ARS | Publication request: VOLUNTEER POTATO CONTROL IN SWEET CORN

Submitted to: Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 1, 2001
Publication Date: November 1, 2001
Citation: BOYDSTON, R.A. VOLUNTEER POTATO CONTROL IN SWEET CORN. PROCEEDINGS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST VEGETABLE ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, P.181-185. 2001.

Technical Abstract: Rick Boydston Volunteer Potato Control in Sweet Corn Abstract Potato tubers left in the soil following a commercial potato harvest can survive mild winter temperatures and become a weed in the ensuing crop. Sweet corn is common rotation crop that provides the grower with both cultivation and numerous herbicide options for potato control. Three or mo cultivations are needed to substantially reduce the number of new daughter tubers produced by volunteer potato plants. Combining early season cultivation or herbicide use with late season control by crop competition, Colorado potato beetles, hand weeding, and additional cultivation or herbicide use can greatly reduce the number of new tubers produced. Resul of several studies on volunteer potato control with herbicides and cultivation are summarized. Atrazine applied PRE followed by dicamba plus 2,4-D amine POST consistently controlled volunteer potatoes in corn. Fluroxypyr application followed by cultivation ten days later reduced the number of potato tubers produced by 86% compared to nontreated, noncultivat potatoes. Three sequential postemergence applications of carfentrazone reduced the number of new tubers 64% compared to nontreated checks. One postemergence application of mesotrione controlled volunteer potatoes well on farm trials.