Evaluation of Puma (Fenoxaprop) for Littleseed Canarygrass Control in Durum Wheat in Central Arizona (1998)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in 1998 to determine the efficacy of Puma and Hoelon for littleseed canarygrass control in durum wheat. The herbicide treatments consisted of three rates of Puma, 0.83, 1.24, and 1.66 oz a.i./A, and one rate of Hoelon, 6.8 oz a.i./A, that were applied at two application timings. The early-postemergence (EPOST) applications when canarygrass had 2.2 leaves per plant did not result in commercially acceptable control due to water stress. Increasing rates of Puma applied mid-postemergence (MPOST) when canarygrass had 5 leaves per plant provided increasing canarygrass control (70 to 90 %) with the two higher rates of Puma providing commercially acceptable control. The two highest rates of Puma also resulted in better weed control than the commercial standard, Hoelon, which did not provide commercially acceptable weed control. No herbicide injury symptoms were observed on the wheat at any of the evaluation dates. Grain yield also increased as the rate of Puma applied MPOST increased and yields overall reflected the degree of weed control observed earlier in the season. These data indicate that the combination of Puma applications that killed or stunted emerged canarygrass combined with later season crop competition that suppressed stunted and later emerging canarygrass plants was sufficient to protect grain yields. The highest yielding Puma treatment was equivalent to 4150 lb/A compared to the Hoelon and control treatments which yielded the equivalent of 2753 and 1946 lb/A, respectively.