Effects of Preemergence Herbicides on the Establishment Rate and Tensile Strength of Hybrid Bermudagrass Sod

Abstract

Use of PRE herbicides for control of annual grassy weeds during commercial sod production has been limited. Research was conducted from 2010 to 2013 evaluating the effects of pendimethalin (3.36 kg ai ha−1), dithiopyr (0.56 kg ai ha−1), prodiamine (0.6 kg ai ha−1), oxadiazon (3.36 kg ai ha−1), prodiamine + sulfentrazone (0.84 + 0.41 kg ai ha−1), dimethenamid-P(1.68 kg ai ha−1), and indaziflam (0.03 and 0.05 kg ai ha−1) applications at sprigging on the establishment rate and tensile strength of ‘Tifway' hybrid bermudagrass sod at harvest (377 d after sprigging). All herbicides increased the days required to reach 50% hybrid bermudagrass cover compared with the nontreated control. Days required to reach 50% hybrid bermudagrass cover were lowest for oxadiazon and prodiamine (39 to 44 d), greatest for both rates of indaziflam (65 to 141 d), with dimethenamid-P, prodiamine plus sulfentrazone, pendimethalin, and dithiopyr ranking intermediate (45 to 63 d). Both rates of indaziflam reduced sod tensile strength at harvest compared with the nontreated control during a single year of the study; no other differences in sod strength due to herbicide treatment were detected at any time.