Herbicide Effects on Weed Control and Shoot Growth of Young Apple (Malus sylvestris) and Peach (Prunus persica) Trees

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Abstract
Field experiments were conducted at two locations in Virginia to evaluate the following herbicides: alachlor, diphenamid, diuron, metolachlor, napropamide, norflurazon, oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, pendimethalin, and simazine. One experiment involved newly-transplanted apple trees; the others, three in apple and one in peach trees, involved one-year-old trees. Treatments were applied in the spring (mid-April to early-May). Control of annual weed species was excellent with several treatments. A broader spectrum of weeds was controlled in several instances when the preemergence herbicides were used in combinations. Perennial species, particularly broadleaf species and johnsongrass, were released when annual species were suppressed by the herbicides. A rye cover crop in nontreated plots suppressed the growth of weeds. New shoot growth of newly-transplanted apple trees was increased with 3 of 20 herbicide treatments and scion circumference was increased with 11 of 20 herbicide treatments compared to the nontreated control. Growth of one-year-old apple trees was not affected. Scion circumference of one-year-old peach trees was increased with 25 of 33 herbicide treatments.