ARS | Publication request: VOLUNTEER POTATO CONTROL IN FIELD CORN WITH CARFENTRAZONE AND MESOTRIONE

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Western Society of Weed Management 2003 Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 1, 2003
Publication Date: March 1, 2003
Citation: BOYDSTON, R.A., WILLIAMS, M.M. VOLUNTEER POTATO CONTROL IN FIELD CORN WITH CARFENTRAZONE AND MESOTRIONE. PROCEEDINGS OF THE WESTERN SOCIETY OF WEED SCIENCE 2003 ANNUAL MEETING, 56:55, #111. 2003.

Technical Abstract: Volunteer potato is a perennial weed that is difficult to control in regions with mild winter temperatures. Studies were conducted near Paterson, WA in 2001 and 2002 to evaluate the control of volunteer potato with carfentrazone-ethyl and mesotrione in field corn. When potatoes were not controlled corn yield was reduced 23 and 62 % in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Single postemergence (POST) applications of carfentrazone-ethyl at 9 g/ha killed exposed foliage of potato, but new shoots continued to emerge and reduced corn yield in one of two years. Carfentrazone-ethyl controlled potatoes best when applied as a single mid POST application with dicamba (9 + 280 g/ha), two applications of carfentrazone-ethyl alone at early POST and late POST, and three POST applications of carfentrazone-ethyl, which controlled volunteer potato 77 to 87 % in early June, reduced weight of tubers produced by 76 to 96 % compared to nontreated checks, and prevented corn yield loss compared to hand-weeded checks. Carfentrazone treatments reduced potato tuber weight more than tuber number. Mesotrione applied preemergence (PRE) at 0.21 kg/ha or mid POST at potato tuber initiation at 0.07 or 0.1 kg/ha controlled potatoes greater than 95 % by early July, reduced tuber number and tuber weight by 95 % and 99 %, respectively, compared to nontreated checks. Corn yield of all mesotrione treated plots was equal to hand weeded checks. The large reduction in potato tuber number with mesotrione is unique compared to other POST herbicide treatments tested.