Response of glyphosate-resistant kochia (Kochia scoparia L. Schrad.) to alternative herbicides

A greenhouse study was conducted to examine the response of glyphosate-resistant (GR) plus acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor-resistant kochia to five post-emergence herbicide treatments commonly used to control the weed species in chemical fallow, cereals, or oilseed crops in western Canada. The treatments, which were applied to two GR kochia biotypes and one non-GR (susceptible) biotype, included the labeled rate of dicamba, dicamba/fluroxypyr, dicamba/diflufenzopyr, MCPA/bromoxynil, and glufosinate. Both GR and non-GR biotypes responded similarly to each of the herbicide treatments. Although both GR biotypes were sensitive to the herbicides, MCPA/bromoxynil was the most effective treatment in reducing shoot biomass 3 wk after application (99%), followed by glufosinate (91%) then the dicamba mixtures (82%). Dicamba alone only suppressed kochia biomass (76% reduction).