ARS | Publication request: MANAGING VOLUNTEER POTATO IN FIELD CORN WITH MESOTRIONE AND COLORADO POTATO BEETLE.

Submitted to: Weed Science Society of America Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: August 21, 2003
Publication Date: February 1, 2004
Citation: BOYDSTON, R.A., WILLIAMS, M. MANAGING VOLUNTEER POTATO IN FIELD CORN WITH MESOTRIONE AND COLORADO POTATO BEETLE. 2004 WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA ABSTRACTS. 2004. Vol. 44:58-59 #204.

Technical Abstract: Volunteer potato is one of the most difficult to control and prevalent weeds in Pacific Northwest potato rotations. Mesotrione, recently registered for use in field corn, was tested for control of volunteer potato in field corn in 2002 and 2003 with and without Colorado potato beetle defoliation. Mesotrione was most effective when applied postemergence at 0.1 kg ai ha-1 at the time of tuber initiation, controlling potatoes greater than 95% and reducing the number and weight of potato tubers produced by greater than 99%. Preemergence application of mesotrione at 0.2 kg ha-1 was less effective on volunteer potato than postemergence applications at 0.07 or 0.1kg ha-1. Left uncontrolled, volunteer potato reduced corn yield 65% compared to hand-weeded checks and produced 42 MT ha-1 of tubers. Corn yield from mesotrione-treated plots was equal to that of hand-weeded checks, which averaged 14.4 MT ha-1. Mesotrione controlled the four major potato varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest; Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, Russet Norkotah, and Shepody, equally well in greenhouse trials. Plots infested with Colorado potato beetle tended to have lower mid-season volunteer potato leaf area and shoot biomass compared to plots without beetles. Tuber production was negligible when beetles were allowed to defoliate volunteer potato surviving herbicide application.