Giant reed has been proposed as a bioenergy crop in the sugarcane production region of south Florida, where it has a high invasive potential. In an effort to limit future invasion of giant reed escapes in sugarcane, currently labeled sugarcane herbicides asulam and trifloxysulfuron were evaluated for its management. Greenhouse and field dose–response studies were conducted at the Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, FL, between 2010 and 2011. Herbicides were applied at rates ranging from 0.46 to 7.4 kg ha⁻¹ asulam and 2 to 32 g ha⁻¹ trifloxysulfuron, which represent 0.125× to 2× sugarcane labeled use rates, respectively. In the greenhouse, asulam and trifloxysulfuron reduced giant reed relative shoot dry weight by a maximum of 50% at 21 d after treatment (DAT). The probability of giant reed resprouting 35 d following herbicide treatment was greater for trifloxysulfuron when compared with asulam. In the field, it was predicted that a maximum of 69 and 55% giant reed control occurred with application of asulam and trifloxysulfuron, respectively, at 14 DAT. Relative shoot dry weight of giant reed treated with asulam and trifloxysulfuron was reduced by a maximum of 43% at 42 DAT. Application of asulam and trifloxysulfuron did not provide complete control of giant reed at twice the labeled sugarcane use rate, indicating that control of established giant reed in sugarcane with currently available herbicides would not be an option.

Nomenclature: Asulam; trifloxysulfuron; giant reed, Arundo donax L.; sugarcane, Saccharum spp. hybrids.