Advances in turfgrass weed management

Abstract

Weeds are a major pest that reduce aesthetics and functionality of turfgrass systems. Knowledge required for effective weed management has evolved in recent years as weeds develop resistance to herbicides, government restriction of broad-spectrum herbicides has increased, and registration of new herbicide active ingredients has slowed. This chapter discusses relevant and recent developments in synthetic herbicides, alternatives to synthetic herbicides, and non-chemical strategies for weed management including cultural, physical, and genetic approaches. Advances in integrated weed management strategies and barriers preventing adoption of integrated weed management strategies are also discussed. Opportunities for research and development to improve integrated weed management are presented throughout.

Developing and implementing a sustainable, integrated weed management program for herbicide‐resistant Poa annua in turfgrass

“…Herbicide resistance can have severe economic consequences for turfgrass managers and producers by affecting aesthetics, playability, surface stability, integrity of the desired turfgrass species, and yield (e.g., sod and seed production). To control resistant weeds, turfgrass managers must often increase their input costs by purchasing alternative herbicide chemistries and investing in additional labor to remove resistant weed populations using alternative, integrated weed management (IWM) methods (Carroll et al, 2021a(Carroll et al, , 2021bElmore et al, 2023;Johnson, 1994).…”

“…No single practice or strategy will completely eliminate P. annua from turf. Integrated weed management techniques require a balance of both chemical and tactics used in conjunction with one another (Elmore et al, 2023):…”

Strategies for reducing inputs and emissions in turfgrass systems

“…Therefore, since each site and situation are different, species selection must be considered. Sustainable management practices should include with fewer inputs, therefore turfgrass practitioners should apply the common concept of the “right plant in the right place,” which means planting the “right” or “best” grass species for each location and site needs (Elmore et al., 2023). This concept will help select grass species that will grow and recover from environmental stresses at its location.…”

“…Overall, optimized cultural pest management should lead to improved pest control (Beck et al, 2015;Brosnan & Breeden, 2013;Elmore & Tuck, 2022;Gannon et al, 2015;Richardson et al, 2021), a reduction in the number of pesticide applications needed (Hempfling et al, 2017;Putnam & Kaminski, 2011), or a reduction in the pesticide use rate needed (Dernoeden et al, 1993;Hempfling et al, 2014). Despite recommendations to use an integrated approach, surprisingly few studies have investigated the combined effects of cultural control with pesticides, making this an area where future work is needed (Elmore et al, 2023). While alternative control strategies and a reduction of pesticide use is desirable in many situations, the cost of these applications, both financially and environmentally, must be considered.…”

“…Ex Griffiths], carpetgrass, centipedegrass, and zoysiagrass for warm-season turfgrasses (Askew et al, 2013;Colmer & Barton, 2017;DiPaola & Beard, 1992;Hanna et al, 2013;Patton et al, 2017). Elmore et al (2023) highlight the impact of choosing improved cultivars on enhancing abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. Cultivars with enhanced stress tolerance led to improved turf performance, less plant death, fewer pests and input needs.…”