A weed survey of 115 Nova Scotia lowbush blueberry fields was conducted during the summers of 1984 and 1985 to determine the most common and prevalent weeds associated with blueberry production. A total of 119 weed species were observed within the surveyed blueberry fields. The most common weed species were bunchberry, colonial bentgrass, poverty oatgrass, sheep sorrel, and false lily-of-the-valley. Weeds with low relative abundance in this study, but which may become more widespread, include three-toothed cinquefoil, Kentucky bluegrass, hair fescue, canker-root, and Canadian St. Johnswort.

During 1986 and 1987, a weed survey of 187 New Brunswick cereal fields was conducted. A total of 76 species were identified of which 40 were considered agronomically important. About 50% of the species were perennial. Hemp-nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit), quack grass (Agropyron repens), sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), ox-eye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), corn spurry (Spergula arvensis), and chickweed (Stellaria média) had the highest relative abundance values. Quack grass and hemp-nettle had the highest densities at 8.0 and 7.1 plants m-2, respectively. The highest weed density (103 plants m-2) was found in oats (Avena sativa) grown after a forage crop. The lowest density (24 plants m-2) was found in wheat (Triticum aestivum) grown after potatoes (Solarium tuberosum). Most of the abundant species were tolerant to MCPA, the most commonly used herbicide. Farmers could make major improvements in cereal weed control by choosing a herbicide that would control species tolerant to MCPA or 2,4-D, and using preplant or postharvest weed control to minimize the impact of perennial weeds.

The response of sweet white lupin to several herbicides was evaluated over five years at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI) and two years at Cornhill, New Brunswick (NB). Excellent crop tolerance was found to the herbicides: chloramben, ethalfluralin, fluazifop-P, linuron, metobromuron, metolachlor, and trifluralin. None of the above herbicides affected crop grain yield or 1000 seed weight. Sweet white lupin was slightly injured by metribuzin at 500 g ai/ha but yields and 1000 seed weight were not affected. Higher rates of metribuzin reduced lupin yield and 1000 seed weight. Imazethapyr applied POST with 0.25% v/v Agral 90 and 1.0% v/v 28% N fertilizer caused severe crop injury and reduced lupin yields.

Lowbush blueberries, native to eastern Canada and Maine, are an important economic crop in these areas. Herbicides containing the active ingredient hexazinone are commonly applied to blueberry fields, and there is a high frequency of detection of relatively low concentrations of hexazinone in domestic wells located close to areas of lowbush blueberry production. The objective of this study was to determine the long‐term impacts from hexazinone‐based herbicide use on ground water quality in the immediate growing areas. Physical and chemical hydrogeologic data were collected for an outwash sand and gravel aquifer in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada. The majority of the land overlying the aquifer is devoted to lowbush blueberry production. Twenty‐one nested monitoring wells were sampled for hexazinone and hexazinone metabolites over a four‐year period. Hexazinone was consistently detected at values of 1 to 8 parts per billion (ppb) in all but two of these wells, one that is upgradient of herbicide applications, and one that is downgradient with anoxic conditions. Hexazinone metabolites B and A1 were also detected in all but two of the 21 wells at values ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 ppb. The hexazinone and metabolite data suggest both aerobic and anaerobic degradation of hexazinone. Complete degradation of hexazinone appears to occur only in the one downgradient well exhibiting anoxic ground water conditions. Concentrations of hexazinone and its metabolites in the ground water were essentially constant over the four‐year period.

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