Efficacy and Economic Return on Investment for Conventional and Herbicide-Resistant Soybean (Glycine max)

Field studies were conducted in 1999 and 2000 at Belleville, IL, to evaluate herbicide efficacy, grain yield, and economic return on investment (EROI) from various herbicide systems in conventional, sulfonylurea-tolerant, glufosinate-resistant, and glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties. Several grower-oriented herbicide systems were developed within each soybean variety using current weed control options. These herbicide systems included herbicides with soil-residual, herbicides with different modes of action, and combinations of preemergence (PRE) followed by (fb) postemergence (POST) herbicides. Soybean injury ranged from 1 to 16% 28 d after (DA) PRE applications of sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron plus pendimethalin. Injury 7 DA POST treatments ranged from 2 to 39%, with the greatest injury occurring from the conventional herbicide combination of fomesafen plus fenoxaprop plus fluazifop-P. No injury symptoms persisted through soybean harvest. Control of giant foxtail was the most consistent (97% or greater) in the PRE broadleaf fb POST herbicide system 56 DA planting. Common waterhemp control was at least 85% for all treatments, with the exception of the single POST herbicide systems of chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron plus quizalofop-P, and glufosinate and the standard sequential herbicide system of pendimethalin fb chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron. All treatments provided at least 87% control of common ragweed and ivyleaf morningglory. Soybean grain yield was similar between varieties in the weed-free control plots in 1999. In 2000, grain yield of the glyphosate-and glufosinate-resistant soybean varieties was greater than for the conventional and sulfonylurea-tolerant varieties. Overall, soybean grain yield and EROI were less for some treatments because of poor control of common waterhemp. Weed control had a greater influence than herbicide-related costs on EROI.