Wheat response to simulated drift of glyphosate and imazamox applied at two growth stages

Field experiments were conducted at Hays and Manhattan, KS, in 2002 and 2003 to determine winter wheat response to simulated drift rates of glyphosate and imazamox. Glyphosate and imazamox at 1/100X, 1/33X, 1/10X, and 1/3X of usage rates of 840 g ae/ha glyphosate and 35 g/ha imzamox were applied individually to wheat in the early jointing or the early flower stages of growth. Wheat injury and yield loss increased as herbicide rate was increased, with minimal effect from either herbicide at the 1/100X rate, and nearly complete kill and yield loss of wheat from both herbicides applied at the 1/3X rate, regardless of growth stage at application. In general, wheat injury and yield reduction were greater from glyphosate than from imazamox. In addition, wheat injury and yield loss were greater from herbicide treatment at the jointing stage than at the flowering stage of development. Correlation analysis suggests that visual injury is an accurate indicator of yield reductions. Germination tests of harvested grain showed that the viability of the wheat seed was not reduced if plants survived the herbicide treatment and produced a harvestable seed.