Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase inhibitors (AC-
Case, WSSA Group
1/
HRAC Group A). They
control emerged grass weeds. In general, cletho-
dim is more effective on perennial grass species.
Varietal sensitivity is important to consider
when selecting herbicides. Several documented
cases of sensitivity to metribuzin, linuron, and
rimsulfuron have occurred. Sensitivity to these
herbicides varies by potato variety, but may in-
clude discoloration, shoot and root stunting,
tuber loss, tuber malformation, and/or an over-
all reduction in tuber size and yield. Symptoms
may be enhanced where potatoes are growing
under stress due to moisture, disease, nutrient
deficiency, or other environmental factors.
mechanical, and chemical inputs to protect the
crop from yield loss due to weeds.
Cultural methods of weed management are
often synonymous with practices that increase
productivity, and include inputs such as crop ro-
tation. Tillage is an important component of
weed control in potatoes, regardless of region or
production system, and includes a wide variety
of tactics ranging from simple hand weeding to
complicated in-season tillage implements. Con-
ventional potato weed management currently
relies on inputs of herbicides. There are limited
herbicide options for potato, and growers are en-
couraged to use them judiciously to mitigate the
occurrence of herbicide resistance.
Finally, management of weeds in potato
should be performed within a larger integrated
pest management context that considers the
long-term impacts and profitability of control
inputs and the consequence of failures. Growers
should always combine cultural, mechanical,
and chemical methods of weed management
with knowledge of weed biology in an inte-
grated approach to manage weeds in potato
successfully.
13.4 Summary
The potato is the leading vegetable in the world and
is included with the major cereals as a primary
food crop. Weeds affect potatoes negatively, and
can cause considerable yield loss if they are not
managed. Most growers utilize integrated weed
management strategies that include cultural,
Note
1
Herbicides are classified into groups based on their mode of action. The mode of action of a herbicide
describes the effect the herbicide has on the plant at the tissue or cellular level. Two systems are commonly
used; the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee system uses letters, while the Weed Science Society of
America system uses numbers. For more information on herbicide modes of action and herbicide resist-
ance, see the International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds
(www.weedscience.org
)
.
References
Bailey, W.A., Wilson, H.P. and Hines, T.E. (2001) Influence of cultivation and herbicide programs on weed
control and net returns in potato (
Solanum tuberosum
).
Weed Technology
15,
654-659.
Baziramakenga, R. and Leroux, G.D. (1994) Critical period of quackgrass (
Elytrigia repens
) removal in po-
tatoes (
Solanum tuberosum
).
Weed Science
42,
528-533.
Benech-Arnold, R.L., Sánchez, R.A., Forcella, F., Kruck, B. and Ghersa, C.M. (2000) Environmental control
of dormancy in weed seed banks in soil.
Field Crops Research
67,
105-122.
Björkman, T. and Shail, J.W. (2010) Cornell cover crop guide for annual ryegrass (
http://covercrops.cals.
cornell.edu/annual-ryegrass.php,
accessed
2
June 2014).
Blackshaw, R.E., Lynch, D.R. and Entz, T. (1995) Postemergence broadleaf weed control in potato (
Sola-
num tuberosum
) with rimsulfuron and HOE-075032.
Weed Technology
9,
228-235.
Bohl, W.H. and Johnson, S.B. (2010)
Commercial Potato Production in North America: The Potato Associ-
ation of America Handbook
(
http://potatoassociation.org/documents/A_ProductionHandbook_
Final_000.pdf
, accessed
11
March 2013).
