Yellow Nutsedge Control and Reduced Tuber Production with S-metolachlor, Halosulfuron plus Dicamba, and Glyphosate in Furrow-Irrigated Corn

Yellow nutsedge is an important weed problem in furrow-irrigated fields in the Treasure Valley of eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho. Field studies were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to evaluate the effect of PPI S-metolachlor or EPTC followed by POST halosulfuron and dicamba plus glyphosate or glyphosate alone on foliar yellow nutsedge control and tuber production in corn. Corn plant height at 8 and 24 d after treatment (DAT) was reduced 20 and 17%, respectively, in POST herbicides alone compared with PPI plus POST herbicide treatments. Yellow nutsedge control at 8 DAT averaged 78% for treatments that included PPI application of EPIC or S-metolachlor 1,600 g ai ha(-1) followed by halosulfuron plus dicamba (35 plus 155 g ha(-1) or 70 plus 310 g ha(-1)) plus glyphosate 785 g ha(-1) compared with POST treatments alone (49%). The control at 24 DAT was 84% for treatments that contained halosulfuron plus dicamba compared with 73% for POST glyphosate alone. Yellow nutsedge tubers were reduced 56 to 68% among treatments at the end of 2008. Tuber reduction in 2009 was greater with treatments that included PPI herbicides followed by sequential halosulfuron plus dicamba (35 plus 155 g ha(-1)) plus glyphosate compared with glyphosate alone. Corn yield reflected the level of yellow nutsedge control and early-season weed interference. Treatments that included PPI herbicides had an average yield of 8.2 T ha(-1) compared with 6.6 T ha(-1) with sequential glyphosate alone. There was a correlation between percent foliar control and the number of yellow nutsedge tubers produced at the end of each year. Application of PPI herbicides followed by POST halosulfuron plus dicamba (35 plus 155 g ha(-1) or 70 plus 155 g ha(-1)) plus glyphosate improved yellow nutsedge control, reduced early corn weed competition, and produced the highest corn yield under furrow-irrigated conditions.