and only affected soybean yield. Moreover, no effects of herbicide system used in previous corn and soybean were observed in winter wheat, with the exception of species diversity in NT, where species diversity tended to be greater when weeds in previous corn and soybean were treated with conventional herbicides. After 6 yr, the effects of continuous use of GR crops in rotation were similar to those reported in previous studies; however, continued monitoring and longer-term investigations of these systems are necessary to detect the early stages of development of herbicide-resistant biotypes.

Nomenclature: Glyphosate; corn; Zea mays L. ZEAMX; soybean; Glycine max (L.) Merr GLXMA; winter wheat; Triticum aestivum L. TRZAW.