HERBICIDES FOR USE IN SWEET POTATO PLANT BEDS

Selected herbicides, alone or in combination with polyethylene bed covers, were evaluated for preemergence weed control in sweet potato plant beds. No injury to sweet potato transplants was found when the herbicide was applied to the soil surface of freshly bedded sweet potato roots before application of the polyethylene or was applied to newly emerged transplants immediately after the bed cover was removed. Some foliar chlorosis was observed in transplants from beds treated with clomazone, but after the first transplant pulling, no reappearance occurred. Clomazone, chloramben, and napropamide provided excellent control of all annual grasses. Herbicides, regardless of timing of application, did not adversely affect number or weight of sweet potato transplants. Beds covered with polyethylene film produced more transplants at the early and total harvests than the uncovered beds.