Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of selective herbicide placement on sedge shoot number, shoot weight, and root weight. Sulfentrazone, sulfosulfuron, and trifloxysulfuron were applied to soil only, foliage only, or soil plus foliage. Sulfentrazone provided greater yellow nutsedge and false green kyllinga growth reduction compared to purple nutsedge. Sulfosulfuron provided greater purple nutsedge and false green kyllinga growth reduction compared to yellow nutsedge; these species responded similarly to trifloxysulfuron. Soil and soil plus foliar applications provided the highest level of growth suppression, indicating herbicide–soil contact is required for optimum sedge control with these three herbicides. Future research should evaluate techniques that optimize herbicide–soil contact to improve herbicide efficacy.

Nomenclature: Sulfentrazone; sulfosulfuron; trifloxysulfuron; false green kyllinga, Kyllinga gracillima Miq.; purple nutsedge, Cyperus rotundus L.; yellow nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus L.