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Managing Against the Development of Herbicide Resistant Weeds: Sugarcane 1
C. R. Rainbolt, B. A. Sellers, J. A. Ferrell, and G. E. MacDonald2Producing a profitable sugarcane crop in Florida depends, in part, on effectively controlling weeds that can reduce yields. Because they provide an efficient and cost effective means of weed control, herbicides are a critical component of sugarcane weed management programs. However, in many cropping systems excessive use of a single herbicide, or group of herbicides with the same site of action, has resulted in the development of herbicide resistant weeds (for more information refer to EDIS document SS-AGR-243, Herbicide Resistant Weeds ). When herbicide resistant weed populations appear, standard weed control treatments often become ineffective. As a result, alternative means of control must be used. In crops, such as sugarcane, where a limited number of herbicides are registered, the loss of a single effective herbicide can be very costly. Thus, it is critical to manage herbicides in order to prevent or delay the development of herbicide resistant weed populations.
In order to successfully manage herbicides against the development of herbicide-resistant weeds, you must have a basic understanding of which herbicides have the same site of action. Table 1 lists herbicides by group number, site of action, chemical family, common name, and trade name.
When planning a herbicide program to manage against herbicide resistance, it is ideal to avoid using a single herbicide or herbicide group in consecutive years. However, because of the limited number of herbicides available and the perennial crop cycle of sugarcane Group 4 (2,4-D), Group 5 (atrazine, ametryn, metribuzin, and other triazines), and Group 18 (asulam) herbicides are typically used in every year of a sugarcane crop.
Worldwide over 60 weed species have developed resistance to the triazine herbicides. These biotypes include several members of the genera Amaranthus, Chenopodium, Panicum, and Solanum, which are commonly found in Florida sugarcane fields. Consequently, it is critical that other herbicide groups be utilized as part of an integrated weed control program to prevent the development of triazine resistant weed populations. Although there are no reported cases of resistance to asulam, there is always a chance that resistant populations could develop. Until recently, asulam (Group 18) was the only herbicide that could be used for postemergence control of grass weeds in sugarcane. However, the recent registration of Envoke (Group 2) provides an alternate site of action for postemergence grass weed control. For most grassy weeds, tank mixtures of asulam and Envoke are an effective resistance management strategy. Herbicide resistance is more likely to be a problem in fields successively planted to sugarcane. Rotational crops and fallow periods provide a valuable opportunity to control weeds using tillage, flooding, or herbicides with different sites of action.
Although it is likely that small populations of herbicide resistant weeds are already present in the EAA, herbicide resistance is currently not a significant problem. The continued use of integrated and properly managed weed control programs should ensure that resistance does not become a major issue in the future.
Tables
Table 1. Group number and site of action of herbicides commonly used in sugarcane and crops grown in rotation with sugarcane.
Group number and site of action
Chemical Family
Common Name
Trade Name(s)
Crop used in
Group 1
Acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase)
inhibitors
aryloxyphenoxy- propanoates
fenoxaprop
Acclaim
sod
fluazifop
Fusilade DX
fallow, canal banks
quizalofop
Assure II
vegetables
cyclohexanediones
clethodim
Select
vegetables
sethoxydim
Poast, Poast plus
vegetables
Group 2
Acetolactate
synthase (ALS)
inhibitors
sulfonylureas
bensulfuron-methyl
Londax
rice
chlorsulfuron
Corsair
sod
halosulfuron-methyl
Sempra, Sandea
sugarcane
nicosulfuron
Accent
sweet corn
trifloxysulfuron-sodium
Envoke
sugarcane
pyrimidunyloxybenzoic
bispyribac-sodium
Regiment
rice
Group 3
Microtubule
assembly inhibitors
dinitroanilines
oryzalin
Snapshot, Surflan
sod
pendimethalin
Prowl 3.3, Prowl H2O, Pendimax
sugarcane
prodiamine
Barricade
sod
Group 4
Synthetic auxins
phenoxy acetic acids
2,4-D
several
sugarcane, rice, sweet corn
benzoic acid
dicamba
Banvel
sugarcane
Group 5
Photosystem II inhibitors
triazines
ametryn
Evik
sugarcane
atrazine
Aatrex, Bicep II Magnum2
sugarcane, sweet corn
hexazinone
K4 1
sugarcane
metribuzin
Sencor, Lexone
sugarcane
simazine
Princep, Simazine
sweet corn
Group 6
Photosystem II
inhibitors (same site
as group 5, but different
binding characteristics)
benzothiadiazoles
bentazon
Basagran
sweet corn, rice, vegetables
Group 7
Photosystem II
inhibitors (same site as group
5 and 6, but different binding
characteristics)
Ureas
diuron
Karmex, K4 1
sugarcane
linuron
Lorox
vegetables
Amide
propanil
Stam M-4
rice
napropamide
Devrinol
sod
Group 8
Lipid synthesis inhibition(not ACCase inhibition)
Thiocarbamates
butylate
Sutan
sweet corn
EPTC
Eradicane
sweet corn
thiobencarb
Bolero
rice
Group 9
EPSP synthase
inhibitors
no family name
glyphosate
Roundup, Touchdown, others
fallow
Group 14
Protoporphyrinogen
oxidase (PPO) inhibitors
Aryl triazinone
carfentrazone
Aim
sugarcane, rice, sweet corn
Diphenylethers
acifluorfen
Ultra Blazer
rice
oxyfluorfen
Galligan, Goal
sweet corn
N-phenylphtalimides
flumioxazin
Valor SX
sugarcane
Oxadiazole
oxadiazon
Ronstar
sod
Group 15
unknown site of action
Chloroacetamides
metolachlor
Dual Magnum, Pennant Magnum
sweet corn, sod
pronamide
Kerb
sod
Group 16
unknown site of action
Benzofuran
ethofumesate
Prograss
sod
Group 18
DHP (dihydropteroate
synthase step) inhibitors
Carbamate
asulam
Asulox, others
sugarcane
Group 21
Cell wall synthesis
inhibitor (site B)
Benzamide
isoxaben
Gallery
sod
Group 22
Photosystem I
electron diversion
Bipyridyliums
paraquat
Gramoxone Extra
fallow
Group 28
Hydroxyphenyl-pyruvate-
dioxygenase inhibitors
Triketone
mesotrione
Callisto
sweet corn
1 K4 is a commercial blend of diuron and hexazinone
2 Bicep II Magnum is a commercial blend of atrazine and metolachlor
Footnotes
1. This document is SS-AGR-244, one of a series of the Agronomy Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date February 2006. Reviewed November 2006. This publication is also part of the Florida Sugarcane Handbook, an electronic publication of the Agronomy Department. For more information, you may contact the editor of the Sugarcane Handbook, R.A. Gilbert (ragilbert@ifas.ufl.edu). Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. C. R. Rainbolt, assistant professor, Agronomy Department, Everglades Research and Education Center--Belle Glade, FL; B. A. Sellers, assistant professor, Agronomy Department, Range Cattle Research and Education Center--Ona, FL; J. A. Ferrell, assistant professor, Agronomy Department; G. E. MacDonald, associate professor, Agronomy Department; Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this publication does not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of suitable composition. Use herbicides safely. Read and follow directions on the manufacturer's label.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
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