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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #178795
Title: TROPICAL SPIDERWORT IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL IN GEORGIA FIELD CROPS

Author
item PROSTKO, E - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item CULPEPPER, A - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item Webster, Theodore
item FLANDERS, J - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: University of Georgia Research Report
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2005
Publication Date: 5/1/2005
Citation: Prostko, E. P., Culpepper, A. S., Webster, T. M., Flanders, J. T. 2004. Tropical spiderwort identification and control in Georgia field crops. Cooperative Extension Service/University of Georgia Research Report. Circular 884. 8 p. Available: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/C884.pdf.

Interpretive Summary: Not required.

Technical Abstract: Tropical spiderwort (Commelina benghalensis), also known as Benghal dayflower, is a noxiuous, exotic invasive weed that has become a serious pest in many Georgia agricultural areas. A native of tropical Asia and Africa, tropical spiderwort was first observed in the United States in 1928 and placed on the Federal noxious weed list in 1983. The first calls from county extension agents concerning tropical spiderwort began in 1999 and it has quickly become the most troublesome weed of cotton and peanut in Georgia. Tropical spiderwort possesses underground flowers; of the 250,000 classified plants in the world, only 36 species have underground flowers. Tropical spiderwort is the only dayflower species currently found in the Unites States with underground flowers. There are many contributing factors to the rapid increase in tropical spiderwort, including: 1) large increase in cotton acreage over the last 10 years due to boll weevil eradication, 2) widespread adoption of glyphosate-tolerant cotton varieties, 3) poor control of tropical spiderwort with glyphosate, 4) abandonment of cultivation as a weed management tool, 5) reduced use of herbicides with soil residual activity, and 6) lack of weed management following crop harvest. Results from numerous field trials indicate that the presence of tropical spiderwort in a field will increase the cost of weed control (often doubling the cost), while providing poor to fair tropical spiderwort control. The alternative is 40 to 100% crop yield loss.