Herbicide Action on Purple and Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundusandC. esculentus)

Historically, many herbicides have been tested for control of purple and yellow nutsedge, (Cyperus rotundusL. # CYPRO and (C. esculentusL. # CYPES). However, most chemicals provide only poor or temporary control. Reasons for failure include marginal translocation of herbicides to sites of action, temporary inhibition of tuber sprouting, and control of new tuber formation or inconsistent control when applied at different stages of growth and under various environmental conditions. Evaluation criteria that emphasize control of new plants and foliage rather than inhibition of tuber sprouting or new tuber production also contribute to erratic results. Progress toward solving these research problems is evident in studies of the influence of herbicides relative to nutsedge growth stages, new tuber development, and tuber recovery following treatment. In this review, nutsedge response to herbicides grouped by their mode of action within plants will be summarized.