The family Cyperaceae includes approximately 3000 species, of which about 220 species are identified as weeds (Table 1). Nearly 42% of these weeds are in the genusCyperus. An additional 43% are in three other genera,Eleocharis,Scirpus, andFimbristylis. The remaining 15% are found in six other genera,Scleria,Kyllinga,Rhynchospora,Bulbostylis,Fuira, andDichromena. Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundusL. # CYPRO) was identified as the world's worst weed based on the number of countries where it was reported as a serious, principal, or common weed. Competition with crops was the major factor in determining weediness. From the same report, yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentusL. # CYPES) ranked sixteenth. This contrasts with relative rankings of these two species in the United States where yellow nutsedge is more widespread than purple nutsedge.

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Imazaquin {2-(4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid} site of uptake and toxicity from soil application were investigated in yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentusL. #3CYPES) and purple nutsedge (C. rotundusL. # CYPRO). Imazaquin concentrations of 0.1 to 0.5 ppmw inhibited yellow nutsedge shoot emergence completely, while purple nutsedge shoots emerged at the lower concentrations. Herbicide placement above the tuber reduced shoot emergence and shoot and root dry weights of both species more than did placement below the tuber. Increasing herbicide rate increased the number of tuber buds that sprouted. Three-day-old nutsedge propagules absorbed14C-imazaquin from both rhizome shoots and roots and the herbicide moved both acropetally and basipetally in nutsedge propagules.

The activity of soil-applied chlorimuron in yellow and purple nutsedge was studied in greenhouse and laboratory experiments. Soil-applied chlorimuron decreased tuber sprouting by 80% in yellow nutsedge and by 30% in purple nutsedge at 60 g ai/ha. Chlorimuron decreased shoot emergence by 53 to 83% and shoot growth by 85 to 99% in both species at rates as low as 10 g/ha. Previous exposure of tubers to chlorimuron-treated soil reduced tuber resprouting by 20 to 25% in herbicide-free soil at 60 g/ha in both species. There was no rate response in shoot emergence from tubers previously exposed to chlorimuron, but shoot dry weight decreased by 60 to 81% in both species at 60 g/ha. At 12 h after application, 47% of the total14C applied to the shoot in yellow nutsedge and 32% of that applied in purple nutsedge were absorbed. However, less than 1% of the total14C applied was translocated out of the shoot and into the roots and tuber in either species. In both species, 1.3% of the14C applied to the roots and tuber was absorbed and 0.1% was translocated out of the roots and tuber into the shoot at 12 h after application. The pattern of root- and tuber-absorbed14C distribution indicated that the14C absorbed by the tuber remained in the tuber and that absorbed by the roots was translocated to the shoots.

Greenhouse and laboratory experiments were conducted to study the activity of foliar-applied chlorimuron in yellow and purple nutsedge. Foliar-applied chlorimuron caused injury to both yellow and purple nutsedge at rates as low as 5 g ai/ha. Visible injury increased as rates increased from 5 to 20 g/ha at all weekly evaluation dates. At 28 days after application, there was 84% control of yellow and 100% control of purple nutsedge from 20 g/ha of chlorimuron. In both species, all rates of chlorimuron reduced shoot dry weight, inhibited secondary shoot production, and inhibited resprouting of parent tubers attached to treated plants. Over 92% of the applied label was recovered, when 15 μl of 3.46 mM14C-chlorimuron solution containing 0.18 μCi was applied to a 1 cm2area in the middle of the fourth fully expanded leaf. Over 12% of the total14C applied was absorbed, with over 15% of that being translocated within 1 day after application in both species. More than 76% of the absorbed14C in yellow nutsedge and 72% in purple nutsedge remained in the treated area. In both species, basipetal transport was limited. Analysis of plant tissue extracts by thin-layer chromatography indicated slow degradation of chlorimuron in both species. Susceptibility of yellow and purple nutsedge to chlorimuron appears to be due to the rapid absorption and translocation rates in relationship to the slow degradation rate of the active parent compound.