Broadleaved weed control in wide-row soybean (Glycine max) using conventional and glyphosate herbicide programmes

A field study was conducted in 2001 and 2002 at Blackville, SC, to evaluate broadleaved weed control and economics of conventional and glyphosate-containing herbicide programmes in glyphosate-resistant soybean planted in 97-cm-wide rows. Treatments included chlorimuron plus sulfentrazone or chlorimuron plus metribuzin applied pre-emergence followed by post-emergence applications of lactofen or glyphosate 4 wk after soybean emergence (WAE). Other treatments were glyphosate applied 4 WAE, sequential applications of low dose glyphosate applied 2 and 4 WAE, and a non-treated control. Pre-emergence herbicides followed by glyphosate, controlled Ipomoea lacunosa L. 8 WAE. I. hederacea var. integriuscula Gray control with pre-emergence herbicides followed by glyphosate was 100% with similar control from chlorimuron plus sulfentrazone followed by lactofen, whereas control following the single glyphosate application was 84%. Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats. control 9 WAE was 100% following single or sequential glyphosate applications, while control ranged from 76% to 96% with pre-emergence herbicides followed by lactofen. However, early season weed interference when a single application of glyphosate was delayed until 4 WAE reduced soybean yields an average of 389 kg/ha compared to pre-emergence herbicides followed by glyphosate. Based on mean contrasts, pre-emergence herbicides followed by glyphosate had greater gross profit margins than a single glyphosate application alone, but were similar to sequential glyphosate applications. Gross profit margins from pre-emergence herbicides followed by lactofen were not different from glyphosate alone.