EFFECT OF HALOXYFOP ON QUACKGRASS (ELYTRIGIA-REPENS) AND POTATOES (SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM)

Reduction of initial top growth of quackgrass with haloxyfop at 0.13 kg ai ha-1 and above in the greenhouse was comparable at the 2-,4-, and 6-leaf stages. Quackgrass control was not affected by rhizome length in plants grown from 2-node and 10-node rhizome pieces. Removal of quackgrass shoots 6 h after treatment resulted in increased initial topgrowth, regrowth, and rhizome weight at all application rates when compared to treatments with no removal of shoots; however, growth decreased with increasing rates of haloxyfop. Later removal at 24 or 96 h after treatment did not affect quackgrass control, indicating rapid translocation. In field-grown potato, haloxyfop applied at 0.25 kg ha-1 at the 4- to 5-leaf stage controlled more than 80% of quackgrass. Lower rates controlled less than 80% when used alone; but adding cultivation improved control. No adverse effect on potato yield was noted with haloxyfop.