Growth stage, temperature, and time of year affects the control of glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-paraquat resistant Conyza bonariensis with saflufenacil

Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronq. is a problematic weed in crop and non-crop areas of California. This problem has been further aggravated by the discovery of herbicide-resistant biotypes. Experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 in fall and spring, respectively, to determine the efficacy of glyphosate, saflufenacil, and a tank-mixture of saflufenacil + glyphosate on glyphosate-susceptible (GS), glyphosate-resistant (GR), and glyphosate-paraquat-resistant (GPR) biotypes of C. bonariensis. Efficacy of the herbicides were evaluated at three growth stages (5- to 8-leaf seedling, rosette, and bolting); and three day/night temperature regimes (15/10 °C, 25/20 °C, 35/30 °C). Results differed between experiments conducted in the fall and spring. Saflufenacil-alone was more effective in the fall than in spring. All the GS, GR and GPR plants were controlled by saflufenacil-alone at the 5-to 8-leaf stage and rosette stage, but level of control declined at the bolting stage. Better control with saflufenacil-alone and glyphosate-alone was obtained at the 15/10 °C and 25/20 °C than at the 35/30 °C temperature regime. However, a tank-mixture of saflufenacil + glyphosate provided good control of the plants at 35/30 °C. Efficacy of saflufenacil-alone was inconsistent in spring and varied between the biotypes, but the control with saflufenacil + glyphosate was excellent and consistent between seasons. Glyphosate-alone provided good control of all three biotypes at the 5- to 8-leaf stage in the fall, but the control was poor in spring. Therefore, saflufenacil-alone can provide excellent control of C. bonariensis plants prior to the bolting stage in the fall; but in spring, it will be more effective when applied with glyphosate.