effect of various herbicides on switchgrass establishment

Effect of Various Herbicides on Switchgrass Establishment

Chengjun Huo, Twain J. Butler, Jimmy D. Stein and Sindy M. Interrante

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

Forage Improvement Division

2510 Sam Noble Parkway

Ardmore, OK 73401

Introduction

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial warm-season (C4) forage grass native to most of North American with:

Broad adaptation to wide range of soil pH (5-8))

High biomass yield (higher N and water use efficiency)

Low production cost Environmental benefits (e.g. soil erosion control, organic matter

enrichment, enhancement of wildlife habitat) Establishment of switchgrass is slow and difficult , is a major limitation for

its widespread use: Seed is very small Growth slow during early seeding year Affected by weeds competition

Improving rate of speed of establishment will increase production and utilization

Only a few herbicides have been labeled for use on switchgrass

Objective Determine herbicides (PRE and POE) can selectively remove weed

competition and improve establishment of switchgrass

Switchgrass – Cave-in-Rock Switchgrass – EG 1101

Materials and Methods Field experiment (RCBD with 4 replications in 2009), Various herbicides:

PRE: FirstRate, Strongarm, Siduron POE: Dual, Prowl, Dimension, Accent, Raptor, MSMA, Paramount, Option and Stam

Two switchgrass ecotypes• Upland type cultivar :Cave-in-Rock • Lowland type line: EG1011

Grassy weeds planted: Broadleaf signalgrass (BLSG), Crabgrass (CG), Johnsongrass (JG), Giant Foxtail (GFT) and TX panicum (TXPAN)

Switchgrass and grassy weeds were planted in spring and treated with both PRE, post-emergence (POE) and PRE followed by POE herbicides on sandy soil (at 1-2, 2-3 and 4-5 leaf stage)

Data recorded for injury at 30, 60 and 90 days after treatment (DAT) and percent coverage at the end of season.

Results

2009 Pre and 1-2-leaf stage (only) – EG1101 Injury

0

20

40

60

80

100

90 DAT 60 DAT 30 DAT

% I

njur

y

PRE trts. 1-2-leaf

2009 Pre and 1-2-leaf stage (only) – CaveInRock Injury

0

20

40

60

80

100


% I

njur

y

PRE trts. 1-2-leaf

Pre and 1-2-leaf stage only – Weed control 30 DAT - RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

No

ne

.4F

irst

Ra

te

.6F

irst

Ra

te

.3S

tro

ng

arm

sid

uro

n .

Du

al

Pro

wl

Dim

ensi

on

Acc

ent

Ra

pto

r

MS

MA

Sta

m

Pa

ram

ou

nt

Op

tio

n

BLSG CG GFT JG TXPAN

PRE trts. 1-2-leaf

Pre and 1-2-leaf stage only – Coverage- RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60N

one

.4F

irst

Rat

e

.6F

irst

Rat

e

.3S

tron

garm

sid

uro

n .

Du

al

Pro

wl

Dim

ensi

on

.

Acc

ent

Rap

tor

MS

MA

Sta

m

Par

amou

nt

Op

tion

CaveinRock EG1101

PRE trts. 1-2-leaf

2009 2-3-leaf stage only –– EG1101 Injury

0

20

40

60

80

100


% I

njur

y

2009 2-3-leaf stage only –– CaveInRock Injury

0

20

40

60

80

100


% I

njur

y

2-3-leaf stage only – Weed control 30 DAT - RR

0102030405060708090

100

None

Dual/P

rowl

MSM

ASta

m

Rapto

r

Mat

rix

Out

rider

Accen

t

Accen

t/Dual/

Prowl

Accen

t/Par

amou

nt/N

Accen

t/Par

amou

nt/M

Accen

t/MSM

A

Accen

t/Sta

m

Accen

t/Cim

mar

ron

Opt

ion

Param

ount


Accent Controlled Johnsongrass, signalgrass, and foxtail

13

2009 2-3-leaf stage only – % Coverage

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CaveinRcock EG1101

FirstRate Pre fb POE herbicide treatments – EG1101 Injury - RR

0

20

40

60

80

100

None

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb D

imen

sion

FR fb M

SMA .

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb R

apto

r

FR fb A

ccen

t

FR fb M

SMA

90 DAT

60 DAT

30 DAT


1-2-leaf stage 2-3-leaf stage

FirstRate Pre fb POE herbicide treatments –CaveInRock Injury - RR

0

20

40

60

80

100

None

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb D

imen

sion

FR fb M

SMA .

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb R

apto

r

FR fb A

ccen

t

FR fb M

SMA

90 DAT

60 DAT

30 DAT



FirstRate Pre fb POE herbicide treatments – Weed control 30DAT - RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

None

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb D

imen

sion

FR fb M

SMA .

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb R

apto

r

FR fb A

ccen

t

FR fb M

SMA



FirstRate Pre fb POE herbicide treatments – Coverage - RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

None

FR onl

y

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb D

imen

sion

FR fb M

SMA .

FR onl

y

FR fb P

aram

ount

FR fb R

apto

r

FR fb A

ccen

t

FR fb M

SMA

CaveinRock EG1101


FirstRate fb Paramount Controlled Crabgrass

19

4-5leaf stage only – EG1101 Injury - RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Non

e

2.5p

tMS

MA

4pt

MS

MA

1.33

ozO

utr

ider

30 DAT 60 DAT

4-5leaf stage only – CaveInRock Injury- RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Non

e

2.5p

tMS

MA

4pt

MS

MA

1.33

ozO

utr

ider

30 DAT 60 DAT

4-5leaf stage only – Weed Control- RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Non

e

2.5p

tMS

MA

4pt

MS

MA

1.33

ozO

utr

ider

2.5p

tMS

MA

4pt

MS

MA

1.33

ozO

utr

ider


•30DAT •60DAT

FirstRate Pre fb POE herbicide treatments and 4-5leaf – Coverage - RR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

None

2.5pt

MAM

A

4pt M

SMA

1.33o

z outr

ider

CaveinRock EG1101

PRE Herbicides • FirstRate suppressed crabgrass ,caused lower injury and resulted in higher

switchgrass coverage. • Tupersan (siduron) and Strongarm (diclosulam) caused excessive switchgrass

injury . POE 1-2 leaf stage:

• Dual, Prowl, Dimension were safe on both lowland and upland switchgrass but did not control grassy weeds.

• Accent, Raptor, MSMA, and Stam generally controlled grassy weeds, but caused excessive switchgrass injury.

• Paramount (quinclorac), was safe on both upland and lowland switchgrass.

• Option (foramsulfuron) was relatively safe on lowland switchgrass.

• PRE plus POE (1-2-leaf)• FirstRate fb Paramount was safe on switchgrass and suppressed crabgrass.

• FirstRate fb MSMA controlled all grassy weeds, but also killed switchgrass.

Discussion

Discussion POE 2-3 leaf stage:

• Raptor and Stam caused excessive switchgrass injury.

• Outrider and Option were relatively safe on switchgrass, but only controlled Johnsongrass.

• Paramount was relatively safe on switchgrass, but grass control was erratic.

• Accent, MSMA, Accent/Prowl, Accent/Paramount mixtures caused severe injury, although lowland switchgrass generally recovered.

PRE plus POE (2-3-leaf)• FirstRate fb Paramount was generally safe on both switchgrass ecotypes and

suppressed crabgrass, broadleaf signalgrass, and foxtail.

• FirstaRate fb Raptor, and FirstRate fb Accent caused excessive switchgrass injury.

• FirstRate fb MSMA controlled most grassy weeds and caused severe injury, but lowland switchgrass recovered by end of season.

4-5 leafe stage:

• Delayed weed control (after 4-leaf stage) resulted in poor switchgrass coverage.

Conclusion

• Herbicides that may increase lowland switchgrass establishment – FirstRate PRE to suppress crabgrass.

– Paramount 1-2 leaf stage to suppress broadleaf signalgrass and crabgrass

– Prowl H2O 1-2 leaf stage to provide residual grass control

– Option 1-2 leaf stage to control Johnsongrass and foxtail

– Accent 2-3 leaf stage to control most grassy weeds except TX panicum

– MSMA 3-4 leaf stage to control most grassy weeds

26

Future Research

• Validate selected herbicides across multiple environments (sand, clay, high soil pH, low soil pH)

27

effect of various herbicides on switchgrass establishment

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