Orientador: Priscila Lupino Gratão / Resumo: A seca é um problema substancial que afeta negativamente parte das áreas de cultivo de cana-de-açúcar, o que limita a produção das lavouras. O déficit hídrico provoca uma redução no crescimento e desenvolvimento das plantas devido à superprodução descontrolada de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ERO). Por outro lado, a aplicação de herbicidas para controle de plantas daninhas é uma estratégia muito usual de manejo nas culturas para manter altos índices de produtividade, mesmo quando as culturas são afetadas por condições adversas, como a seca. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar as diferentes respostas bioquímicas e no crescimento de duas cultivares de cana-de-açúcar, um tolerante à seca (CTC 9002) e outra tolerante a herbicidas (CTC 2), que caracterizem maior tolerância a condição de déficit hídrico associada à aplicação de herbicidas com diferentes mecanismos de ação. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em esquema fatorial triplo 2 x 2 x 3, sendo o fator cultivares CTC2 e CTC9002, fator condição hídrica de 70% ou 35% da capacidade de campo e fator herbicida, ametrina (1750 g i.a. ha-1), sulfentrazone (700 g i.a. ha-1) ou sem aplicação. A peroxidação lipídica, as concentrações de H2O2 e prolina; as atividades antioxidantes das enzimas superóxido dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbato peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), glutationa redutase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2); e o acúmulo de massa seca da parte aérea e da raiz foram analisados. A aplicação do herbi... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Drought is currently a substantial problem worldwide, affecting part of sugarcane grown areas, and it is the main yield-limiting factor of crops. Drought stress provokes a reduction in growth and development due to uncontrolled overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). By the other way, herbicide application to control weeds is a common crop management strategy to maintain high sugarcane yields, even when crops are affected by adverse conditions, such as drought. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate differences in biochemical and growth responses of two sugarcane genotypes, drought-and herbicide-tolerant, which characterize a greater tolerance to drought stress condition combined to herbicides application with different modes of action. The treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 x 3 triple factorial scheme, with the cultivar factor CTC2 and CTC9002, a water condition factor of 70% or 35% of field capacity and herbicide factor, ametryn (1750 g a.i ha-1 ), sulfentrazone (700 g a.i ha -1 ) or without application. Lipid peroxidation, H2O2 and proline content; the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2); and shoot and root dry mass accumulation were analyzed. The ametryn herbicide application was harmful to sugarcane plants due to the higher lipid peroxidation and root dry mass reduction. Increased GR activity in response to sulfentrazone appli... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2017-03-03T11:30:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1566818 bytes, checksum: 6084c31bb5a193140ffeddae2ada9972 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-03T11:30:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1566818 bytes, checksum: 6084c31bb5a193140ffeddae2ada9972 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A maioria dos contaminantes químicos presentes em águas subterrâneas e superficiais está relacionada às fontes industriais e agrícolas. A variedade é enorme, com destaque para os agrotóxicos, compostos orgânicos voláteis e metais. Sulfentrazone (SUL) e tebuthiuron (TBR) são agroquímicos registrados para uso de controle de planas daninhas em cultura de cana-de-açúcar e seu uso pode causar contaminação da planta, solo e da água presente na região onde foi aplicado, sendo ele rios, lagos ou subterrâneas. Dessa forma, neste trabalho, foi desenvolvida e validada uma metodologia eletroanalítica para quantificação simultânea de sulfentrazone e tebuthiuron em amostras de água da lagoa da UFV. Inicialmente, o sistema foi caracterizado qualitativamente por voltametria cíclica (CV), no qual o transporte de massa do analito é regido por difusão e que a oxidação dos analitos ocorrem por meio de transferência irreversível de um elétron com o eletrodo de trabalho, próximo ao potencial +0,936 V para a sulfentrazone e próximo a 1,01 V para o tebuthiuron utilizando como eletrodo de referência Ag|AgCl, KCl sat 3 mol L -1 , eletrodo de pasta de carbono(CPE) grafite/óleo mineral (75:25 m/m) como eletrodo de trabalho e KOH 0,1mol L -1 como eletrólito de suporte. A quantificação dos agroquímicos se mostrou mais sensível e seletivo para quantificação, quando aliada a técnica voltametria de pulso diferencial (DPV), com limites de detecção para SUL e TBR de 0,133 mg L -1 e 0,572 mg L -1 e quantificação de 0,443 mg L -1 e 1,91 mg L -1 , respectivamente. O método apresentou repetibilidade entre 2,65 e 4,22 %, precisão intermediária entre 5,32 e 10,9 % e recuperação entre 70 e 120%. / Most chemical contaminants in groundwater and surface water is related to the industrial and agricultural sources. The variety is huge, especially pesticides, volatile organic compounds and metals. Sulfentrazone (SUL) and tebuthiuron (TBR) are herbicides registered for use in weed control flat crop sugarcane and its use can cause contamination of the plant, soil and water in the area where it was applied, being rivers , lakes or groundwater. Thus, this work was developed and validated one electroanalytical methodology for simultaneous quantification of sulfentrazone and tebuthiuron in pond water samples from UFV. Initially, the system was qualitatively characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), which concluded that the analyte mass transfer is governed by diffusion and oxidation of the analytes occur via an irreversible transfer of an electron to the working electrode, near the potential +0.936 V for sulfentrazone and close to 1,01 V to tebuthiuron using as reference electrode Ag | AgCl, KCl sat 3 mol L -1 , carbon paste electrode (CPE) graphite / mineral oil (75: 25m / m ) as working electrode and KOH 0,1 mol L -1 as supporting electrolyte. The amount of herbicide was more sensitive and selective for quantification, when combined with voltammetry technique of differential pulse (DPV) with detection limits for South and TBR 0.133 and 0.572 mg L -1 and quantification of 0.443 and 1.91 mg L -1 , respectively. The method presented repeatability between 2.65 and 4.22%, intermediate precision between 5.32 and 10.9% and recovery of 70 to 120%.

The risk associated with the application and co-occurrence of atrazine and sulfentrazone, two herbicides applied to a corn and soybean rotational field, was evaluated in the current study. Peak field concentrations were found in the soil matrix, with atrazine and sulfentrazone values of 144 ng/g dry weight (dw), and 318 ng/g dw, respectively; however, due to the physicochemical properties of the compounds, the two herbicides were also transported to field water matrices. The highest mean runoff water concentrations for atrazine and sulfentrazone were 4.72 µg/L and 10.3 µg/L, respectively. A direct spray event of atrazine to the runoff water sampler caused concentrations as high as 1.6 mg/L, effectively becoming a worst case scenario concentration. Individual and mixture laboratory bioassays were also conducted to determine the effects of atrazine and sulfentrazone on the survival of D. magna, and P. promelas. Sub-lethal effects including germination of L. sativa, and growth of P. promelas, S. capricornutum and L. minor were also evaluated. Results showed that S. capricornutum and L. minor were the most susceptible non-target species tested, and synergistic effects were observed for both species when equipotent mixtures were tested. Margin of safety of 10% (MOS10) values were calculated for each species using field concentrations and bioassay benchmark concentrations. Atrazine MOS10 values, calculated with environmental concentrations not including the direct spray event, were 0.83 and 0.10 for S. capricornutum and L. minor, respectively. The MOS10 value for sulfentrazone effects on S. capricornutum was 0.31, and effects on L. minor was 1.39. There was a slight risk to S. capricornutum and L. minor growth associated with exposure to atrazine and sulfentrazone in an agricultural field. Although the co-occurrence of atrazine and sulfentrazone was observed, and synergistic effects were observed in the equipotent binary mixture bioassays for S. capricornutum and L. minor, it is believed that there is minimal increase in risk potential due to the co-occurrence, because field concentrations do not proportionally mimic the concentrations that produced synergism in the plant species.

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da intensidade de chuva e diferentes quantidades de palha de cana-de-açúcar sobre a eficácia de herbicidas aplicados em pré-emergência no controle da tiririca. Foram realizados dois experimentos, ambos conduzidos em casa-de-vegetação. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos casualizados, com 4 repetições, para os dois experimentos. No primeiro experimento os tratamentos foram distribuídos em um esquema fatorial 3 x 3 x 2 x 2, constituídos pela combinação entre quantidades de cobertura morta de palha de cana-de-açúcar que foram adicionadas à superfície do solo (0, 10, 20 t/ha), herbicidas aplicados em pré-emergência (sulfentrazone a 0,8 kg i.a./ha e imazapic a 147 g i.a./ha) e um tratamento sem aplicação de herbicida, intensidades de chuva (10 e 20 mm), e épocas em que foram simuladas chuvas após a aplicação dos herbicidas (24 e 168 horas). No segundo experimento os tratamentos foram distribuídos em um esquema fatorial 2 x 3 x 5, constituídos pela combinação entre quantidades de cobertura morta de palha de cana-de-açúcar (0, 15 t/ha), herbicidas aplicados em pré-emergência (sulfentrazone a 0,8 kg i.a./ha e imazapic a 147 g i.a./ha) e um tratamento sem aplicação de herbicida, e épocas em que foi simulada chuva após a aplicação dos herbicidas (0, 3, 6, 9 e 12 dias). Em ambos experimentos foram avaliados: o número de plantas por vaso, biomassas secas da parte aérea e das estruturas do sistema subterrâneo, e número de tubérculos e bulbos sadios. A partir da análise dos resultados, para o primeiro experimento conclui-se que, para o herbicida sulfentrazone, a presença de 20 t/ha de palha de cana-de-açúcar diminuiu a eficácia do herbicida. O herbicida imazapic teve um bom desempenho tanto na ausência quanto na presença de palha, e causou redução das variáveis estudadas independente da intensidade de chuva. A intensidade de chuva de 10 mm, não foi suficiente para transpor o herbicida sulfentrazone na quantidade de 20 t/ha de palha. Já a intensidade de 20 mm foi suficiente para lixiviar o herbicida até mesmo na maior quantidade de palha. O herbicida sulfentrazone suporta mais a permanência na palha, pois apresentou melhor eficácia em relação ao imazapic, quando a chuva foi simulada 168 horas após a aplicação dos herbicidas. Para o segundo experimento pode-se concluir que, as épocas em que foram simuladas as chuvas, não afetaram as variáveis estudadas, não havendo, portanto, diferença se a chuva ocorreu no dia em que foi aplicado o herbicida, ou se ocorreu um período sem chuva de 12 dias. Os herbicidas sulfentrazone e imazapic reduziram o número de plantas, o número de tubérculos, biomassa seca de bulbos, biomassa seca de rizoma e raiz, e biomassa seca da parte aérea, independente da presença de palha. / The present work was developed with the objective of assessing the effects of the intensity of rain and different quantities of sugar cane mulch residue on the efficacy of herbicides applied in pre-emergence for the purple nutsedge control. Two experiments were performed, both conducted in greenhouses. The experiments were performed by randomly choosing blocks with four repetitions. In the first experiment, the treatments were distributed in a factorial scheme 3 x 3 x 2 x 2, constituted by the combination between quantities of dead coverage of sugar cane mulch residue which were added to the soil surface (0, 10, 20 t/ha), herbicides applied in preemergence (sulfentrazone at 0,8 kg i.a./ha and imazapic at 147 g i.a./ha) and a treatment without the application of herbicides, rain intensities (10 and 20 mm), and seasons in which were simulated rains after the application of herbicides (24 and 168 hours). In the second experiment, the treatments were distributed in a factorial scheme 2 x 3 x 5, constituted by the combination between quantities of dead covering of sugar cane mulch residue (0, 15, t/ha), herbicides applied in pre-emergence (sulfentrazone at 0,8 kg i.a./ha and imazapic at 147 g i.a./ha), a treatment without the application of herbicides and seasons in which were simulated rains after the application of herbicides (0, 3, 6, and 12 days). It was evaluated in both experiments: the number of plants per vase, dry biomasses from the aerial parts, from the underground system structures and the number of healthy tubers and bulbs. From the analysis of the results of the first experiment, it may conclude that, to the herbicide sulfentrazone, the presence of 20 t/ha of sugar cane mulch residue diminished its efficacy. The herbicide imazapic had a good performance with the absence as well as with the presence of the mulch residue, and caused a reduction in the varieties studied independently of the intensity of rain. The intensity of rain of 10 mm, wasn’t sufficient to overpass the herbicide sulfentrazone in the quantity of 20 t/ha of mulch residue. But the intensity of 20 mm was enough to lixiviate the herbicide even in the biggest quantity of mulch residue. The herbicide sulfentrazone endures more the abiding on the mulch residue, because it presented a better efficacy in relation to the imazapic, when the rain was simulated 168 hours after the application of the herbicides. From the second experiment it may conclude that the season in which was simulated rains, it didn't affect the varieties studied, therefore there was no difference when the rain occurred on the day when the herbicide was applied, or if it occurred on a 12 day period without rain. The herbicides sulfentrazone and imazapic reduced the number of plants, the number of tubers, dry biomass of bulbs, dry biomass of rhizoma roots and dry biomass of the aerial parts, independently of the presence of mulch residue.

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2016-05-03T16:41:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1716657 bytes, checksum: 414de4210891710c2b2f4b5cb55805a1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-03T16:41:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1716657 bytes, checksum: 414de4210891710c2b2f4b5cb55805a1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O sulfentrazone é um herbicida que vem sendo aplicado em grandes áreas agrícolas do Brasil, principalmente nas culturas da cana-de-açúcar, soja e reflorestamento. Possui longa meia-vida e pode contaminar o solo para cultivos sucessivos e águas superficiais e subterrâneas. Todavia, faltam estudos sobre o comportamento desse herbicida em solos tropicais; pois, a metodologia para estes estudos é onerosa e, ainda está pouco disponível na maioria dos laboratórios por falta de equipamentos e recursos humanos qualificados. Na busca de soluções para este problema, neste trabalho, foi desenvolvida e validada uma metodologia eletroanalítica para quantificação de sulfentrazone em amostras de solo. Inicialmente, o sistema foi caracterizado qualitativamente por voltametria cíclica (CV). Os estudos sugerem que o transporte de massa do analito é regido por difusão e que a oxidação de sulfentrazone ocorre por meio de transferência irreversível de um elétron entre o analito e o eletrodo de trabalho, próximo ao potencial +0,936 V vs. Ag|AgCl, KCl sat 3 mol L -1 quando foi utilizando o eletrodo de carbono vítreo (GCE) em KOH 0,10 mol L -1 . Observou- se, também, resultados semelhantes próximo ao potencial +0,972 V vs. Ag|AgCl, KCl sat 3 mol L -1 quando se utilizou o eletrodo de ouro (AuE) em solução tampão fosfato pH 7,0,0. A quantificação do herbicida foi realizada pelo sistema composto por GCE em KOH 0,10 mol L -1 o qual se mostrou mais sensível e seletivo para quantificação; sendo, a voltametria de pulso diferencial (DPV) a técnica mais sensível e seletiva, com limites de detecção de 3,75 e 4,24 mg kg -1 e quantificação de 12,5 e 14,2 mg kg -1 , na ausência e presença de matriz de solo, respectivamente. O método apresentou repetibilidade entre 2,65 e 4,20 %, precisão intermediária entre 5,32 e 10,9 % e recuperação entre 88,5 e 103 %. Adicionalmente, a exatidão do método eletroanalítico proposto foi validada por comparação dos resultados com a metodologia padrão de análise (cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência, CLAE). Estes resultados indicam que a metodologia desenvolvida apresenta seletividade, simplicidade e baixo custo para quantificação de sulfentrazone em amostras de solo. / Sulfentrazone has been applied to broad areas in Brazil, especially in cultures of sugar cane, soy and reforestation. The herbicide has a long half-life in soil and may contaminate the soil for subsequent crops and surface waters and groundwaters. However, there are no reports on its systematic investigation in tropical soils, therefore the methodology for these studies is costly and is still not available in most laboratories due to lack of equipment and qualified human resources. In this work, an electroanalytical methodology to quantify Sulfentrazone in soil samples was developed and validated. Initially, the system was qualitatively characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The studies suggest that oxidation of Sulfentrazone occurs by means of the irreversible transfer of one electron between the analyte and the working electrode, close to the potential +0.936 V vs. Ag|AgCl, KCl sat 3 mol L -1 , using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in KOH 0.10 mol L -1 , and close to the potential +0.972 V vs. Ag|AgCl, KCl sat 3 mol L -1 , using a gold electrode (AuE) in phosphate buffer at pH 7,0,0. The mass transport of analyte is governed by diffusion in both electrochemical systems. Because of the GCE system in KOH 0.10 mol L -1 proved to be more sensitive and selective in the quantification of the herbicide, the quantitative techniques were optimized in these conditions. Among the techniques investigated, it was confirmed that differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was more sensitive and selective, with detection limits of 3.75 and 4.24 mg kg -1 , and quantification of 12.5 and 14.2 mg kg -1 , in the absence and presence of soil matrix, respectively. The reproducibility of the method ranged between 2.65 and 4.2 %, with intermediate precision between 5.32 and 10.9 %, and recovery between 88.5 and 103.2 %. Additionally, the accuracy of the electroanalytical method was validated by comparing the results with a standard analysis methodology (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, HPLC). These results indicate that the methodology proposed for the quantification of Sulfentrazone in soil samples is selective, simple and non-expensive.

Orientador: Lucia Regina Durrant / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T08:24:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martinez_CamilaOrtiz_M.pdf: 1223287 bytes, checksum: 9db97558a8ad8279e123f2a0318f61d5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Mestrado / Mestre em Ciência de Alimentos

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da intensidade de chuva e diferentes quantidades de palha de cana-de-açúcar sobre a eficácia de herbicidas aplicados em pré-emergência no controle da tiririca. Foram realizados dois experimentos, ambos conduzidos em casa-de-vegetação. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos casualizados, com 4 repetições, para os dois experimentos. No primeiro experimento os tratamentos foram distribuídos em um esquema fatorial 3 x 3 x 2 x 2, constituídos pela combinação entre quantidades de cobertura morta de palha de cana-de-açúcar que foram adicionadas à superfície do solo (0, 10, 20 t/ha), herbicidas aplicados em pré-emergência (sulfentrazone a 0,8 kg i.a./ha e imazapic a 147 g i.a./ha) e um tratamento sem aplicação de herbicida, intensidades de chuva (10 e 20 mm), e épocas em que foram simuladas chuvas após a aplicação dos herbicidas (24 e 168 horas). No segundo experimento os tratamentos foram distribuídos em um esquema fatorial 2 x 3 x 5, constituídos pela combinação entre quantidades de cobertura morta de palha de cana-de-açúcar (0, 15 t/ha), herbicidas aplicados em pré-emergência (sulfentrazone a 0,8 kg i.a./ha e imazapic a 147 g i.a./ha) e um tratamento sem aplicação de herbicida, e épocas em que foi simulada chuva após a aplicação dos herbicidas (0, 3, 6, 9 e 12 dias). Em ambos experimentos foram avaliados: o número de plantas por vaso, biomassas secas da parte aérea e das estruturas do sistema subterrâneo, e número de tubérculos e bulbos sadios. A partir da análise dos resultados, para o primeiro experimento conclui-se que, para o herbicida sulfentrazone, a presença de 20 t/ha de palha de cana-de-açúcar diminuiu a eficácia do herbicida. O herbicida imazapic teve um bom desempenho tanto na ausência quanto na presença de palha, e causou redução das variáveis estudadas independente da intensidade de chuva. A intensidade de chuva de 10 mm, não foi suficiente para transpor o herbicida sulfentrazone na quantidade de 20 t/ha de palha. Já a intensidade de 20 mm foi suficiente para lixiviar o herbicida até mesmo na maior quantidade de palha. O herbicida sulfentrazone suporta mais a permanência na palha, pois apresentou melhor eficácia em relação ao imazapic, quando a chuva foi simulada 168 horas após a aplicação dos herbicidas. Para o segundo experimento pode-se concluir que, as épocas em que foram simuladas as chuvas, não afetaram as variáveis estudadas, não havendo, portanto, diferença se a chuva ocorreu no dia em que foi aplicado o herbicida, ou se ocorreu um período sem chuva de 12 dias. Os herbicidas sulfentrazone e imazapic reduziram o número de plantas, o número de tubérculos, biomassa seca de bulbos, biomassa seca de rizoma e raiz, e biomassa seca da parte aérea, independente da presença de palha. / The present work was developed with the objective of assessing the effects of the intensity of rain and different quantities of sugar cane mulch residue on the efficacy of herbicides applied in pre-emergence for the purple nutsedge control. Two experiments were performed, both conducted in greenhouses. The experiments were performed by randomly choosing blocks with four repetitions. In the first experiment, the treatments were distributed in a factorial scheme 3 x 3 x 2 x 2, constituted by the combination between quantities of dead coverage of sugar cane mulch residue which were added to the soil surface (0, 10, 20 t/ha), herbicides applied in preemergence (sulfentrazone at 0,8 kg i.a./ha and imazapic at 147 g i.a./ha) and a treatment without the application of herbicides, rain intensities (10 and 20 mm), and seasons in which were simulated rains after the application of herbicides (24 and 168 hours). In the second experiment, the treatments were distributed in a factorial scheme 2 x 3 x 5, constituted by the combination between quantities of dead covering of sugar cane mulch residue (0, 15, t/ha), herbicides applied in pre-emergence (sulfentrazone at 0,8 kg i.a./ha and imazapic at 147 g i.a./ha), a treatment without the application of herbicides and seasons in which were simulated rains after the application of herbicides (0, 3, 6, and 12 days). It was evaluated in both experiments: the number of plants per vase, dry biomasses from the aerial parts, from the underground system structures and the number of healthy tubers and bulbs. From the analysis of the results of the first experiment, it may conclude that, to the herbicide sulfentrazone, the presence of 20 t/ha of sugar cane mulch residue diminished its efficacy. The herbicide imazapic had a good performance with the absence as well as with the presence of the mulch residue, and caused a reduction in the varieties studied independently of the intensity of rain. The intensity of rain of 10 mm, wasn’t sufficient to overpass the herbicide sulfentrazone in the quantity of 20 t/ha of mulch residue. But the intensity of 20 mm was enough to lixiviate the herbicide even in the biggest quantity of mulch residue. The herbicide sulfentrazone endures more the abiding on the mulch residue, because it presented a better efficacy in relation to the imazapic, when the rain was simulated 168 hours after the application of the herbicides. From the second experiment it may conclude that the season in which was simulated rains, it didn't affect the varieties studied, therefore there was no difference when the rain occurred on the day when the herbicide was applied, or if it occurred on a 12 day period without rain. The herbicides sulfentrazone and imazapic reduced the number of plants, the number of tubers, dry biomass of bulbs, dry biomass of rhizoma roots and dry biomass of the aerial parts, independently of the presence of mulch residue.

No description available.

Integrated weed management involves the utilization of weed biology principles to develop effective and economical control strategies. This research involved investigations of herbicide-based weed management programs in potato (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i> L.) and winter wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) as well as investigations of the biological characteristics of smooth pigweed (<i>Amaranthus hybridus</i>), a troublesome species in many crops. Sulfentrazone is an herbicide registered for use in soybean [<i>Glycine max</i> (L.) Merr.] and tobacco (<i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> L.) that may also have potential for use in potato. In field experiments, potato tolerance to preemergence (PRE) applications of sulfentrazone at rates up to 0.21 kg/ha was similar to that from the registered herbicides metribuzin, metolachlor, or metribuzin plus metolachlor PRE. Potato generally did not tolerate sulfentrazone applications to foliage. Sulfentrazone effectively controlled common lambsquarters (<i>Chenopodium album</i> L.) at rates as low as 0.11 kg/ha and also controlled several annual grasses at higher application rates, but was slightly less effective on jimsonweed (<i>Datura stramonium</i> L.) and ineffective on common ragweed (<i>Ambrosia artemisiifolia</i> L.). Potato tuber yield and grade from sulfentrazone PRE applications was similar to yield of potato treated with registered herbicides. Laboratory research was also conducted to determine the mechanism of sulfentrazone selectivity between potato (a tolerant species), common lambsquarters (a sensitive species), and jimsonweed (an intermediate species). After 48 h root exposure to [14C] sulfentrazone, absorption by common lambsquarters was nearly two-fold that of jimsonweed and three-fold that of potato. Both weed species also exhibited nearly a two-fold increase in sulfentrazone translocation from roots to shoots compared to potato. Since the site of action of sulfentrazone, protoporphyrinogen oxidase, is located in shoot tissue, translocation to shoots is essential for sulfentrazone toxicity. Therefore, the proposed primary mechanisms of selectivity between these species are differential root absorption and differential translocation. Experiments were also conducted to investigate the potential of the experimental herbicide AE F130060 03 for Italian ryegrass (<i>Lolium multiflorum</i> Lam.) control in winter wheat. In laboratory research, foliar absorption of AE F130060 03 in Italian ryegrass was at least three times that in wheat. Additionally, herbicide metabolism was greater in wheat, particularly in wheat treated with the herbicide safener AE F107892. In field experiments, AE F130060 03 was as effective as diclofop-methyl for control of diclofop-sensitive Italian ryegrass and more effective than diclofop-methyl and all other herbicides tested for control of diclofop-resistant Italian ryegrass. Although wheat injury from AE F130060 03 was greater than from other herbicides, wheat recovered and yields were not affected. Postemergence AE F130060 03 applications controlled Italian ryegrass from emergence until the end of tillering, but applications made to four- to five-tiller Italian ryegrass resulted in the least amount of new Italian ryegrass emergence following application. To further define the utility of AE F130060 03 in winter wheat, ten wheat cultivars adapted to Virginia were evaluated for tolerance to AE F130060 03. Biomass production between cultivars was not influenced by AE F130060 03 application in the greenhouse, although slight yield decreases due to herbicide application were found in FFR 518, Coker 9663, AgriPro Patton, and VA98W593 under weed-free conditions in the field. Greenhouse, growth chamber, and field experiments were also conducted to investigate growth and seed production of one imidazolinone-susceptible (S) and five -resistant (R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5) smooth pigweed biotypes. Although the S biotype produced more total biomass than four of the five R biotypes, R4 displayed a more rapid growth rate at 3 to 5 wk after planting and a faster germination rate than S and all other R biotypes. Seed production in R4 was similar to S and greater than in all other R biotypes. Early rapid growth in R4 did not translate into increased biomass accumulation compared to S at the conclusion of the experiments. / Ph. D.