Comparison of Four Cropping Systems for Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Control

Abstract

Four cropping systems were evaluated from 1975 to 1977 for the control of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentusL.). Crops grown in 1975 and 1976 included alfalfa (Medicago sativaL. ‘Elcamino WL-600′), barley(Hordeum vulgareL. ‘CM-67′), corn (Zea maysL. ‘Dekalb T214′), and cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL. ‘Acala SJ-2′). Herbicides used included butylate (S-ethyl diisobutylthiocarbamate) in corn, EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate) in alfalfa, glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] in fallow plots, and MSMA (monosodium methanearsonate) in cotton. Cotton, which was grown continuously as one of the four cropping systems, was the only crop grown in 1977. Based on weed counts, crop yields, and the consistent decline in the number of tubers, all cropping systems provided substantial control of yellow nutsedge each year. Two years of either alfalfa treated with EPTC or double cropping barley with corn treated with butylate preceeding cotton reduced the number of viable yellow nutsedge tubers by 96%. Two years of chemically fallowing plots with glyphosate following barley and preceeding cotton was 98% effective in reducing viable tubers. Treating continuous cotton with MSMA, although somewhat inferior to the above systems, reduced the number of viable nutsedge tubers by 91% in 3 yr.

Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and Annual Weed Control in Glyphosate-Resistant Field Corn (Zea mays)1

“…In no-till studies, yellow nutsedge was not controlled by atrazine or a glyphosate and cyanazine tank mix, but there was 95 to 100% control when paraquat was applied with cyanazine (Kapusta and Strieker 1976). Glyphosate applied at 2.24 kg/ha in July, August, and September controlled yellow nutsedge in a barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) fallow system as well as butylate and EPTC did in corn and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or MSMA did in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) (Keeley et al 1979). More recently, the application of glyphosate at 0.84 kg/ha plus ammonium sulfate (AMS) resulted in only 53% yellow nutsedge control 56 DAT (Nelson and Renner 1999).…”

Cultural and Mechanical Manipulation ofCyperusSpp.

“…Crop selection should include fastgrowing competitive crops which form a canopy quickly to shade and to reduce yellow nutsedge growth and reproductive potential (7, 8, 10, 13, 17, 20, 21, ?2, 27, 28, 31, 34). Crop selection also determines the time of tillage, seeding date, and duration of weed control necessary to produce economic yields (3,6,8,9,17,21,22,27). Weed competition is more detrimental early than late in the season when crop yield potential still is un defined (6).…”

Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Control with Herbicides

“…Yellow nutsedge, which is recognized as a trouble some weed in cotton in California (8,15) and in most cotton growing areas of the United States (3,21), has been under study at the United States Cotton Research Station, Shafter, CA, for two decades (6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14,18,19,20). Although past research at Shafter has identified herbicides with preemergence activity on yellow nutsedge (6,7,9,13), the prganic arsenicals, postemergence herbicides used for nutsedge control in cotton since the early 1960s (22), are still the principal herbicides used to control this weed in cotton in California (16). Alachlor (emulsifiable formulation) was not registered for use in cotton in California until late 1984.…”