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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #152291
Title: IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT OF DICOT WEEDS IN PEANUT WITH NARROW ROW SPACINGS AND RESIDUAL HERBICIDES

Author
item Johnson, Wiley - Carroll
item PROSTKO, ERIC - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item MULLINIX, JR., BENJAMIN - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/2004
Publication Date: 1/16/2005
Citation: Johnson, III, W.C., Prostko, E.P., Mullinix, Jr., B.G. 2005. Improving the management of dicot weeds in peanut with narrow row spacings and residual herbicides. Agronomy Journal. 97:85-88.

Interpretive Summary: Narrow row patterns in peanut production are receiving renewed interest in the southeastern U.S. due to suppression of spotted wilt disease and new vacuum planter technologies that accurately meter seed. An additional benefit is rapid canopy closure, possibly improving the competitive ability of peanut with weeds. Imazapic (Cadre), diclosulam (Strongarm), sulfentrazone (Spartan), and flumioxazin (Valor) are new herbicides that provide long-residual control of many troublesome weed species in peanut. These residual herbicides also offer growers the opportunity to simplify weed control by replacing sequential applications of other herbicides. Trials were conducted from 1999 to 2001 in Georgia to determine if enhanced weed suppression in narrow row patterns (four rows, 12 in. apart) improves overall weed control in peanut compared to conventional wide rows (2 rows, 36 in. apart) and reduces herbicide use. Within each row pattern were three levels of weed control intensity, each built around imazapic, diclosulam, sulfentrazone, and flumioxazin. Each residual herbicide was applied at the optimum rate and time of application. These trials showed peanut seeded in narrow patterns seem to be more competitive with weeds than peanut seeded in wide rows, although herbicide use was not consistently reduced by narrow row patterns. Peanut yields were consistently greater in narrow rows than wide rows, regardless of weed management intensity. The value of narrow row patterns for weed control is supplemental to herbicides and should be part of an integrated weed management system in peanut.

Technical Abstract: Narrow row patterns in peanut production are receiving renewed interest in the southeastern U.S. due to suppression of spotted wilt and new vacuum planter technologies that accurately meter seed. An additional benefit is rapid canopy closure, possibly improving the competitive ability of peanut with weeds. Imazapic, diclosulam, sulfentrazone, and flumioxazin are new herbicides that provide long-residual control of a wide spectra of weed species in peanut. These residual herbicides offer growers the opportunity to simplify weed control by replacing sequential applications of other herbicides. Trials were conducted from 1999 to 2001 in Georgia to determine if enhanced weed suppression in narrow row patterns (four rows, 30 cm apart) improves overall weed control and reduces herbicide use in peanut. Within each row pattern were three levels of weed control intensity, each built around imazapic, diclosulam, sulfentrazone, and flumioxazin. Each residual herbicide was applied at the optimum rate and time of application. These trials showed peanut seeded in narrow patterns seem to be more competitive with weeds than peanut seeded in wide rows, although herbicide use was not reduced by narrow row patterns. Peanut yields were consistently greater in narrow rows than wide rows. The value of narrow row patterns for weed control is supplemental to herbicides, as part of an integrated weed management system.