Wild Oat Control With Reduced Rates Of Postemergence Herbicides

Application rates of postemergence herbicides in wild oat infested spring wheat and barley were evaluated at Crookston, MN and Fargo, ND in 2002 and 2003 for weed control, crop injury, crop yield, and net economic return. Fenoxaprop, flucarbazone, clodinafop, tralkoxydim, and mesosulfuron were applied to 3 to 4 leaf wild oat at 1/2, 3/4 and 1x labeled rates. Wild oat control, crop injury, crop and wild oat biomass, and grain yields were taken. Although there were differences between visible wild oat control, biomass reduction, crop yield, and net economic return (NET) of individual herbicide applications, reduced rates did not consistently result in less control or NET of wild oat compared to full rates. In some cases the 1/2x rate resulted in a greater NET compared to the 3/4 and 1x rates.