| Abstract/Contents: | "The recent release of high quality seeded bermudagrass cultivars such as 'Princess', 'Riviera', and 'Yukon' have increased demand for bermudagrass seed. Since the most widely used chemicals available for weed control during bermudagrass sprigging cant be used at seeding, research is needed to evaluate selective herbicides for weed control during bermudagrass establishment from seed. Greenhouse and field studies were conducted at Blacksburg, VA to evaluate several herbicides for bermudagrass tolerance at seeding (PRE) and 3 weeks after seedling emergence (POST). In field evaluations, best tolerance and cover of Riviera and Yukon bermudagrass was achieved with quinclorac applied PRE at 0.63 kg ai/ha followed by quinclorac at 0.42 kg ai/ha POST or MSMA at 1.9 kg ai/ha four weeks after emergence followed by MSMA + 2,4-D + dicamba + MCPP eight weeks after emergence. The following chemicals did not significantly injure seeded bermudagrass when applied PRE: foramsulfuron, rimsulfuron, sulfosulfuron, and quinclorac at less than 0.9 kg ai/ha. The following chemicals were too injurious when applied at bermudagrass seeding: bispyribac, atrazine, mesotrione, ethofumesate, nicosulfuron, primisulfuron, cyanazine, diclosulam, flumetsulam, imazapic, sulfentrazone, siduron, quinclorac at greater than 0.9 kg ai/ha, metsulfuron, chlorsulfuron, pronamide, flazasulfuron, imazaquin, and flumioxazin. The following chemicals did not significantly injure bermudagrass when applied 3 weeks after emergence in the greenhouse: dicamba, 2,4-D, diclosulam, flumetsulam, MSMA, foramsulfuron, rimsulfuron, trifloxysulfuron, metsulfuron, chlorsulfuron, sulfosulfuron, halosulfuron, bromoxynil, bentazon, sulfentrazone, bispyribac, quinclorac, dithiopyr, pendimethalin, and prodiamine. The following chemicals were too injurious to warrant use early POST: atrazine, 2,4-D + dicamba + MCPP, triclopyr, triclopyr + clopyralid, and fenoxaprop. These preliminary studies indicate that weed control in seeded bermudagrass should be attempted using herbicides applied early POST rather than PRE. Future studies will evaluate specific programs for weed control." |
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