Determination of optimal doses of glyphosate for controlling weeds at several stages in southwestern Buenos Aires province (Argentina)

Efficient weed management is essential for avoiding competition for water, light, and nutrient resources in semiarid zones. Chemical weed control with glyphosate was evaluated on perennial wall-rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus), slender wild oat (Avena barbata), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Plants at early, middle and advanced vegetative stages were used in this study. Glyphosate potassium salt was applied at rates of 0.0675 (1/16x), 0.135 (1/8x), 0.27 (1/4x), 0.54 (1/2x), 1.08 (x) and 2.16 (2x) kg acid equivalent (ae) · ha−1. Glyphosate combined with 2,4-D amine salt was evaluated at rates of 1.08 kg ae · ha−1and 0.53 kg active ingredient (ai) · ha−1, respectively. The volume of the spray was 100 l · ha−1with 86 droplets · cm−2and a Volume Median Diameter (VMD) of 421.19 μm. In general, all the tested weeds were controlled with a quarter of the label rate. Three sizes of tested plants were controlled in a similar way at the same glyphosate dose rate. Moreover, the addition of 2,4-D to glyphosate did not produce an increase in the control of broadleaf weeds. The results showed that glyphosate was effective in controlling the tested weed species, including low application rates for all the growth stages in the southwestern Buenos Aires province.

Redescription of Lasioseius cynari Chant, 1963 (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae)

A redescription of adults of Lasioseius cynari Chant, 1963 is presented based on the examination of paratype specimens deposited at the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids, Canada and on specimens from Argentina. The paratype specimens originated from Italy were collected from globe artichokes (Cynara scolymus L.) and the specimens from Argentina were collected from the same host and from artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus L.), both Asteraceae. This is the first report of this species after its original description, and a new host record of this species on C. cardunculus.

Novel Use of Trinexapac-Ethyl to Study Weed Seed Germination

Understanding seed biology and onset of germination requirements is a key point for designing effective weed management programs. Gibberellins (GAs) are known to play a role in onset of germination of several species. Onset of germination often requires an increase in de novo GA content or an increase in sensitivity to GAs. Reduced germination of seeds incubated in solutions containing compounds that inhibit GA synthesis provide evidence that GAs are required to trigger germination. Trinexapac-ethyl (TE), a GA synthesis inhibitor, is frequently used as a plant growth regulator in crop production. However, to the best of our knowledge, TE has not been used to study the requirement of GAs in onset of germination. Germination studies were conducted using seeds of artichoke thistle and common teasel under a range of TE concentrations (0 to 500 μM TE), a combined solution of 125 μM TE + 100 μM GA3for artichoke, and 250 μM TE + 100 μM GA3for common teasel. Germination tests were conducted at 20/10 C (12-h thermoperiod) in darkness for artichoke and at constant 15 C with 12 h of light for common teasel. Germination of artichoke in 125 μM TE was reduced to 47% when compared with the check (95%), but the combined TE + GA3solution maintained germination at 84%. Germination of common teasel in 250 μM TE was reduced to 10% when compared with the check (91%), and the combined TE + GA3solution increased germination to 63%. These results demonstrate the utility of TE to study the role of GAs in onset of germination. This novel use of TE is a valuable option to study germination requirements of weed species, and therefore contributes to the design of weed management programs.