Water Relations in Quackgrass (Agropyron repens) Following Postemergence Herbicides

Abstract

In laboratory and field studies, quackgrass (Agropyron repens(L.) Beauv. # AGRRE) was subjected to postemergence applications of the butyl ester of fluazifop-P {(R)-2-[4-[[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl] oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid}, methyl ester of haloxyfop {2-[4-[[3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl] oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid}, or ethyl ester of quizalofop {2-[4-[[6-(chloro-2-quinoxalinyl)oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid}. Haloxyfop, fluazifop-P, and quizalofop each required a minimum of 1 week to reduce quackgrass transpiration or water uptake in the laboratory. At rates lower than 0.56 kg ae/ha, fluazifop-P reduced quackgrass transpiration and water usage less quickly and to a lesser extent than equivalent rates of haloxyfop and quizalofop. The time required for significant transpiration and water uptake reduction by herbicide-treated quackgrass was several days longer in the field than in the laboratory, but the reaction patterns among the herbicides were similar. Little if any benefit was obtained from sequential applications of the herbicides compared with single applications of the same total dosage. All three herbicides significantly reduced quackgrass dry weight.