TITLE:
Broadleaf Weed Control in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) with Preemergence-Applied Pyroxasulfone with and without Sulfentrazone
AUTHORS:
Seshadri S. Reddy, Phillip W. Stahlman, Patrick W. Geier
KEYWORDS:
Pyroxasulfone, Sulfentrazone, Sunflower, Weed Control, Palmer Amaranth, Kochia
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.6 No.11,
November
13,
2015
ABSTRACT: A field study was conducted at two locations in Kansas, USA in 2011 and 2012 to test weed control efficacy and crop response to preemergence-applied pyroxasulfone alone and in combination with sulfentrazone in sunflower. Treatments included three rates of pyroxasulfone (100, 200 and 400 g·ha-1) applied alone and tank-mixed with sulfentrazone at 70, 140 and 280 g·ha-1. Commercial standards sulfentrazone at 140 g·ha-1 + pendimethalin at 1390 g·ha-1 and sulfentrazone at 140 g·ha-1 + S-metolachlor at 1280 g·ha-1 were also included. Pyroxasulfone at 100 g·ha-1 controlled Palmer amaranth 87% at 3 weeks after application (WAA), but control decreased to 76% at 6 WAA. Increasing pyroxasulfone rate to ≥200 g·ha-1 or tank mixing with sulfentazone at 140 g·ha-1 provided ≥90% Palmer amaranth control for at least 6 WAA. Sulfentrazone alone at 70 g·ha-1 controlled Palmer amaranth 77% at 3 WAA, but control dropped to 69% at 6 WAA. Increasing sulfentrazone rate from 70 to 140 or 280 g·ha-1 increased control to >90% at 3 WAA, but did not maintain acceptable control at 6 WAA. Tank mixing sulfentrazone at 140 g·ha-1 with pendimethalin at 1390 g·ha-1 or S-metolachlor at 1280 g·ha-1 controlled Palmer amaranth ≥90 and 84% at 3 WAA and 6 WAA, respectively. The lowest rate of pyroxasulfone (100 g·ha-1) controlled kochia 98% and the control was complete with all other treatments. However, no treatment provided as much as 90% puncturevine control at 3 WAA and the control was commercially unacceptable (