1. Vegetable Weed Management
Dennis Calvin Odero

2. Vegetable production Important to the economy of Palm Beach County
Lettuce, sweet corn, green beans, celery
Intensive practices including effective weed control options are needed for profitable production of high-value vegetable crops

3. Weed management
Weed management is a very important economic component of vegetable production
Weed interference
Reduce yield
Reduce quality
Interfere with harvesting efficiency

4. Weed control options: Palm Beach
Growers have a limited number of herbicide options available
There is need for additional weed control options that will provide selective and consistent control of grass and broadleaf weeds

5. Research priorities
Research to identify herbicides that can control problem weeds
PRE and POST herbicide options
Incorporate into weed management programs
Crop sensitivity under our environmental conditions
Important factor for registration of herbicides
Herbicide rate and timing
CPWC
Period in the crop growth cycle when weeds must be controlled to prevent yield losses
Provides a basis for planning effective weed control strategies in crops

6. Integrated Weed Management
Develop weed management program using a combination of preventive, cultural, mechanical, and chemical practices
Applying the principles of IWM
Minimize overall economic impact of weeds
Reduce herbicide use
Provide optimum economic returns
Development of IWM program is based on a few general rules that can be used in any farm

7. Prevent weeds before they start
Best method of weed control is to keep weeds out of the field
Field sanitation – practices that prevent weeds from entering or spreading across your field
Planting certified seed is a good starting point to reduce weeds
Control of volunteer weeds along field edges and ditches
Cleaning equipment before moving from field to field

8. Help the crop compete against weeds
Several things can be done to give the crop an advantage over weeds
Fertilizer placement – placing the fertilizer where the crop, but not weeds, has access allows the crop to be more competitive
Banding reduces competitiveness and population density of weeds
Competitive crop varieties
Taller varieties close the canopy more completely than shorter types, which helps shade weeds

9. Keep weeds of balance Don’t give them a chance to adopt
Crop rotation – rotating crops with different life cycles will help prevent weeds from adapting
Rotating crops allows rotating herbicide practices

10. Making a spray decision
Scout your field to assess the type and number of weeds to help determine spray operation
Consider timing of weed emergence relative to the crop growth stage – use the concepts of CPWC and economic thresholds
CPWC
Cost of delaying weed control
Economic threshold – is the level of weed infestation at which the cost of weed control equals the increased return on the crop yield

11. Spiny amaranth
Cotyledons linear, dull green to reddish on the upper surface and bright red beneath, hairless
Hypocotyl tinged red and hairless
1st true leaves green to red, smooth, alternate, ovate, long stalk, wavy margins
Stems reddish with spines at nodes

12. Contact Information
Dennis Calvin Odero
Office
EREC, Belle Glade
Wedgworth Building Room 155
Telephone
(Office)
(Cell)