Tolerance of Four Seeded Common Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) Types to Herbicides

Abstract

The tolerance of four established seeded common bermudagrass types to PRE and POST herbicides was evaluated. Pendimethalin at 3.4 kg ai/ha, oryzalin at 3.4 kg ai/ha, and dithiopyr at 0.8 kg ai/ha suppressed the quality of bermudagrass 8 to 16% more than oxadiazon at 4.5 kg ai/ha and prodiamine at 0.8 kg ai/ha. When interactions of PRE herbicide by bermudagrass cultivars occurred, oxadiazon, prodiamine, and pendimethalin suppressed the quality of ‘common’ and ‘Sahara’ 18 to 20% more than ‘Tropica’; oryzalin suppressed the quality of common and Sahara 11 to 18% more than Tropica; and dithiopyr suppressed the quality of common and Sahara 9% more than Tropic and ‘Cheyenne.’ The quality of Cheyenne treated with either oxadiazon, prodiamine, or pendimethalin was generally intermediate to the other cultivars. When POST herbicides by bermudagrass cultivar interactions occurred, MSMA plus metribuzin applied at 2.2 + 0.1 kg ai/ha injured common and Sahara an average of 10 to 12% higher than Tropica during 1993 and 1994. Diclofop applied at 1.1 kg ai/ha and dicamba applied at 0.6 kg ae/ha injured common 9 to 12% higher than Tropica. There was no difference in injury to cultivars when treated with 2,4-D plus mecoprop plus dicamba at 1.1 + 0.6 + 0.1 kg ae/ha. In general, Tropica was affected least by PRE and POST herbicide treatments, while common and Sahara cultivars were affected the most.