Nicosulfuron Use with Foramsulfuron and Sulfentrazone for Late Summer Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) Control in Bermudagrass and Seashore Paspalum

Abstract

Late summer goosegrass control is difficult in turfgrass as POST herbicide efficacy is reduced on mature plants. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate single and sequential nicosulfuron applications tank-mixed with foramsulfuron or sulfentrazone for late summer goosegrass control and safety to bermudagrass and seashore paspalum. All single-treatment applications controlled goosegrass < 62%, whereas sequential sulfentrazone, nicosulfuron, and nicosulfuron + sulfentrazone applications controlled goosegrass 52, 73, and 84%, respectively. Sequential foramsulfuron applications controlled goosegrass < 55% but nicosulfuron tank-mixtures did not improve control. Bermudagrass was injured < 20% by 1 and 3 wk after all single and sequential treatments. Sequential treatments of nicosulfuron alone or tank-mixed with sulfentrazone caused unacceptable seashore paspalum injury (> 20%) 1 and 3 wk after the second application, whereas foramsulfuron or sulfentrazone alone applied sequentially caused < 17% injury. Seashore paspalum seedhead control at 9 wk after intial treatment was poor (< 70%) from all single-application treatments and sequential sulfentrazone applications, but control was good (80 to 89%) to excellent (> 90%) from all other treatments. Overall, sequential treatments of nicosulfuron alone or tank-mixed with sulfentrazone appear to have potential for POST control of mature goosegrass in bermudagrass, but seashore paspalum injury was unacceptable.