Project Number: 0500-00044-020-03
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 06, 2007
End Date: Sep 30, 2011

Objective:
1) Replace MB by improving the performance of marginally acceptable fumigants with tillage operations that are coupled with either non-selective or pre- and postemergence selective herbicides for weed control in sod production and golf course practices; 2) Determine the economic feasibility of using alternative methods; and 3) Foster grower/producer adoption of alternative fumigation strategies through effective outreach.

Approach:
Demonstration sites will be established on commercial sod production farms operated by Bethel Farms, Ft. Peirce, FL (south) and Gulf Coast Turf, Jay, FL (north). Prior to fumigation, the plot area will be stripped of existing vegetation. Treatments will be arranged in a split block design replicated four times. The whole plot factor will be the tillage ± herbicide treatment(s) and the split plot factor will be the soil fumigant. The whole plots (Table 1) of the study will be either untilled or tilled several times prior to fumigation, with or without a glyphosate + fluazifop-p-butyl regimen (Teuton et al., 2005), and selective herbicide treatments. Selective herbicide treatments will include oxadiazon (Ronstar¿) or atrazine at time of sprigging/seeding and sulfosulfuron (Certainty¿) applied 14 days after sprigging.