In 2002, a WIU honors student designed a study to examine preemergence herbicide use with Cuphea.  A summary of this study may be found at 2002 Cuphea Herbicide Trials.  A replication of the 2002 study was conducted in 2003.  In addition, a step-log trial on two promising herbicides from the 2002 study was performed to assess Cuphea plant injury rates at 8, 4, 2, 1, and 1/2 times the labeled rate.  The combined data from these 2 years of research was presented in poster form at the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops meeting in the fall of 2003.

Poster abstract presented at the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Annual Meeting

 Solving Problems with Industrial Crops

October 12-15, 2003

 Portland, Oregon

CUPHEA INJURY RATES WITH PREEMERGENCE HERBICIDES

V. Davis¹, S. Pegg², G. Roskamp², and W. B. Phippen²

¹Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN  47907

²Agriculture Department, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL  61455, USA

Cuphea seed oil, a medium-chain triglyceride rich in lauric acid, is essential to the soap and detergent industry.  Many agronomic issues relating to commercial Cuphea production as a new oil seed crop are currently under investigation.  As with any new crop, a reliable weed control method is necessary.  This study focuses on identifying the effects of preemergence herbicides on Cuphea germination and growth rates. 

A 2001 preliminary greenhouse study screened twelve potential herbicides to identify six promising herbicides for future field trials.  Replicated field trials in 2002 and 2003 were conducted to investigate weed control and Cuphea injury rates of six soil applied herbicides at 1, ½, and ¼ times the labeled application rates. Isoxaflutole and mesotrione displayed good weed control and little Cuphea damage in the replicated field studies and were later assessed at 8, 4, 2, 1, and ½ times the labeled rates to observe plant injury.  Both studies were conducted in randomized complete block design with plant height, plant density, and stage of development data taken per ¼ m² transect.

Our results suggest isoxaflutole at eight times the labeled rate demonstrated no Cuphea damage.  The identification of a promising preemergence herbicide program will not only enable commercial Cuphea production to become successfully established but will help farmers diversify their crops and expand their markets.

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Last revised: January 23, 2007