How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

COMMON PURSLANE, JUNGLERICE, AND BARNYARDGRASS. These weeds are particular problems when a climate modification technique is used in early spring to promote early harvest. Bensulide is effective against these weeds, but inadequate soil incorporation has frequently resulted in poor levels of control. Avoid growing cucurbit crops for early harvest in fields known to be heavily infested with these weeds.

Nutsedge. Nutsedge is a serious weed in spring- and summer-planted crops. Yellow and purple nutsedge are perennial weeds that reproduce from underground tubers and can survive for several years in soil. Each tuber contains several buds that are capable of producing plants. One or more buds on the tuber germinate at a time to form new plants; however, if a bud or plant is destroyed by cultivation or an herbicide, then a new bud is activated. Halosulfuron (Sandea) provides good to excellent control of nutsedge and is labeled for all cucurbit crops. In some cucurbit crops (watermelon and summer squash), however, only directed applications are permitted and nutsedge can remain a problem in the seed line. Other options include rotating to crops where effective herbicide and cultural control methods can be used or continuous cultivation during a summer fallow period. Deep plowing with moldboard plows will bury the nutsedge tubers 10 or more inches. Most tubers will not germinate below this depth.

Field bindweed. Field bindweed is a widely distributed perennial weed that can reduce cucurbit yields. No adequate control measures exist for field bindweed in cucurbits, with the exception of methyl bromide fumigation. Control this weed during the fallow season using glyphosate and cultivation; or, deep plow using chisel plows on reclamation blades at depths of 16 inches in dry soil during the summer before planting.

PUBLICATION

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Cucurbits
UC ANR Publication 3445
Weeds
W. T. Lanini, Plant Sciences/Weed Science, UC Davis
Acknowledgment for contributions to Weeds:
C. E. Bell, UC Cooperative Extension, San Diego County

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