Pest control in crops grown in northwestern New Mexico, 2008

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Pest Control in Crops Grown in
Northwestern New Mexico, 2008
Annual Data Report 100-2008
Richard N. Arnold, Michael K. O’Neill, Daniel Smeal, and Kevin Lombard1
Cooperative Extension Service • College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Introduction ..........................................................................1
BASF, Broadleaf Weed Control in Spring-Seeded
Alfalfa................................................................................2
BASF, Broadleaf Weed Control in Dry Beans.........................2
BASF and Gowan, Broadleaf Weed Control in Field Corn
with Preemergence Followed by Sequential
Postemergence Herbicides.................................................3
Bayer CropScience, Broadleaf Weed Control in Field Corn
with Preemergence, Preemergence Followed by Sequential
Postemergence, and Postemergence Treatments.................4
Bayer CropScience, Broadleaf Weed Control in Field Corn
with Preemergence, Preemergence Followed by Sequential
Postemergence, and Postemergence Herbicides..................5
DuPont Crop Protection, Broadleaf Weed Control in Field
Corn with Preemergence, Preemergence Followed by
Sequential Postemergence, and Postemergence
Herbicides.........................................................................5
Monsanto, Broadleaf Weed Control in Field Corn with
Postemergence Herbicides.................................................6
DuPont Crop Protection, Broadleaf Weed Control in Express-
(Tribenuron) Tolerant Sunflowers with Preemergence
Followed by Sequential Postemergence Applications
of Express..........................................................................7
DuPont Crop Protection, Jim Hill Mustard Control in
Winter Wheat...................................................................7
DuPont Crop Protection, Control of Downy Brome in
Intermediate Wheatgrass at the Steve Trudeau Ranch in
Montezuma County, CO..................................................8
DuPont Crop Protection, Control of Canada Thistle in
Irrigated Pasture at the Joe Lanier Farm in Montezuma
County, CO......................................................................8
Dow AgroSciences, Percent Stand Establishment of Four
Rangeland Grasses Under Selected Herbicides...................9
Dow AgroSciences, Percent Stand Establishment of Five
Rangeland Grasses Under Selected Herbicides...................9
References............................................................................19
Notice to users of this report................................................19
Table of Contents Page Introduction
Weeds cause more total crop losses than any other ag-ricultural
pest (Arnold, 1981–2008; Hall et al., 1995;
Currie, 2004; Lorenzi and Jeffery, 1987). Weeds re-duce
crop yields and quality, harbor insects and plant
diseases, and cause irrigation and harvesting problems
(Chandler et al., 1984; Lorenzi and Jeffery, 1987; Cur-rie,
2005; Massinga et al., 1999, 2003). As a result,
weeds reduce the total value of agricultural products in
the United States by 10 to 15% (Lorenzi and Jeffery,
1987). Estimated average losses during 1975 to 1979
in the potential production of field corn, potatoes, and
onion ranged from 7 to 16% in the Mountain States
Region, which includes New Mexico (Chandler et al.,
1984). San Juan County ranks first in potato produc-tion,
fourth in alfalfa production, and second in corn
production among all New Mexico counties (New
Mexico Agricultural Statistics, 2007).
An estimated 90% of all tillage operations are for
weed control (J.G. Foster, personal communications,
2005–2007). Herbicides can reduce the number of
required tillage operations and can be used where cul-tivation
is not possible, such as within crop rows or in
solid-seeded crops. With increasing fuel and labor costs,
herbicides are often more economical than other meth-ods
of weed control.
Many herbicides are approved for use on crops grown
on medium- and fine-textured, high-organic soils. Little
information is available, however, regarding their effec-tiveness
and safety on low-organic, coarse-textured soils
that are common to northwestern New Mexico.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
become more stringent with regard to research data re-quired
for pesticide approval. Thus, it has become criti-cal
that state Agricultural Science Centers work closely
1Respectively, College Professor, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathol-ogy
and Weed Science, and Superintendent, Agricultural Science Center at
Farmington; Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences;
College Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences; and
Assistant Professor, Agricultural Science Center at Farmington, all of New
Mexico State University.