Field studies were conducted in central and south-central Texas from 2013 through 2015 to evaluate crop tolerance and efficacy of various preemergence herbicides alone and in combination for weed control in field corn. Acetochlor and pendimethalin alone,S-metolachlor plus mesotrione, and the three-way combination ofS-metolachlor plus atrazine plus mesotrione provided the most consistent control of annual grasses including browntop panicum (Panicum fasciculatumL.), Texas millet (Urochloa texanaL.), barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galliL.), and sprawling signalgrass (Brachiaria reptansL.). Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri(S.) Wats.] control was at least 90% with fluthiacet-methyl plus pyroxasulfone, atrazine plus either acetochlor, alachlor, dimethenamid-P,S-metolachlor, orS-metolachlor plus mesotrione, saflufenacil plus dimethenamid-P, andS-metolachlor plus mesotrione. Hophornbeam copperleaf (Acalypha ostryifoliaL.) was difficult to control; however, acetochlor, saflufenacil or pyroxasulfone alone, saflufenacil plus dimethenamid-P, andS-metolachlor plus mesotrione provided at least 90% control. Acetochlor or saflufenacil alone, thiencarbazone-methyl plus isoxaflutole, dimethenamid-P plus atrazine, rimsulfuron plus mesotrione, and saflufenacil plus dimethenamid-P controlled common sunflower (Helianthus annuusL.) at least 90%. Corn injury was minimal (≤3%) with all herbicides. In general, corn grain yield was greatest with herbicide treatments containing more than one active ingredient compared with a single active ingredient.

Five field studies on sandy soils with ≤ 1% organic matter in south Texas showed that halosulfuron at 0.066 kg/ha preemergence (PRE) controlled ≥ 92% purple nutsedge and at 0.066 kg/ha postemergence (POST) controlled purple nutsedge 77 to 95%. Sulfentrazone at 0.11 to 0.28 kg/ha PRE or POST controlled purple nutsedge < 65% at one location but > 75% at two other locations. Poor control at the one location may have been due to a lack of early-season rainfall or irrigation. Potatoes were stunted 5 to 26% with halosulfuron PRE, whereas POST treatments caused 7 to 40% stunting. Sulfentrazone at 0.11 to 0.28 kg/ha applied PRE or POST caused 2 to 38% stunting. ‘Atlantic’ potato stunting with sulfentrazone POST at 0.14 to 0.28 kg/ha was ≥ 20%, whereas ‘Snowden’ and ‘1625’ potatoes were stunted ≤ 20%. Potato yields were reduced 65 and 39% with sulfentrazone and halosulfuron POST, respectively, at the high rates, but yield reductions occurred with all POST treatments on Atlantic potatoes 10- to 20-cm tall. Halosulfuron PRE at 0.033 kg/ha and sulfentrazone PRE at 0.14 kg/ha did not reduce yields; however, all other treatments of halosulfuron and sulfentrazone reduced potato yields.Nomenclature: Halosulfuron; sulfentrazone; purple nutsedge, Cyperus rotundus L. #3 CYPRO; potato, Solanum tubersum L., ‘Atlantic’, ‘Snowden’, ‘1625’.Additional index words: Preemergence, postemergence.Abbreviations: OM, organic matter; POST, postemergence; PPI, preplant incorporated; PRE, preemergence; WAP, weeks after planting.

Field studies were conducted in 2016 and 2017 under rain-fed conditions in south-central Louisiana, (a) to determine the effects of plant density levels on plant height, ear height, stalk diameter, lodging, corn grain yield, test weight, and photosynthetically active radiation with modern corn hybrids in central Louisiana and (b) to test the hypothesis that the response of grain yield to plant population density would depend on the reproductive plasticity (flex, semiflex, or fixed ear) of the hybrids evaluated. Rainfall was above average while air temperatures were below average during the growing season in both years. Grain yield showed a hybrid response in one of two years (fixed ear greater than semiflex ear) while yields increased as plant populations increased. Test weights were less with the fixed ear hybrid and the effect of plant populations was inconsistent with increased populations resulting in greater test weight in one of two years. Lodging increased as plant populations increased with the fixed ear hybrid resulting in greater lodging in one of two years. There was a hybrid by plant population interaction for ear height and seed weight. The effect of plant populations is an important factor for corn yield; however, yield gains associated with higher plant populations may be dependent on the genetic predisposition of corn hybrids (regardless of the reproductive plasticity) to tolerate various environmental conditions and stresses associated with higher populations.

Field studies were conducted during the 2003 through 2005 growing seasons to evaluate soil-applied herbicides alone or in combination with postemergence (POST) herbicides for horse purslane, smellmelon, and Palmer amaranth control in peanut. Pendimethalin alone applied preplant incorporated (PPI) failed to control any of the three weeds (< 70% control). Pendimethalin in combination with diclosulam, followed by imazethapyr applied preemergence (PRE), or followed by either acifluorfen or imazapic applied postemergence (POST) controlled all three weed species at least 80%. The soil-applied herbicides flumioxazin, imazethapyr, S-metolachlor, or dimethenamid applied alone failed to control horse purslane and smellmelon (< 75%). Pendimethalin controlled Palmer amaranth less than 42% while flumioxazin at 0.07 kg/ha or dimethenamid at 1.12 kg/ha controlled Palmer amaranth less than 75%. Imazethapyr alone or pendimethalin applied PPI followed by imazethapyr applied PRE or imazapic applied POST controlled Palmer amaranth at least 99%. Pendimethalin applied PPI was present in all herbicide systems that yielded greater than the untreated check. In addition, 80% or greater control of at least 2 of 3 weed species resulted in the highest yields, with the exception of pendimethalin followed by acifluorfen.