Vince Davis, a WIU Agriculture Science student, designed and conducted a preemergence herbicide trial to identify weed control options for Cuphea.  He examined 12 herbicides in two greenhouse screenings in November and December 2001.  Vince monitored and scored these flats daily and conducted field trials in the summer of 2002 on the top six herbicides.  The Weed Science Society of America  awarded Vince an undergraduate research grant to complete the study.  Vince presented his research at the American Society of Agronomy - Crop Science Society of America - Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting and the North Central Weed Science Society Meeting in the fall of 2002.  This study was continued in 2003 and may be viewed at 2003 Cuphea Herbicide Trials.

Poster abstract presented at the American Society of Agronomy - Crop Science Society of America - Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

 United Sciences: Solutions for the Global Community

November 10-14, 2002

 Indianapolis, Indiana

V. Davis*, G. Roskamp, and W. Phippen

Agriculture Department, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois 61455 USA

Cuphea is a wild plant that may soon be a mid-western cash crop. Cuphea seed oil is rich in lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium-chain triglyceride essential in the production of most soaps and detergents. Eight million acres of Cuphea would be needed to meet current US demand. One obstacle of commercial production of Cuphea is weed control. The identification of a preemergence herbicide will be vital to insure Cuphea as a viable commercial crop.

The objective was to conduct a preemergence herbicide screening trial to identify suitable soil applied herbicides for the agriculture production of Cuphea. Preliminary greenhouse studies examined twelve herbicides. Isoxaflutole, mesotrione, benefin, trifluralin, pendimethalin, and imazethapyr were then tested in two randomized complete block field studies. Results indicate isoxaflutole has excellent Cuphea safety and weed control. Benefin, trifluralin, and imazethapyr appear Cuphea safe with mixed weed control, and mesotrione and pendimethalin cause slight concern of slower Cuphea growth. The identification of an effective preemergence herbicide will allow researchers to advance Cuphea as a new commercial crop.

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