Weed management in sorghum cultivation

Description

Sorghum is, and will remain, an important crop in the USA, especially in marginal environments due to its low input requirements and high resilience. Weed management is a key production challenge for sorghum, and the herbicide tools available are very limited, particularly for post-emergence (POST) control of grass weeds. The weedy relatives such as shattercane and johnsongrass present challenges for selective control in sorghum due to genetic similarities. This chapter presents a number of weed management options and considerations for sorghum, and discusses the critical period for weed control, placing an emphasis on pre-emergence (PRE) control of grasses and other tough-to-control annual weeds. It is concluded that an integrated weed management approach, encompassing a strategic application of PRE and POST herbicides used in combination with non-chemical tactics, will be critical to achieving sustainable weed management in sorghum.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Critical period for weed control in sorghum 3 Chemical options for weed control in sorghum 4 Herbicide-resistant sorghum technology 5 Non-chemical options for weed control in sorghum 6 Weed shifts with production practices 7 Conclusion 8 Where to look for further information 9 References