WEED MANAGEMENT IN TRANSPLANTED BELL PEPPER (CAPSICUM FRUTESCENS) WITH CLOMAZONE AND RIMSULFURON

In field studies, in 1993, 1994, and 1995, clomazone at 390 g ai/ha an d rimsulfuron at 35 g ai/ha were evaluated preplant incorporated (PPI) and postemergence (POST), respectively, for weed control and crop res ponse in transplanted 'Keystone RG3' bell pepper. Clomazone did not in jure bell pepper. Common lambsquarters and jimsonweed control was 77 t o 95% by clomazone treatments but was variable by rimsulfuron treatmen ts at 41 to 93% common lambsquarters control and 42 to 68% jimsonweed control; common ragweed control by both herbicides was unacceptable. I njury by rimsulfuron to bell pepper in the field was 19 to 47% at 21 D AT In the greenhouse, injury to Keystone RG3 and three additional bell pepper varieties, 'Camelot,' 'Jupiter,' and 'Memphis' was similar at 44 to 62% by rimsulfuron at 17 to 35 g/ha POST, and bell pepper had lo wer height and dry weight than untreated controls. In the greenhouse, jimsonweed control was below 49% and black nightshade control was belo w 23% by 17 to 35 g/ha rimsulfuron. In these studies, clomazone contro lled common lambsquarters and jimsonweed without injury to bell pepper . The solanaceous weeds treated in this study were not well controlled by rimsulfuron, and bell pepper was not sufficiently tolerant to rims ulfuron to permit its use in this crop.