Brake On! is a preemergence herbicide registered in blueberry and other horticultural crops in Oregon and Washington but not in California. Fluridone, the active ingredient of Brake On! inhibits carotenoid biosynthesis in the phytoene desaturase enzyme step. Plants treated with fluridone lack carotenoids, leading to rapid chlorophyll breakdown in tissue exposed to sunlight. Symptoms include plants producing new white tissue that eventually become necrotic. Fluridone is grouped in the WSSA mode of Action 12.

Brake On! controls broad leaves and grasses. Some controlled broadleaf species include annual sowthistle, willowherb, mallow, nightshades, prickly lettuce, knotweed, and puncturevine. The controlled grasses include annual...

In melons, as with many annual crops, weeds that emerge in the plant row are the most difficult and costly to remove. There are only a few registered herbicides for CA melon production, and efficacy can be marginal depending on weed species and method of incorporation. As a result, mechanical cultivation followed by hand weeding are the main methods of weed management.

Technology may be able to help. Automated weeders, or robotic weeders, use cameras and computers to distinguish crops from weeds. They are equipped with either spray nozzles, lasers, or cultivators to remove weeds within the crop row. Research by UC Davis weed scientist Steve Fennimore has shown that automated weeders reduced labor use in lettuce production by an...

Just published in the Weed Technology journal...

Herbicide Screening for Weed Control and Crop Safety in California Melon Production

Authors: Travis M.Bean, Scott Stoddard, Lynn M. Sosnoskie, Adewale Osipitan, Pratap Devkota, Guy B. Kyser and Bradley D. Hanson

Abstract

Weed management in cantaloupe and other melon crops, is important to maximize fruit yield; however, there are few registered herbicides available in California. Several independent herbicide trials were conducted at University of California...

Weed management in landscaped areas can be challenging. Weeds may need to be controlled for public safety, fire reduction, aesthetics, and elimination of harborage for other pests. While many non-chemical options for controlling weeds exist—such as physical removal with tools, steam, flame or steam devices, grazing animals, and others—there are some situations that may require the application of herbicides.

For decades, glyphosate has been a common active ingredient used to control weeds in both agricultural and nonagricultural settings. However, there has been significant public concern about the use of glyphosate and other herbicides due to their potential effect on water quality, public health, and non-target...