Indaziflam effects on seed production for established perennial grasses

Abstract

Weeds in seed production systems are a major concern as competition can reduce yield while contamination of seed can increase cleaning costs or potentially lead to complete loss of marketable product. Indaziflam is an herbicide that remains within the top few centimeters of the soil leading to impacts only on the plants with roots within that zone. Our objectives were to evaluate indaziflam for annual weed control in established perennial grasses and to evaluate its effects on seed production and germinability. Indaziflam plus glyphosate was applied to a pre-existing stand of perennial grass species and cultivars in early spring 2017. First year yields indicated some damage occurred to specific perennial grasses. Subsequent growing seasons, however, typically showed either no impact of herbicide application or an increase in inflorescence number and (or) weight and germination. Long-term implications indicate that indaziflam may be an excellent option for annual weed management in seed production systems. Additional research is needed across a broader array of plant materials and in additional soil types and precipitation regimes to better develop recommendations for use of indaziflam in seed production situations.

Fowers B, Mealor BA. 2020. Indaziflam effects on seed production for established perennial grasses. Native Plants Journal 21(3):290–298.