Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Control and Tomato Response to Application Methods of Drip-Applied Herbicides in Polyethylene-Mulched Tomato

Drip-applied herbicides provide farmers with a more timely and cost-effective approach for applying PRE herbicides; however, herbicide movement is often limited. Field studies were conducted evaluating drip-application methods for applying PRE herbicides under polyethylene-mulched beds on yellow nutsedge punctures and the corresponding responses of a tomato crop (height and yield). The experiment was a factorial treatment arrangement of three drip application methods and three PRE-applied herbicides [halosulfuron (54 g ai ha−1), S-metolachlor (1.4 kg ha−1), and fomesafen (280 g ha−1)]. Herbicides were applied either immediately following saturation of the planting beds (method A), over an extended period while saturating the beds (method B), or prior to bed saturation (method C). Additional treatments included a commercial standard (S-metolachlor sprayed to the bed surface prior to mulch application) and a nontreated control (polyethylene mulch only). Drip-applied fomesafen, halosulfuron, and S-metolachlor provided similar control of yellow nutsedge, produced comparable yields, and failed to elicit any negative growth responses when compared to our commercial standard. With the exception of nutsedge punctures counted 56 DAT, application method did not influenced measurable outcomes. At 56 DAT nutsedge punctures were significantly lower in treatments applied by method B compared to those applied with method A. Nomenclature: Fomesafen; halosulfuron; S-metolachlor; yellow nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus L; tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L Los herbicidas aplicados en sistemas de riego por goteo brindan a los productores un sistema más barato y flexible para la aplicación de herbicidas PRE en diferentes momentos. Sin embargo, el movimiento del herbicida es a menudo limitado. Se realizaron estudios de campo para evaluar métodos de aplicación de herbicidas por goteo para aplicar herbicidas PRE bajo camas con coberturas de polyethylene para el control de la perforación causada por Cyperus esculentus y la correspondiente respuesta del cultivo de tomate (altura y rendimiento). El experimento fue un arreglo factorial de tratamientos de tres métodos de aplicación por goteo y tres herbicidas aplicados PRE [halosulfuron (54 g ai ha−1), S-metolachlor (1.4 kg ha−1), y fomesafen (280 g ha−1)]. Los herbicidas fueron aplicados ya fuera inmediatamente después de saturar las camas de siembra (método A), a lo largo de un período extendido durante la saturación de las camas (método B