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Mesotrione: a new preemergence herbicide option for wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) control in wheat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2021

Michael J. Walsh*
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia
Peter Newman
Affiliation:
Farm Business Consultant, Planfarm, Geraldton WA, Australia
Paul Chatfield
Affiliation:
Technical Manager, Syngenta Australia, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Michael J. Walsh, University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Brownlow Hill, NSW 2570, Australia Email: m.j.walsh@sydney.edu.au
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Abstract

Wild radish is the most problematic broadleaf weed in Australian grain production. The propensity of wild radish to evolve resistance to herbicides has led to high frequencies of multiple herbicide–resistant populations present in these grain production regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of mesotrione to selectively control wild radish in wheat. The initial dose response pot trials determined that at the highest mesotrione rate of 50 g ha−1 applied preemergence (PRE) was 30% more effective than when applied postemergence (POST) on wild radish. This same rate of mesotrione applied POST resulted in a 30% reduction in wheat biomass compared to 0% for the PRE application. Subsequent mesotrione PRE dose response trials identified a wheat selective rate range of >100 and <300 g ai ha−1 that provided greater than 85% wild radish control with less than 15% reduction in wheat growth. Field evaluations confirmed the efficacy of mesotrione at 100 to 150 g ai ha−1 in reducing wild radish populations by greater than 85% following PRE application and incorporation by wheat planting. Additionally, these field trials demonstrated the opportunity for season-long control of wild radish when mesotrione applied PRE was followed by bromoxynil applied POST. The sequential PRE application of mesotrione, a herbicide that inhibits p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase, followed by POST application of bromoxynil, a herbicide that inhibits photosystem II, has the potential to provide 100% wild radish control with no effect on wheat growth.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The University of Sydney, 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Weed Science Society of America
Figure 0

Table 1. Year, mesotrione rates, trial number, operation dates, and average daily temperatures during the evaluation of mesotrione control of wild radish in wheat in dose-response pot trials conducted in the outdoor growth facility at the University of Western Australia.

Figure 1

Table 2. Herbicides, active ingredient, trade name, formulation, manufacturer, and adjuvant for pot and field studies to evaluate mesotrione for control of wild radish in wheat at University of Western Australia.

Figure 2

Figure 1. Daily rainfall amounts and occurrence during the 2013 and 2014 winter growing seasons at the Eradu and Mingenew field trial sites in Western Australia.

Figure 3

Figure 2. Effect of increasing rates of mesotrione applied preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) on the survival (A) and biomass (B) of Raphanus raphanistrum and wheat in dose-response pot trials conducted during the 2012 winter growing season at the outdoor growth facility at the University of Western Australia.

Figure 4

Figure 3. Effect of mesotrione applied preemergence (PRE) on the survival (A) and biomass (B) of herbicide-resistant and -susceptible populations of wild radish and wheat in dose-response pot trials conducted during the 2013 winter growing season at the outdoor growth facility at the University of Western Australia.

Figure 5

Figure 4. Effect of mesotrione preemergence (PRE) on the survival (A) and biomass (B) of herbicide-resistant and -susceptible populations of wild radish populations and wheat in dose-response pot trials, conducted during the 2014 winter growing season at the outdoor growth facility at the University of Western Australia.

Figure 6

Figure 5. Effect of mesotrione preemergence (PRE) on (A) wild radish emergence and (B) visual ratings of wheat crop damage assessed at 11 d after planting (DAP) and 8 wk after planting (WAP) in a field trial, at Eradu, Western Australia, in 2013.

Figure 7

Table 3. Effect of preemergence and postemergence herbicides on wild radish densities and control in a field trial at Mingenew, Western Australia, in 2014.a,d