Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Control with Herbicides

The relatively new micro-encapsulated formulation of alachlor [2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide] and diethatyl [N-(chloroacetyl)-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)glycine] were soil-applied for yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentusL. #3CYPES) control in cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL. ‘Acala SF-2’). Both herbicides at rates of 1.68 to 3.36 kg ai/ha provided 60 to 80% control of yellow nutsedge for 6 weeks. Although control declined to 50 to 70% by cotton harvest, plots treated with herbicides usually yielded more seed cotton than cultivated control plots. Yields were similar from herbicide-treated and hand-weeded plots. Fewer tubers were counted in herbicide-treated than in cultivated-control plots in the fall. Based on yellow nutsedge control and seed cotton yields, alachlor and diethatyl could be helpful in controlling nutsedge and protecting cotton yields.