- Author: Thomas Getts
- Author: Lynn M. Sosnoskie
- Author: Rachael Freeman Long
- Author: Mariano Galla
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The old saying, “Everything's fine until it's not,” comes to mind when dealing with some tough to control perennial weeds in alfalfa production during the summertime. Such was the case for an alfalfa field in the Sacramento Valley, where weed control seemed good up until mid-summer, and then it wasn't. Perennial weeds that started off small and overlooked, grew through the season, persisting through multiple cuttings, including curly dock, plantain, and nutsedge. For tough to control weeds in alfalfa fields, one needs to determine: 1) What types of perennial weeds are present, and 2) How many of them are there, to make a decision on how to manage them. These sorts of weed issues can creep up quickly in older alfalfa...
- Author: Michelle Leinfelder-Miles
- Author: Mick Canevari
We have become aware that common purslane (Portulaca oleracea, Fig. 1) is an increasing problem in alfalfa fields, particularly during the months of July through September. A pest control advisor (PCA) was recently seeking advice on managing purslane in glyphosate-tolerant alfalfa fields this summer. He said that the purslane was getting raked up into the windrowed hay, and he was concerned that the moisture of the purslane would cause mold and hay discoloration or even spontaneous combustion of the hay once baled. He said that glyphosate was not effective at controlling the purslane, and he was considering applying carfentrazone (Shark) as an in-season, post-emergence herbicide. Let's dissect this situation.
Common...