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Numerous perennial horticultural crops are grown across the southeastern United States. Blueberry and blackberry (also known as caneberry) are commonly found in roadside stands, promote agritourism via pick-your-own markets, are important for fresh market commercial production in the region, and when processed, provide desirable value added products. Season-long weed control using residual herbicides is crucial for these perennial fruit crops to maximize berry quality and yield. Studies performed from 2012 to 2014 in Lanier and Clinch counties in Georgia evaluated the effects of repeated applications of indaziflam at 35, 75, or 145 g ai ha−1 applied biannually in March and September (five total applications) on growth of ‘Alapaha’ rabbiteye and ‘Palmetto’ highbush blueberry, and ‘Apache’ thornless blackberry. All indaziflam treatments were mixed with glufosinate, and a glufosinate-only treatment was included as a check. Minor leaf chlorosis (−1 over 3 yr as compared to glufosinate alone. There was no chlorosis or stem diameter differences for blackberry noted for any treatment. Indaziflam applied in blueberry and blackberry production provides season-long control of numerous troublesome weed species, without causing injury or negatively impacting crop growth.

Peanut injury in the field can occur from flumioxazin applied PRE, but this is associated with plants that have emerged, or are about to, emerge from soil. The direct effect of flumioxazin on peanut seed germination and radicle development has not been evaluated. Therefore, research was conducted to determine peanut seed radicle development response to flumioxazin at different concentrations (0.0, 0.01, 0.10, 1.0 and 10.0 ppb) when tested at multiple temperatures (20, 23, 26, and 29 C) in laboratory experiments on a thermogradient table. Data analysis indicated that flumioxazin concentration was not different from the nontreated control (0.0 ppb) for 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 ppb for peanut germination. Flumioxazin at 10.0 ppb was different from all other treatments and the nontreated control. However, comparing linear regression models for each flumioxazin concentration across all temperatures indicated no differences for slope. These data indicate that when there is direct peanut seed exposure to flumioxazin at field application rates, there is no impact on germination and radicle development. Temperature was noted to affect radicle development greater than field application rates of flumioxazin. As temperature decreased, germination and radicle length was inhibited or decreased, respectively. Nomenclature: Flumioxazin, peanut, Arachis hypogaea (L.), radicle, seed germination

Diclosulam and flumioxazin applied preemergent (PRE) results in direct peanut exposure to these herbicides prior to seedling emergence. Flumioxazin has been reported to induce injury in adverse weather (i.e. cool-wet soil conditions) at crop emergence. Research at Ty Ty and Plains, Georgia evaluated the physiological effects of PRE herbicides to emerging peanut in 2018 and 2019. Peanut seed with variable germination and different planting dates were evaluated as additional factors. Peanut plant physiological measurements included electron transport (ETR), net assimilation rate (Anet), quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII), and stomatal conductance to water vapor (GSW). Data were obtained from V3 to R1 peanut growth stages using a LiCOR 6800, along with stand counts and plant width measures. In 2018, diclosulam reduced peanut ETR when measured across multiple growing degree days (GDD) after planting, compared to the nontreated control (NTC). Flumioxazin reduced peanut ETR compared to the NTC, at several sample timings for each planting date. In 2018 and 2019 at both locations, flumioxazin impacted Anet less than ETR, but was consistently similar to/or greater than the NTC. Peanut ΦPSII responded similarly as Anet at each location and yr. GSW was variable in both years; however flumioxazin treated plants had higher GSW rates than other treated plants. Peanut stand counts, plant widths, and pod yields noted few differences compared to the physiological measures. Though some peanut plant physiological differences were noted when measured at varying GDD’s after planting with the different PRE treatments, planting date, and seed vigor, no specific trends were observed. Growers will often observe peanut injury from flumioxazin early in the season. However, it is transient and does not affect yield.

Flumioxazin is a preemergence, N-phenylpththalimide herbicide that can be applied to control a broad spectrum of weeds in a variety of cropping systems. Limited information exists concerning the environmental fate of flumioxazin, therefore the present studies investigated the kinetic behavior of flumioxazin in soil and aqueous solution using field and analytical techniques to establish its degradation properties. Flumioxazin half-life in a Greenville sandy clay loam and Faceville loamy sand was 26.6 d. Flumioxazin was determined to have a groundwater ubiquity score of 1.79, indicating a low leachability potential. There was an inverse correlation between flumioxazin concentration in soil, rainfall, and solar radiation. There was no direct correlation between flumioxazin concentration and soil temperature. Flumioxazin activation energy was 58.4 (±1.2) kJ mol−1 with a Q10 value of 2.2. Even at the lowest amount of solar radiation and soil temperature, the energy from these environmental measures exceeded the activation energy needed for flumioxazin degradation. Flumioxazin stability in solution and field dissipation indicate that, with the input of thermal energy, degradation can be rapid.