Weed management programs in potato (Solanum tuberosum) with rimsulfuron

Weed management programs in 'Superior' potato with PRE and POST rimsulfuron treatments were investigated during 1992, 1993, and 1994 in Virginia on a State sandy loam soil. Common ragweed control by PRE combinations of metolachlor with linuron or metribuzin was higher when treatments included PRE or POST rimsulfuron. Common lambsquarters control was 93 to 96% by treatments that included POST rimsulfuron. In the absence of PRE herbicides, POST applications of 35 g ai/ha rimsulfuron plus 280 g ai/ha metribuzin controlled weeds comparable to sequential applications of this combination. Potato recovered from occasional terminal leaf chlorosis caused by rimsulfuron, rimsulfuron plus metribuzin, and organophosphate insecticides combined POST with rimsulfuron plus metribuzin. These studies demonstrate that rimsulfuron can be a useful component of weed management programs that include metolachlor, linuron, and metribuzin. Nomenclature: Linuron, N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-methoxy-N- methylurea; metolachlor, 2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide; metribuzin, 4-amino-6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-(methylthio)- 1,2,4-triazin-5(4H)-one; rimsulfuron, N-[[4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinal)amino]carbonyl]-3-(ethylsul-fonyl)-2-pyridinesulfonamide; common lambsquarters, Chenopodium album L. #(3) CHEAL; common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. # AMBEL; potato, Solanum tuberosum L., 'Superior.'