Multiple herbicide-resistant horseweed (Conyza canadensis) dose response to tolpyralate and tolpyralate plus atrazine and comparison to industry standard herbicides in corn

Horseweed biotypes resistant to glyphosate and ALS-inhibiting herbicides are becoming more prevalent in Canada and the United States and present a significant management challenge in field crops. Tolpyralate is a recently commercialized herbicide for use in corn that inhibits 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), and there is little information regarding its efficacy on horseweed. Six field experiments were conducted in 2017 and 2018 at four locations in Ontario, Canada, to determine the biologically effective dose of tolpyralate and tolpyralate + atrazine and to compare label rates of tolpyralate and tolpyralate + atrazine to currently accepted herbicide standards for POST control of glyphosate and cloransulam-methyl resistant (MR) horseweed. At 8 wk after application (WAA), tolpyralate at 4.8 and 22.6 g ha(-1) provided 50% and 80% control, respectively. When applied with atrazine at a 1:33.3 tank-mix ratio, 22.3 + 741.7 g ha(-1) provided 95% control of MR horseweed. The addition of atrazine to tolpyralate at label rates improved control of MR horseweed to 98%, which was similar to the control provided by dicamba:atrazine and bromoxynil + atrazine. The results of this study indicate that tolpyralate + atrazine provides excellent control of MR horseweed POST in corn.