Enlist™ corn tolerance to preemergence and postemergence applications of synthetic auxin and ACCase-inhibiting herbicides

Abstract Allowing the use of two additional modes of action (MOAs), Enlist™ corn is a novelty in the continuum of herbicide-resistant crop development efforts that have occurred since the 1990s. Knowledge of Enlist corn tolerance to labeled herbicides and other herbicides within the same MOA for various use and/or exposure scenarios is not well established. Four site-year field experiments for preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) applications were conducted at sites in Fayetteville (2021 and 2022) and Tillar (2020 and 2021), Arkansas, to evaluate Enlist corn response following PRE or POST applications of synthetic auxin herbicides or those that inhibit acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase). A non-Enlist and an Enlist corn hybrid were used for each herbicide treatment to establish differential tolerance. Injury response to PRE application varied among site-years; clethodim was the only herbicide that occasionally caused significant (7% to 17%) injury to Enlist corn. None of the PRE treatments affected plant height, stand, or yield of Enlist corn; these responses were generally similar or better for Enlist corn compared to non-Enlist corn. Enlist corn showed significant injury to POST applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl (>10%), fluazifop-P-butyl and quizalofop-P-ethyl (>5%), and clethodim and sethoxydim (>75%) 1 wk after application (WAA). These initial injury responses to clethodim and sethoxydim were generally reflected in Enlist corn yield; however, the minimal injury from fluazifop-P-butyl and quizalofop-P-ethyl did not affect yield. Injury to non-Enlist corn with POST-applied ACCase-inhibiting herbicides 2 WAA was >80%, resulting in a proportionate yield reduction. Even though florpyrauxifen-benzyl caused more initial injury to non-Enlist corn, yield reduction in non-Enlist corn was occasionally less than of Enlist corn, with both hybrids experiencing >75% yield reduction. In summary, Enlist corn may occasionally show transient injury even to labeled herbicides when applied POST, and even though the injury from florpyrauxifen-benzyl is initially mild, it nonetheless results in substantial yield loss. Nomenclature: florpyrauxifen-benzyl; fluazifop-P-butyl; quizalofop-P-ethyl; corn, Zea mays L.