Preemergence Herbicide Combinations for Onion Weed Control Study

DCPA (Dacthal®) at 9.0 lb AI /A, the commercial standard herbicide, slightly reduced the number of plants and shortened the plant height compared to the untreated check. Preemergence (PREE) herbicide treatments that caused injury as height reduction similar to Dacthal included pendimethalin (Prowl®), propachlor (Ramrod®), metolachlor (Dual®), dimethenamid (Frontier®), ethofumesate (Nortron®), and benefin (Balan®). Visual observations did not indicate significant stand reduction or crop injury compared to plant counts. Treatments that caused minimal visible crop injury (<10 %) were Ramrod, Balan and lower rates of Frontier and Nortron. Moderate to acceptable injury (15 %) was observed on onions treated by Prowl, Dual, Frontier, and Nortron. Treatments that significantly reduced crop stand were Prefar at 6.0 lb AI /A, lactofen (Cobra®), thiazopyr (Visor®), and some combinations of the three herbicides. Combination treatments that caused marginally acceptable injury included Prowl plus Dual, Nortron plus Prowl, Prefar plus Nortron, Nortron plus Frontier, Ramrod plus Frontier, Ramrod plus Nortron, and Ramrod plus Balan. Early weed control ratings showed that Prowl at 0.5 and 0.75 lb Al/A, Nortron, Cobra, Visor applied alone gave acceptable control (>85 %) of London rocket (Sisvmbrium irio), sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus), and sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis). Prowl at 0.75 lb AI/A and Cobra gave season -long control of all weeds. Early weed control ratings of combination herbicide treatments demonstrated that Prowl or Nortron combined with other herbicides gave acceptable weed control. Prowl at 0.50 lb AI /A plus Ramrod, Nortron, or Dual at the lower rates slightly improved weed control compared to each of the herbicides applied alone.