Persistence and relocation of dislodgable herbicide residue from simulated rainfall following glyphosate treatment to dormant zoysiagrass turf

Abstract

The severity of herbicide injury to dormant zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) increases with increasing green leaves at treatment time, but injury also occurs following treatment to fully dormant zoysiagrass, especially when treatment precedes rapid shoot emergence. Research was conducted to determine the persistence of radio‐labeled glyphosate or glufosinate on dormant zoysiagrass leaves, to assess how simulated raindrop quantity affects relocation of glyphosate plus colorant to subcanopy areas, and to evaluate the response of post‐dormant zoysiagrass to glyphosate dislodged and relocated from dormant leaves via simulated rainfall, dew, or disturbance during post‐dormancy growth. When dormant zoysiagrass leaves were treated with 14C‐glufosinate or 14C‐glyphosate, 69% and 57%, respectively, of the herbicides were water extractable for 21 days. Increasing the number of simulated raindrops 0.5 cm−2 from 1 to 20 removed >95% of the applied colorant from treated dormant zoysiagrass leaves, with concomitant relocation of residue to underlying filter paper. Maximum exposure of a single subtending green shoot occurred at five simulated raindrops 0.5 cm−2, which would approximate a rainfall of 3.35 mm. Subsequently, glyphosate applied to dormant zoysiagrass plugs followed by 3 mm simulated rainfall or dew and wiping 7–9 days later, when turf had reached 15% green cover, reduced zoysiagrass clipping biomass by 35% and 72%, respectively. Glyphosate applied to dormant zoysiagrass can dislodge and injure newly developing green shoots during transition. This injury can be mitigated by irrigating 1 day after glyphosate treatment to dormant turf or ensuring that the first irrigation or rainfall following treatment is at least 12 mm.