Prowl H2O Herbicide with Pendimethalin
Product Description
Prowl ? H 2 0 Herbicide Prowl ? H 2 0 herbicide is a water-based formulation of pendimethalin. Prowl H 2 0 offers exceptional convenience, performance and crop safety. The innovative, water-based formulation offers additional benefits including no odor, reduced staining, greater storage temperature flexibility and better performance in high surface areas. How Prowl H20 Herbicide Works Thorough, persistent and ravenous — the power of Prowl H 2 O herbicide is yours to unleash. A water-based formulation of pendimethalin, Prowl H 2 O is ideally suited for growers looking for long-lasting, dependable, broad-spectrum residual weed control. The innovative, water-based formulation maximizes herbicide availability for residual weed control through excellent surface stability and reduced binding to field residue. Prowl H 2 O offers exceptional convenience and crop safety benefits, including no odor, reduced staining, greater storage temperature flexibility, a lower use rate than other pendimethalins, no incorporation requirement and better performance in high-surface areas. Combine those features with the staying power to dramatically reduce weed escapes and the need for multiple applications, and it is no wonder that so many growers choose Prowl H 2 O to keep their crops cleaner and higher yielding — right up until harvest. Prowl H 2 0 is registered in over 90 crops, including on corn (field, pop, seed and sweet), cotton, edible beans, garlic, grain sorghum, alfalfa, lentils and peas, bearing grape, bearing fruit and nut trees, , nonbearing fruit and nut crops, nonbearing vineyards, onions and shallots (dry bulb), peanuts, potatoes, rice, soybeans, sugarcane, sunflowers, perennial grasses grown for seed, clover grown for seed, carrots grown for seed, strawberries, mint (peppermint and spearmint), tobacco, and wheat.
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HORTSCIENCE 25(1):84-86. 1990.
Root and Rhizome Growth of Kentucky Bluegrass Following Application of Pendimethalin
R.J. Cooper, P.C. Bhowmik, and L.A. Spokas
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, MA 01003
Additional index words. Poa pratensis, preemergence, herbicide, turfgrass
Abstract. Field experiments were conducted to determine the response of five widely
used Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cultivars (Adelphi, Baron, Bensun, Merion,
and Touchdown) to preemergence applications of the herbicide pendimethalin. Pendimethalin applied during 2 years at 1.7 or 3.4 kg·ha-1 (a.i.) controlled smooth crabgrass
[Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb. ex Schweig.) Schreb. ex Muhl.] effectively without injury
to turf. Pendimethalin at 3.4 kg·ha-1 resulted in a short-term suppression of root
growth immediately following application in the first year of the study. The reduction
was transitory and subsequent rooting and rhizome growth were unaffected by pendimethalin.
Cultivar × pendimethalin level interactions were not significant during
the study. Thus, the herbicide appears to be a safe, effective preemergence material
for crabgrass control in Kentucky bluegrass turf. Chemical name used: N-(1-ethylpropyl)-
3,4-dimethyl-2,6 -dinitrobenzenamine (pendimethalin).
Preemergence herbicides are applied routinely
to turfgrass for control of annual grassy weeds. Although the benefits of annual grass
control are well known, concerns exist as to
whether preemergence herbicides may adversely
affect the growth of desirable turf
species. Many of the commonly used preemergence
herbicides have been shown to have inhibitory effects on the growth of certain
cool-season turfgrasses (Bhowmik, 1988; Christians, 1984 Shearman et al., 1979). In
addition, cultivars within a particular species may vary in their ability to tolerate preemergence
herbicides without injury (Christians, 1982; Dernoeden et al., 1988; Hurto
and Turgeon, 1979; Shearman et al., 1979).
Pendimethalin is used widely for preemergence control of annual grassy weeds in
turf. Although its efficacy and lack of phytotoxicity have been demonstrated (Bhowmik,
1988; Demoeden et al., 1988; Watschke, 1983), research results concerning its effects
on turfgrass rooting and rhizome growth have indicated potential for injury. Jagschitz (1986)
evaluated pendimethalin applied to immature (7.5-month-old) Kentucky bluegrass sod and
noted that applications of 1.7 and 3.4 kg·ha-1 inhibited tillering for up to 22 weeks after
treatment (WAT). In addition, sod strength was significantly reduced 22 WAT by pendimethalin applied at 3.4 kg·ha-1. In experimentsconducted on both seedling and mature Kentucky bluegrass, Reicher and Christians Received for publication 9 Nov. 1988. Contribution from the Massachusetts Agr. Expt. Sta., Amherst,
Journal Article no. 2910. This work was supported in part by state and Hatch Act funds
(Project 526) allocated to the Massachusetts Agr.Expt. Sta. The cost of publishing this paper wasdefrayed in part by the payment of page charges.
Under postal regulations, this paper therefore must be hereby marked advertisement solely to indicate this fact. (1986, 1988) reported that recommended rates
(1.7 to 3.4 kg·ha-1) of pendimethalin significantly inhibited rooting. Dernoeden et al.
(1988) found that pendimethalin at 3.4 kg-ha-’ restricted perennial ryegrass (Lolium
perenne L.) rooting to 54% and 22% of untreated turf at 4 and 15 WAT, respectively.
Despite significantly reduced rooting, decreased visual quality was not observed.
Since annual grassy weed problems are often greatest in low-density, poor-quality
turf, it is important that preemergence herbicides not impair the growth of desirable
grasses into areas previously occupied by weeds. Published work indicates that the potential may exist for inhibition of turfgrass growth following pendimethalin application.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rooting, rhizome production, and quality
of five widely used cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass in response to annual applications
of pendimethalin.
Pendimethalin (60 WDG) was applied on 3 May 1986 and 16 Apr. 1987 at 0, 1.7, and
3.4 kg a.i./ha to 0.9 × 1.8-m field plots of 5-year-old ‘Adelphi’, ‘Baron’, ‘Bensun’,
‘Merion’, and ‘Touchdown’ Kentucky bluegrass growing on a Hadley silt loam soil (coarse, silty, mixed, nonacid, mesic Typic Udifluvent). These cultivars, with the exception of ‘Merion’, were chosen because of their widespread use in seed and sod mixtures.
‘Merion’, although not currently recommended for new seedings or sod, remains a common component of many existing turf areas. The experimental design was a randomized complete-block with three replications.
Treatments were applied using a CO2-powered backpack sprayer at 207 kPa of
pressure delivering 1390 liters·ha-1. All turf (field plots and plugs used for rooting and
rhizome determinations) was maintained at a mowing height of 5 cm, with irrigation
applied as necessary to prevent drought stress.
Nitrogen was applied at 49 kg·ha-1 during May and September of each year. The fungicides tetrachloroisophthalonitrile (chlorothalonil)
and 3-(3,5 -dichlorophenyl)-N-(1-methylethyl)-2,4-dioxo-1-imidazolidinecarboxamide (iprodione) were applied on a curativebasis at recommended rates for controlof dollar spot (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa).
Turfgrass quality and crabgrass control.Visual ratings of quality were made several times during each growing season using a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 = brown, lowquality turf; 6 = acceptable; and 9 = dark
green, high-quality turf. Smooth crabgrass control was assessed visually on field plots
using a scale of O to 100, with O representing no crabgrass and 100 indicating complete
crabgrass ground coverage. Percent control was expressed as a percentage of mean
crabgrass cover in untreated plots. Crabgrass density in turfgrass plugs used for root and
rhizome study was determined twice during 1986 and once during 1987 and was expressed as plants/dm2.
Root and rhizome development. On 6 May 1986, 10.8-cm-diameter × 2.5-cm-deep
plugs were removed from each pendimethalin level/cultivar plot and transplanted into a sand bed in the field using three replications
in a split-plot design with cultivars as main plots and pendimethalin levels as subplots.
Sufficient plugs were transplanted to allow for the harvest and destructive sampling of separate plugs on each harvest date.
To evaluate rooting depth and mass, as well as rhizome production, length, and mass,
plugs were harvested 30, 61, 131, and 209 days after treatment (DAT) during 1986.
Harvesting consisted of excavating each plug, along with associated sand within a 15-
cm radius, to a depth of 25 cm. Sand was
Table 1. Pendimethalin influence on Kentucky bluegrass maximum root length. Values represent the mean of 15 observations.
zTreatments applied 3 May 1986 and 16 Apr. 1987.
ySampled 15 Apr., 1 day before treatment. NS,*Nonsignificant or significant at P = 0.05, respectively.
84 HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 25(1), JANUARY 1990
Table 2. Rhizome growth of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars during 1986.z
zValues represent an average of nine observations across all pendimethalin levels (cultivar-pendimethalin
level interaction is NS). yTreatments applied 3 May 1986.
xMean separation within columns by Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05.
wSamples insufficient for analysis.
NS,*,**Nonsignificant or significant at P = 0.05 or 0.01, respectively.
Fig. 1. Mean maximum root length of Kentucky
bluegrass turf 30 days after pendimethalin application,
1986.
The plot is a significant (P =
0.05) linear regression. Values represent the mean of 15 observations.
carefully washed from the roots before determining mean maximum root length. Roots
were then clipped from each plug to determine root mass. Root mass represents the
difference between oven dry weight (70C for
48 hr) and ash weight (600C for 24 hr). Rhizome production was determined by counting
the number of rhizomes that originated from a given turfgrass plug and secondary
rhizomes branching from those primary rhizomes.
Both types were measured to determine average length and were then ovendried at 70C for 48 hr to determine rhizome mass per plug.
To assess the effect of a second annual application on rooting and rhizome development,
pendimethalin was reapplied, using the procedure previously described, on 16 Apr. 1987 to the remaining Kentucky bluegrass plugs growing in the sand bed. During
1987, root growth and rhizome development were evaluated 1 day before application and
at 40 and 110 DAT.
Statistical analysis. AH values were subjected to an analysis of variance (ANOVA)
using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS,1982). Significant pendimethalin application
level effects were evaluated using stepwise polynomial regression (SAS, 1982). Duncan’s
multiple range test was employed far mean separation when the ANOVA F test
indicated that cultivar effects were significant. Turfgrass quality and crabgrass control.
During 1986 and 1987, pendimethalin applied at 1.7 and 3.4 kg·ha-1 provided excellent,
season-long control of smooth crabgrass (97% and 99%, respectively) in field plots of all Kentucky bluegrass cultivars.
The lack of crabgrass encroachment in pendimethalin-treated turf plugs maintained
for rooting and rhizome evaluation confirms effective control. Untreated turf averaged 4.0
and 6.4 crabgrass plants/dm2 during 1986 and 1987, respectively. Crabgrass encroachment in response to pendimethalin at either level
averaged less than one plant/dm2 in 1986 and none in 1987. As in the field plot evaluation,
the 3.4-kg application did not provide significantly better control than pendimethalin
applied at 1.7 kg·ha-1. Kentucky bluegrass field plots showed no injury from pendimethlin application at either level throughout the study. Visual quality,
averaged for all cultivars, in response to pendimethalin
applied at 0, 1.7, or 3.4 kg·ha-l rated 7.6, 7.5, and 7.7 during 1986 and 6.8,
6.8, and 6.9 during 1987. The cultivar ×
pendimethalin level interaction for turfgrass quality was not significant at any time during
the study, indicating a lack of cultivar-specific sensitivity to pendimethalin.
Root and rhizome development: pendimethalin effects. Pendimethalin at either level
had no effect on mean maximum root length throughout the study, except when evaluated
30 DAT in 1986 (Table 1). The relationshipof maximum root length to pendimethalin
level 30 DAT during 1986 was linear and is described by the equation Y= 4.4 – 0.5(X)
(Fig. 1). Inhibition of root length 30 DAT (1986) was transitory and was not evident
when plants were sampled 61 DAT in 1986.
In addition, restricted root length was not observed in response to a repeat application
of pendimethalin in 1987.
The short-term inhibition of root length during 1986, as well as the lack of restricted
rooting following 1987 application to transplanted plugs, might be explained by the nature
of dinitroaniline herbicide activity, which is characterized by low water volubility and
a mode of action involving inhibition of both cell division and elongation of lateral roots
(Ashton and Crafts, 1981);
In 1986, newly transplanted plugs had root systems predominantly within the upper 2.5 cm of soil, where they likely would be subject to the inhibitory effects of pendimethalin.
As the 1986 season progressed, and by the time of reapplication during Spring
1987, the plugs had developed notably longer roots (Table 1). Thus, given the low water
volubility of pendimethalin, it is plausible that much of the root system was then below
the herbicide layer and unaffected by the application.
This reasoning may explain other research nating only a short-term inhibition of Kentucky
bluegrass rooting following pendimethalin application. Reicher and Christians
(1986) reported a decrease in root mass 50days after application of pendimethalin at 1.7
or 3.4 kg·ha-1 on mature, low-maintenance Kentucky bluegrass, while no inhibition was
evident 100 DAT. Bingham et al. (1988) also reported inhibited rooting of Kentucky bluegrass
(42 DAT) in response to pendimethalin applied at 3.4 kg·ha-1 in Virginia.
Since the 3.4-kg·ha-1 level provided no improvement in crabgrass control over 1.7
kg·ha-1 in this study, no justification exists for applying the higher level for crabgrass
control in the northeastern United States.
Thus, the turf would not be subject to the significant decline in root length observed
with the 3.4 kg·ha-1 application.
Throughout the study, root mass remained unaffected by pendimethalin application at
either level. Root mass during 1986 averaged across all treatments ranged from 0.34
g/plug 30 DAT to 1.3 g/plug 209 DAT. During 1987, average root mass increased from
2.2 g/plug 1 day before treatment to 2.7 g/ plug 110 DAT.
Rhizome production per transplanted plug, as well as rhizome length and mass, were
not affected by pendimethalin application during the study. During 1986, rhizome production
averaged across all treatments reached a maximum of 56 rhizomes/plug 209 DAT.
Rhizome length and mass averaged for all cultivars increased to 13.2 cm and 5.5 g/
plug, respectively, as determined 209 DAT.
Rhizome growth during 1987 continued to be vigorous and unaffected by pendimethalin application.
Cultivar effects. Throughout the study, the cultivar × pendimethalin level interaction
remained nonsignificant for all measures of root and rhizome growth, indicating no cultivar- specific response to pendimethalin. Mean
HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 25(1), JANUARY 1990 85 maximum root length did not vary significantly
among cultivars during either year, and increased from 3.7 cm 30 DAT in 1986
to 9.9 cm 110 DAT in 1987. Root mass was similar for all cultivars, ranging from an average
low of 0.35 g/plug 30 DAT in 1986 to
3.44 g/plug 40 DAT in 1987. Unlike root production, differences were noted in the
number and mass of rhizomes produced by Kentucky bluegrass cultivars during 1986
(Table 2). In particular ‘Adelphi’ produced more rhizomes and a greater mass than other
cultivars on two of the first three observations.
Although ‘Adelphi’ exhibited superior rhizome production capacity through the 131
DAT (1986) observation date, rhizome production
and growth of other cultivars increased with time, so that no significant
differences among cultivars were observed 209 DAT in 1986 or during 1987 (data not
presented). Our results indicate that pendimethalin can be used on these cultivars without
concern for foliar injury or restricted root and rhizome production. Concurrent work by
Bhowmik (1988) revealed that pendimethalin applied to ‘Baron’ Kentucky bluegrass
at 1.7 or 3.4 kg·ha-1 did not inhibit either
rhizome growth or tiller formation when measured 4, 8, and 12 WAT. Although some
root length inhibition occurred immediately after the 1986 pendimethalin application in
this study, it was short-lived and did not affect quality or subsequent root growth.
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