Response of Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) to Preemergence Herbicides and Nonionic Surfactants Applied Through Drip Irrigation Under Low-Density Polyethylene Mulch

International Journal of Weed Science and Technology ISSN: 4825-3499 Vol. 3 (1), pp. 077-083, March, 2020. © Advanced Scholars Journals

Full length Research paper

Response of Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) to Preemergence Herbicides and Nonionic Surfactants Applied Through Drip Irrigation Under Low-Density Polyethylene Mulch

Foshee WG¹, Monday TA²*, Blythe EK³and Wehtje G⁴

¹Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849

^*2Research Fellow, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849

³Director of Statistical Teaching and Consulting, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849

⁴Professor Emeritus, Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849

Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 2 December, 2019.

Abstract

Preemergence (PRE) herbicide applications through drip-irrigation is a novel approach for controlling nutsedge spp. under low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulch. However, achieving acceptable movement of PRE herbicides under LDPE mulch is difficult. Nonionic surfactants are used in agriculture to enhance the dispersion, spreading, sticking and penetration of pesticides. With this in mind, field experiments were conducted to evaluate nonionic surfactants applied with PRE herbicides through drip-irrigation on yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) punctures in LDPE-mulched beds. The objective of this experiment was to increase herbicide movement under the mulch thus improving nutsedge control. The experiment was a factorial treatment arrangement of the nonionic surfactants Integrate^TM 20 (2.8 kg ai ha^-1), Tween^® 20 (2.8 kgha^-1) and no surfactant, and the PRE-applied herbicides halosulfuron (54 gha^-1), S-metolachlor (1.4 gha^-1), and fomesafen (280 gha^-1). A non-treated control (LDPE mulch alone) was included for comparison. Tween^® 20 and Integrate^TM 20 nonionic surfactants applied with fomesafen, halosulfuron, and S-metolachlor through drip-irrigation did not reduce nutsedge punctures through LDPE mulch compared to application of these herbicides without surfactants. Combinations of nonionic surfactants and PRE herbicides not evaluated in this experiment may elicit different results and warrant further investigation.