Weed Control in Watermelon: Strategies with … · Regional Watermelon Meeting Weed Control in...
Transcript of Weed Control in Watermelon: Strategies with … · Regional Watermelon Meeting Weed Control in...
Regional Watermelon Meeting
Weed Control in Watermelon: Strategies with Herbicides, Cover Crops and Rotation
Jim HeiserUniversity of Missouri
Fisher Delta Research Center
• Multiple benefits
• Weed suppression
• Build soil
• Hold fertility
• Improve pollination
• Termination
• Excessive residue
Cover Crops
• Types• Grass/cereal
• Tall
• Termination
• Legume• “Free” N
• Become ‘weeds’
• Other broadleaf• Compaction
• Termination
• Mixture• Establishment
• Synergism
Cover Crops
• Types
• Grass/cereal
• Tall
• Termination
• Legume
• “Free” N
• Become ‘weeds’
• Other broadleaf
• Compaction
• Termination
• Mixture
• Establishment
• Synergism
Cover Crops
• Winter wheat
• Fall
• Cereal Rye
• NOT ryegrass
• Fall or spring
• Fall tillage
• Winter weeds?
• Cover crop herbicide
Cereal Cover Crops
Extension.missouri.edu
grantcountyweedboard.org
• Termination
• Chemical
• Timing and size
• Rolling/Crimping
• Flowering
• Timing Critical
• Reseed
• Dormancy
Cereal Cover Crops
Gene Stevens
Jim Heiser
extension.missouri.edu
• Crimping• Better kill?• No drift• Suppression
• Difficult• Wind
• Chemical• Easier• Some suppression• Wind
• Poor kill• Reseeding
Cover Crop Termination
• WINTER Rye
• Chemical termination
• Reseeded
• New beds = strip till
• Vetch good but…
• Legumes difficult
• Broadleaves?
My Cover Crop Experience
• Tillage
• Late fall primary
• Shallow in season
• Fertility
• Soil test
• Rapid growth
Tillage and Fertility
Gene Stevens
• Limited Choices
• Crop value vs. risk
• “New” programs
Chemical Control
onevegetables.com
cals.arizona.edu
• Bensulide• Bee issues
• Few weeds listed
• Yellows• Placement
• Duration
• Clomazone• Very low rates
Chemical Control
• Carfentrazone, Paraquat, Glypohsate, Flumioxazin• Shielded/spot• Row middles
• Halosulfuron• Pre in direct seeded• 7 day PTran
• Graminicides• Grasses• Oil or surfactant
Chemical Control
• Row middles
• Grass control
• Shielded
• Pre harvest intervals
• Reapply PRE
Post Emerge Chemical Control
• Narrow tolerance
• Calibration essential
• Yield reduction
• By competition
• By injury
Chemical Control Risks
teejet
• Labeling cost $$$$$
• “Minor” crops
• *Azafeniden, Axiom, Thiazopyr, Gallery, Dimension, Harmony• PRE ≈2x rate safe
• Olympus, Envoke
• Olympus, Axiom, Harmony• POST – safer on cantaloupe
Future Options
*K. Umeda, University of Arizona, College of Agriculture 2001 Vegetable Report
• Cotton• Marestail, Palmer, Sandbur, Goathead, etc.
• Soybeans• Same as above
• Better options
• Corn
• Poorly suited
• Best options
Rotation Options
• Cotton and soybean• Keep fighting the good fight!
• Overlap
• Strive for 100% control
• Corn• Try where feasible
• Suitable hybrids
• Cleanup
Rotation Options
• Three year rotation
• “New” ground melons
• Cotton
• Corn
Other Options
southeastfarmpress.com
deltafarmpress.com
• Proper populations
• Varietal selection
• Irrigation and drainage
• Mulch middles
• Early cultivation
Other Factors to Consider
UCANR.edu
• University of Florida
• HS190, Weed Management in Cucurbit Crops
• University of California
• UC Weed Science, Mulching with rolled straw bales
• Texas A&M University
• Russell W. Wallace, The effect of herbicide treatment on direct-seeded watermelons:2003
• Louisiana State University
• 2013 Weed Management Guide
Other Resources