Alaam Agicutua Exeimn Sta i Weedsurvy 1permnen pasure in three ~'souhen ta CONTENTS Page EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES....................................................................... 3 5 RESULTS ................................................................................................ Occurrence of Weeds By States......................................................... 5 .9 Occurrence of Weeds Within States................................................... Occurrence of Weeds Within Alabama Counties ................................... 17 Occurrence of Weeds Within Georgia Counties.....................................1 EVALUATION Occurrence of Weeds Within Mississippi Counties................................. 17 24 OF OTHER FACTORS STUDIED ................................................ ............................................................................................ ...................................................................... DISCUSSION SUMMARY 24 AND CONCLUSIONS 28 FIRST PRINTING 5M, NOVEMBER 1985 Information contained herein is available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin. WEED SURVEY OF PERMANENT PASTURES IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES Gale A. Buchanan, Ellis W. Hauser, Ann S. Causey, and Jim Adams' ANNUAL and perennial weeds, representing many botanical families, comprise a major portion of the flora of many permanent pastures throughout the Southern United States. Many species are highly undesirable because of potential toxicity to farm animals, whereas some are highly nutritious and can be utilized as forage. The majority are between these extremes. In developing weed control programs, it is important to have a good understanding of the weeds that occur as well as the degree of their undesirability. This bulletin is the result of surveys of permanent pastures in selected counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Results are definite for the pastures actually sampled and therefore probably representative of most pastures. These samples were sufficiently detailed to illustrate the diversity of the weed flora and to provide an understanding of some of the important weed problems in these three southern states. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES Weed surveys were conducted in randomly selected pastures in Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama during the summer of 1978. The counties were selected on the basis of their general location in the approximate center of basic soil-geographic regions within each state, see the figure. Each county selected was considered a survey unit. The survey was coordinated with the extension chairman in each county, at which time the general agricultural and pasture regions of the county were ascertained. Routes of travel were 'Professor of Agronomy and Soils; Research Agronomist (retired) USDA-ARS, Tip- ton, Ga.; Instructor ofBotany, Plant Pathology, and Microbiology; and Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Soils, respectively. I- w a a) C C rr C I- m x m z - -.i Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi counties containing survey pastures. 0 z WEED SURVEY IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES 5 determined in order to observe respective pastures. Sampling was accomplished by establishing an imaginary line through the apparent longest part of the pasture. Care was taken to avoid individual and isolated stands of weeds. Point surveys consisting of 1 yard square quadrats were taken along this line at 40- to 50-yard intervals. Numbers of individual plants of each weed species present within each quadrat were recorded. Species that were not readily identified were collected for later positive identification. The data were not amenable to statistical analyses. Thus, the data are presented only as observations based on the survey results. RESULTS Occurrence of Weeds by States A diversity of weed species was found and the number of species was different among the three states, table 1. Sixtyfive different species were found in Alabama, 37 in Georgia, and 69 in Mississippi. A total of 107 species was found in the tri-state area. Only 17 weeds were common to all three states, table 1. These were annual fleabane, bitter sneezeweed, broomsedge, common lambsquarter, common ragweed, curly dock, dogfennel, horsenettle, horseweed, Mexicantea, Pennsylvania smartweed, prickly sida, sicklepod, spiny amaranth, spotted spurge, Virginia pepperweed, and woolly croton. Only four weeds-bitter sneezeweed, common ragweed, dogfennel, and horsenettle-were found in 10 percent or more of all pastures sampled in all states. Most weeds found occurred in only one or two states and in 10 percent or fewer of the pastures sampled, table 1. Weeds frequently occurring in each state (found in 10 percent or more of pastures sampled), regardless of whether they were common to all states, numbered 7, 12, and 13 for Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, respectively. In Alabama, these frequently occurring weeds were bitter sneezeweed, blue vervain, common ragweed, dogfennel, horsenettle, prairietea croton, and prickly sida. In Georgia, they were bitter sneezeweed, broomsedge, common ragweed, cudweed, curly dock, dogfennel, horseweed, horsenettle, spiny amaranth, Virginia buttonweed, Virginia pepperweed, and yellow woodsorrel. In Mississippi, the most frequently occurring weeds were bitter ,TABLE 1. DISTRIBUTI1ON AND PERCFNTI OCCURRENCE OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF ALABAMA-GEORGIA-MISSISSIPPI Weed Scientific name Number of weeds Pct. occurrence Ga. Miss. Total Ala. Ga. Miss. Ala. - 0Y) Common name 1. American black nightshade 2. American burnweed 3. Annual fleabane 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 4. Annual marshelder 23. Aster Aster, white heath Bagpod sesbania Blackberry Blackberry, highbush Bristly starbur Broomsedge Buttercup Buttercup, hairy Buttercup, smallflower Carolina geranium Carolina falsedandelion Carpetweed Catbriar Cherokee rose Cocklebur, common Cocklebur, common Common chickweed Common lambsquarters Solanum americanum ............................... Erechtites hieraciifolia............................... 4 Erigeron annuus...................................... 2 annua............................................ 174 Aster sp .............................................. 21 Aster pilosus .......................................... 7 2 Sesba nia zesicaria ................................... 22. Rubus sp............................................. Rubus a rgutus ...................................... nhispidum ......................... 2 1 Aca nihosperm um And ropogon zirginicus.............................. 40 1I Ranunculus sp ...................................... Ran unculus sardous................................ Ranunculus cibortnus ............................ Geranium carolinianum ............................ Pyrrhopappus carolinnanus ..................... Mollugo z'erticillata ............................... 6 6 Iva 20 2 12 18 1 - - 27 -- - 22 303 57 365 4 16 27 4 24 16 192 22 2 49 22 21 2 2 6 4 7 5 4 8 8 3 3 3 2 5 4 2 1 8 4 3 4 13 5 30 -I 3 3 19 2 14 i- 400 365 4 16 27 7 23 5 w C) - bona-nox Smilaxlaez'igata ....................................... Rosa 3 .................................... 1 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. Common persimmon Copperleaf, rhombic Copperleaf, slender Copperleaf, Virginia Croton, prairietea Croton, tropic Croton, woolly Cudweed 32. 33. 34. 35. Cudweed, purple Dandelion Dock, cluster Dock, curly 22 Xanthzum pens1'lvanzcum........................... 23 Xanthium strumarium ............................ Ste/la ria media ................................... Chenopodium album ................................ 7 Dioipvros zirginiana ................................ 1 Aca tvpla ihomnboidea ............................. Acafvphza gracilens .................................. 4 Acafvpha zirginica ............................... Croton mona nthogyn us............................ 194 Croton gla ndulosus.................................. 7 Croton capitatus...................................... 18 ............ Gnaphalium sp. ..... Gnaphalzum purpureumn....................... Taraxacum offcinale................................ Rumex conglomeratus ............................... Rumex crispns ........................................ 6 C) C C r - 5 4 18 4 - 9 3 3 7 - 9 14 21 4 4 m -u m 31 15 73 2 - 232 7 338 17 94 7 7 371 90 94 9 7 Co) -1 17 43 66 5 5 4 12 2 15 Continued z 'TABLE 1 (CONITINUED). DISTRIBUTION AND PERCENT OCCURRENCF oF WEFD SPFCIES IN PASTIURES OF ALABAMA-GEORGIA-MISSISSIPPI Weed Common name 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. Dogfennel Eclipta Eveningprimrose, cutleaf' Eveningprimrose, showy Feverfew Field madder Goldenrod Grass leaved goldenaster Henbit Horseweed Horsenettle Illinois bundleflower Ironw~eed Scientific name Number of weeds Pct. occurrence Ala. Ga. Miss. Total Ala. Ga. Miss. 108 283 1 3 68 5 77 201 1 487 14 1 3 68 4 19 229 425 19 18 28 9 92 1 4 8 3 15 401 736 51 52 - 19 - m C,) C Enpa/orium (capillifoliu in........................... 96 Ec1~p/a a/ba .......................................... 14 Qenothera leiciniata ................................ Qeno/hera pa r/hen iu i...................... Sherardia a rs'ensis.................................. So/idago sp............................................ 4 fTeero/heca graoiinifolia............................ 1 Lamiuoi aniplexicaule .............................. 10 20 3 18 32 1 speciosa...................................1I Chirysanthemumi Cony.za canadensis.................................... 95 m Ironweed, tall Ironweed, western Knotweed, tufted Knotweed, tufted Ladysthumb Maypop passionflower Solanum carolinenlse ............................... 110 Liesma nt/iUS il/inoensin ................................. 50 Vernonia sp................. ........... Vernoina al/issuna .................................. Veinonia baldwvii................................. 11 52 8 17 5 2 - 32 43 2 - 52 m CD) -4 11 Mexicantea Mock bishopsweed Morningglory, bigroot Mullein, common None Pigweed, redroot Pigweed, smooth Pink purslane Plantain, blackseed Plantain, bracted Plantain, broadleaf Plantain, buckhorn Plantain, paleseed Poorjoe Ragweed, common Ragweed, giant Polvgonum aim/are................................ Polygonurn caespi/osuoi.............................. 3 Polygonurni pesicaria ............................. Passiflora incarnata ............................... Clieiopodiuoi amnbrosioides .......................... 3 P/i/iinniium capi/laceurn............................. Ipomnoea pandura/a.................................. Verbascum thapsus.....................................1I P/i vlan/lius caro/i niensis............................ 10 Ariaran/hlus re/rofiexus ............................. Ania ranth us hybridus................................ 4 Portulaca pi/osa ..................................... P/a ntago rugelni..................................... P/an/ago aris/ata.................................... P/an/ago major....................................... 4 Plan/ago lanceolata................................. P/a n/ago zirginica ................................ Diodia teles........................................... 16 Ambrooia ciieiiiifolici.............................298 Ambrosia /rifida .................................. 36 46 12 92 1 43 8 3 1 - -- 4 4 m Co) -- 8 - 2 1 - 9 11 I 2 3 - 113 10 24 137 - 4 4 2 10 146 228 3 -- 3 8 1 - 9 - 4 - 12 10 29 33 - 146 1 1 98 114 196 722 1 4 10 1 1 2 9 -1 - 2 - 1 - 2 11 -- 1 4 24 1 3 10 Conti nued T1ABLE 1 (CONTINUED). DISTRIBUTION AND PERCENT OCCURRENCE OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF ALABAMA-GEORGIA-MISSISSIPPI Weed Common name 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 9.1. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. I07 Scientific name Ambrosia bidentala ................................. Parthenium hysterophorus .......................... Cocculus carolinus .................................. Iva cillata............................................ Number of weeds Pct.. occurrence Ala. Ga. Miss. Total Ala. Ga. Miss. 9 - Ragweed, lanceleaf Ragweed, parthenium Rough sumpweed Sedge Sedge Sicklepod Sida, arrowleaf Sida, prickly Smartweed, dotted Smartweed, mild Smartweed, Pennsylvania Sneezeweed, bitter Sneezeweed, purplehead Southern dewberry Sowthistle, annual Sowthistle, spiny Spiny amaranth Spurge, prostrate Spurge, spotted Spurge, spotted St. Johnswort, common Stinkweed Thistle Threeawn Toadrush Trumpetcreeper Vervain, blue Vervain, tall Vervain, white Virginia buttonweed Virginia pepperweed Wild carrot Woodsorrel Woodsorrel, yellow Yellow-eyed grass 81 - Redberry moonseed 2 - 6 Sida rhomnbifolia ..................................... 4 Sida spinosa.......................................... 194 Polygonum punctatum............................... 3 -Po/vgonum hyd ropiperoides ......................... 1 Pofygonum pensylvanicum .......................... 8 Helenium amarum .......... ............. 132 Helenium fiexuosum................................. 1 Rubus trivialis ....................................... 33 Sonchus oleraceus..................................... 9 Sonchus asper ....................................... Amaranthus spinosus ............................... 9 Euphorbia humistrata............................... 4 Euphorbia maculata................................ 35 Euphorbia supina.................................... 20 Hypericum oratum............................... 1 Pluchea camnphorata................................. 5 Carduus carolinianus.......................... - Carex lretroftexa..................................... urida......................................... Carex obtusifolia ................................... Cassia 32 21 81 9 2 32 21 62 24 232 8 3 108 2455 36 9 328 7 37 47 5 20 10 20 6 24 2 12 128 195 93 63 1 1 7 2 1 55 20 31 - 1 - 7 5 2 2 2 11 2 14 6 9 6 3 3 3 10 6 8 6 31 1 2 1 5 9 82 18 912 1411 3 182 - w 137 3 2 15 5 2 C per 23 - 4 20 10 - 56 1 I- m Aristida sp. ....................... J uncus bufonius...................................... 20 Camnpsis radicans ................................... Verbena hastata...................................... 17 Verbena bona riensis................................. Verbena u rtici /oha .................................. Diodia 6 - 3 3 10 12 19 15 16 I C 7 2 12 l'lrglnlana...................................... - Lepidium zirginicum..............................X1 Daucus ca rota .......... ......... Oxalis s...........................................3 Oxalis stricta.......................................... 4 Xvris amnbigua......................................... 1 Xvris cIrictn ................................................ 86 150 - 42 23 90 - z 59 1 WEED SURVEY IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES 9 sneezeweed, common ragweed, curly dock, dogfennel, hairy buttercup, horsenettle, horseweed, ladysthumb, Pennsylvania smartweed, Virginia buttonweed, Virginia pepperweed, and woolly croton. Horsenettle, a difficult-to-control perennial, was the most frequently encountered weed, with percentage occurrences of 17 percent, 43 percent, and 52 percent in pastures in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, respectively. Bitter sneezeweed had percentage occurrences of 14, 31, and 56 percent in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, respectively. It also occurred in higher numbers, where present, than any other weed. Other weeds found in fairly large numbers in all three states were dogfennel and horseweed. Occurrence of Weeds within States Bitter sneezeweed and horsenettle were the most commonly occurring weeds in Alabama-they were found in all six counties, table 2. Occurring in four of the six Alabama counties were: blue vervain, broomsedge, common ragweed, curly dock, dogfennel, prickly sida, redroot pigweed, and annual sowthistle. A few other weeds, such as Illinois bundleflower and marshelder, occurred in large numbers but only in one or two counties. In general, most of the 65 species found in Alabama pastures did not occur in large numbers or in more than one to three of the six counties sampled. In Georgia, bitter sneezeweed, horsenettle, and horseweed occurred in each of the seven counties sampled, table 3. Bitter sneezeweed was most numerous, followed by horsenettle, and then horseweed. A few other weeds, such as broomsedge, buckhorn plantain, and common ragweed, occurred in large numbers, but only in one to three counties. Most weeds in Georgia occurred in low numbers and/or in less than a majority of the counties sampled. Dogfennel, horsenettle, spiny amaranth, and woodsorrel were the only weeds found in each of the five Mississippi counties, table 4. Horsenettle was more uniformly distributed than dogfennel. Bitter sneezeweed occurred in four counties and in large numbers in three counties. Other weeds found in four of the five counties were Carolina falsedandelion, common ragweed, curly dock, horseweed, Virginia buttonweed, Virginia pepperweed, and woolly croton. Although a greater diversity of weeds (69) was found in Mississippi, the general patterns of distribution and frequency were similar to those found in Alabama and Georgia. TABLE 2. DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBER OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF SIX ALABAMA COUNTIES C3 Name Naeo edBaldwin 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. o weedNumber Hale of weeds by county Houston Marengo Monroe 4 2 70 17 5 21 19 21 1 Montgomery American burnweed.................................. Annual fleabane....................................... Annual marshelder ................................... Aster...................................................... Bagpod sesbania ...................................... Blackberry .............................................. Bristly starbur.......................................... Broomsedge ............................................ Buttercup ............................................... Catbriar.................................................. Cherokee rose ......................................... Cocklebur, common.................................. Common lambsquarters ......................... Common persimmon................................. Copperleaf, slender .................................. Croton, prairietea ..................................... Croton, tropic.......................................... Croton, woolly ........................................ Dock, curly............................................. Dogfennel .............................................. Eclipta................................................... Eveningprimrose, showy ........................ Goldenrod ............................................. Grass-leaved goldenaster ............................ Henbit ........................................... ...... Horsenettle............................................. Horseweed.............................................. Illinois bundleflower................................. Ironweed................................................ Ironweed, western.................................... Mexicantea ............................................. Mullein, common...................................... 102 4 2 8 4 10 5 10 1 22 a- r 7 3 20 2 -- a C 16 2 29 4 1 4 64 5 39 23 1 2 48 5 2 1 18 14 1 C C- m a 1044 8 50- 11 - 7 -o Co 52 11 z Continued TABLE 2 (CONTINUED). DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBER OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF SIX ALABAMA COUNTIES C C Naeo edBaldwin 33. Phyllanthus caroliniensis.......................... 34. Pigweed, redroot...................................... 35. Pigweed, smoothb..................................... 36. Plantain, broadleaf Hale Number of weeds by county Houston Marengo Monroe Montgomery mn 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. Polygonum caespitosum............................. Poorjoe .................................................. Ragweed, common ................................... Ragweed, partbenium ................................ Sicklepod ............................................... Sida, arrowleaf......................................... Sida, prickly............................................ Smartweed, dotted.................................... Sm artweed, m ild .......................... Smartweed, Pennsylvania ............................ Sneezeweed, bitter ................................... Sneezeweed, purplebead ............................ Sowtbistle, annual .................................... Spiny amarantb ....................................... Spurge, prostrate ...................................... Spurge, spotted........................................ St. Jobnswort, common .............................. Stinkweed .............................................. Toadrush................................................ Vervain, blue........................................... Virginia pepperweed................................. Woodsorrel ............................................. Woodsorrel, yellow ................................... Xyris ambigua ........................................ Xyris stricta............................................ .................................... 3 248 17 8 15 3 27 16 31 1 1 173 5 17 1 1 35 0 C rI z CO -g U) 9 1 18 9-10 -- 33 1 28 6 4 1 20 10 11 1 TABLE 3. DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBER OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF SEVEN GEORGIA COUNTIES Naeo edBartow 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Name o weedNumber of weeds by county Liberty Meriwether Wilkes ,1 5 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. ................. American burnweed ............ Annual fleabane ........ ............. Aster, white heath..... Blackberry........... ............ .......... Broomsedge ............... .......... Carpetweed ................ Common lambsquarters.............. ................ Copperleaf, rhombic ................. Copperleaf, Virginia Croton, woolly........... ........ Cudweed .................... .......... Dandelion .................. .......... .......... Dock, curly ................ ........... Dogfennel .................. Horsenettle ................ .......... Horseweed ................. Ironweed, tall............ .......... Knotweed, prostrate ................. ........... Mexicantea ................ Pink purslane ...................... ............... Plantain, blackseed ... Plantain, bracted ....... ............. Butts 20 2 2 ""18 39 1 18 25 239 Jenkins Laurens 6 1 2 6 1 13 4 1 92 69 15 28 2 3 36 64 14 4 5 9 39 19 1 1 11 3 29 12 113 10 4 9 5 10 2 9 43 47 7 1 28 16 28 5 7 107 3 14 13 14 4 22 2 22 15 1 3 T 58 127 16 12 17 30 7 205 29 2 40 40 50 167 C C 23. Plantain, buckhorn 24. Ragweed, common ....................... ....................... 3 104 41 1 2 1 -18 25. Ragweed, giant .............................. 26. Redberry moonseed ..................... 27. Sicklepod....................................... m 28. Sida, arrowleaf 29. Sida, prickly ................................... ................................ 24 397 9 13 4 163 2 31 11 24 4 13 14 87 30. Smartweed, Pennsylvania ................ 31. Sneezeweed, bitter ....................... 32. Spiny amaranth................................ z 0 33. Spurge, prostrate .............................. 34. Trumpetcreeper ............................... 35. Virginia buttonweed .......................... 6 17 68 25 0 36. Virginia pepperweed .................... 37. Woodsorrel, ~~I~~~C~ ........................... IICIIt~ ~4 yellow z TABLE 4. DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBER OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF FIVE MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. weedNumber De Soto American black nightshade ............................. Annual fleabane............................................ Aster ......................................................... Blackberry, highbush .............................. Broomsedge ................................................ Name o Jefferson of weeds by county Panola Jones Pontotoc 12 4 6--22 12 348 4 m 57 10 m 8. Carex lurida .................................................. 9. -Carer retroflexa ......................................... 10. Carolina falsedandelion............................ 21 18 4 52 49 3 1 6 1 . CO) C 11. Carolina geranium.......................................... 12. Carpetweed ................................................... 13. Cocklebur, common ..................................... 14. Common chickweed..................... .:.................................. m z U) 15. Common lambsquarters................................... 16. Copperleaf, rhomlbic 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Croton, woolly ............................................. Cudweed .................................................... Cudweed, purple........................................... 'Dandelion .................................................... Dock, cluster ............................................... 20 17 91 258 3 11 5 m c Dock, 23. 24. Eveningprimrose, cutleaf 25. Dogfennel.................................................... ........................... Feverfew....... curly ..................................... ... ... 7 8 219 1 68 52 3 27 27 2 17 26. Field madder 27. Henbit .............................................. .................................. :.................... :........... ........ ....... 45 4 4 14 28. Horsenettle................................................... 29. Horseweed...............................:................ 30. Illinois bundleflower........................... 77 1 5 28 5 14 23 20 59 1 45 13 5 31. Knotweed, prostrate ........................... 32. Knotweed, tufted .......................................... 33. Ladysthumb ................................... ..... ........ 50 Continued to page 16 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION h F l~4 1 Chenopodium4 ii f ,I 7 1. t stf I) 6~1 P 7. Sida, prickly sido slmlo114( 8. Hui etltle C lanum n 14 1 4' 4 4 Pull i t u l4 n44 1c 1 44 WEED SURVEY IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES 10. Raggweed, (ommon Aml)roma artemi.riijolia 11.oly otU~, w 2.:l nua fleban I. I Niig inia peppe)r wetl I)ii I? k.t mi Inu 8 Sriilo tIamI( iu- TABLE 4 (CONTINUED). DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBER OF WEED SPECIES IN PASTURES OF FIVE MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES Name of weed 34. Marshelder...................................................... 35. Maypop passionflower....................................... 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. De Soto 18---- Number of weeds by county Jefferson Jones Panola 1 - Pontotoc 36. Mexicantea -- M ock wPigweed, ..................................................... 4 'bisbopsweed ............................ - ---- 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. redroot ............................................. IPlantain, bracted ............................................. IPlantain, broadleaf............................................ Plantain, paleseed ............................ Poorjoe .......................................................... Ragweed, common........................................... Ragweed, giant..........................1 Ragweed, lanceleaf .......................................... Rough sumpweed ............................ Sicklepod .................................... Sida, arrowleaf...................5 Sida, prickly ...... ............................................. Smartweed, dotted.................5 310u - 13 - 8 8 18 1 79 1 -3 11 ----63 79--1 - - 17 - 98 37 -r - 0v 32 - 1 ? 2 0 32 1 - - 4 -12 227 -D Smartweed, 52. 53. Smartweed, mild ................. ......... 748 - Pennsylvania... bitter................393 ............................. 6r 43 - 54. Spurge, prostrate ............................ 55. Spurge, spotted............................................... Sneezeweed, 3 4 2--r -- 56. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. Southern dewberry........................3 M 1x Sothistlesy........................................................19 .................................................. Tbreeaaawnth.... ThVean blue .... .................................................... Vervain, talue........................................................... Vervain, whit............................................. 10 Virginia buttonweed................1 Virginia ;pepperweed ....................................... Wild carrot ....................... .......... Woodsorrel.................................. ................ 169 07-v 10-- -3 - 2 .22 5 - 0 64. 65. 66. 67. 18 30 - 1 .45 1 1 1 .2 4 0 Z WEED SURVEY IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES 17 Occurrence of Weeds Within Alabama Counties Data from four pastures in each county sampled in Alabama are shown in tables 5, 6, and 7. No weed was common to all pastures sampled nor did weed species usually occur in all pastures sampled in a county. The exception was horsenettle, which occurred in each of the four pastures sampled from Houston County. No two Alabama pastures had the same botanical composition. The extreme diversity among pastures was somewhat unexpected. Weeds which were present in large numbers (over 10) in at least one sample included marshelder in Hale County, blackberry and prickly sida in Marengo County, dogfennel in Monroe County, and eclipta in Montgomery County, tables 5, 6, and 7. Horsenettle and bitter sneezeweed were the most widely distributed weeds, occurring in 9 of the 16 pastures sampled. Most other weed species occurred in one to four pastures. Occurrence of Weeds Within Georgia Counties Horsenettle occurred in 16 of the 28 pastures sampled, tables 8-11. Bitter sneezeweed occurred in 14 of 28. No other weeds appeared in 50 percent or more of the sampled pastures. Other weeds which occurred in numbers of 10 or higher in at least one pasture were dogfennel, horseweed, Pennsylvania smartweed, and spiny amaranth. Except for horsenettle and bitter sneezeweed, most species occurred in small numbers and with low frequencies. As in Alabama, no two pastures were identical in weed composition. Occurrence of Weeds Within Mississippi Counties Horsenettle and bitter sneezeweed occurred most frequently, with horsenettle in 14 of 20 pastures and bitter sneezeweed in 11 of 20. Dogfennel was found in 9 of 20 pastures sampled. More species were found in numbers of 10 or more per sample than in Alabama and Georgia. These included blackberry, broomsedge, Carolina falsedandelion, common chickweed, common ragweed, cudweed, dogfennel, horseweed, ladysthumb, lanceleaf ragweed, spiny amaranth, woodsorrel, and woolly croton, tables 8-11. Again, no two pastures had the same botanical composition. TABLE 5. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES EACH IN BALDWIN AND HOUSTON COUNTIES, ALABAMA Weed species Number of weeds in four selected Baldwin County pastures' Number of weeds in four selected Houston County 1. Aster...........................................................................1 8 2. Blackberry ................................................................. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. pastures' Dogfennel.1 Goldenrod ............................................................... 4 Horsenettle ........................................ 6 ............................................... Horseweed .................... Knotweed, tufted ................................. Ragweed, common-10 Sida, prickly.2 1 3 4 3 - 4 3 2 3 0 2 - 11. 12. 13. 14. Sneezeweed, bitter.................1 1 1 3 - -----............... Spiny amaranth ................ --Spurge, prostrate ............................... St. Johnswort ........................................................ Vervain, blue .................................. ----- 21---1-----Ba&CB 5.5 L Ba 5.5 L 1-Ba&CB 5.2 HC Ba 5.5 L Ba 5.7 S C CC I- CB Ba&CB Ba&CB Pasture crop': 5.3 5.2 5.3 pH: 3 S S S Soil group : 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples within each pasture. 'Pasture crop: Ba is bahia grass; CB is Coastal bermudagrass. 3 Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay; S is sand. m m z CD, 0 m rn v C TABLE 6. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES EACH IN HALE AND MARENGO COUNTIES, ALABAMA Weed species 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Number of weeds in four selected Hale County pastures' Number of weeds in Marengo County pastures' z m rn Cl) American burnweed.2 Blackberry.17 Broomsedge.............................................. Common lambsquarters .......................................Croton, prairietea ........................................ Horsenettle ............................................ .. ................ M arshelder ................. Ragweed, common ............................. . ....................... Sida, prickly ........... Spurge, prostrate 0 3 4 ----------------- 1 7 -93 3 15 -4 3 2 2 C -7 17 -6 8-9-- z mn -I 5 1 co 2 2 ............................... CB&D F&D F Ba&D Ba&D Pasture crop': 7.7 NA NA NA NA pH: 3 NA NA HC NA NA Soil group : 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples within each pasture. 'Pasture crop: Ba is bahia grass; CB is Coastal bermudagrass; D is dallisgrass; F is fescue. 3 Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay; S is sand; NA is not available. CB,D&F 7.1 HC Ba&D 6.8 HC Ba&D 7.8 HC N TABLE 7. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES EACH IN MONROE AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES, ALABAMA Number of weeds in four selected Number of weeds in four selected Monroe County pastures' Montgomery County pastures' -3 Blackberry...............................................4 Broomsedge ................................................................ 12 10--................................... Croton, woollyDogfennel..................................................... 20 Eclipta.12 Horsenettle....................................................... 3 Ironweed .................................................................. 2 - Marshelder........................................................... Pigweed, redroot..................6 3 1 -common O- 1. 2. 3. 4. 4. 6. 7. 8. a r 9. ............................... ................................................ 10. Ragweed, a I- 2------ 11. Sicklepod............................ 12. Sneezeweed, bitter................................................ ----13. V ervain, blue .................................. Pasture crop': CB pH: 5.4 Soil group 3 : L 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples within each pasture. 2 Pasture crop: CB is Coastal bermudagrass; CRG is crabgrass; D is 3 Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay, 1 CRG 6.0 L 1 CB NA NA 2 CB 5.1 L 3 HC 7.7 CB 1-Ba&D -CB 7.7 HC Ba&D 7.4 HC C C- 5.6 HC dallisgrass. S is sand. NA is not available. r m m z C,) 0 z m m m Co) C s TABLE 8. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES EACH IN BARTOW AND BUTTS COUNTIES, GEORGIA Number of weeds in four selected Number of weeds in four selected Butts County Bartow County pastures' Broomsedge.10 2 Cudweed .................................................................. Dock, curly.1 5 1 3 Horsenettle ........................................ 1 ........................... Mexicantea ...................................... 6. Ragweed,.......common.......................................... 6 1 7. Sicklepod........................................ 8. Smartweed, Pennsylvania.2 1 37 1 9. Sneezeweed, bitter ....................................... 10. Spurge, prostrate ...............................--2 11. Virginia buttonweed ........................................... 7 12. Virginia pepperweed........................................... -1 1 13. Woodsorrel, yellow............................................. CB F CB&F Pasture crop': 5.8 5.8 6.1 pH: 3 L HC HC Soil group : 'Numnber of weeds: the total from all subsamples within each pasture. 'Pasture crop: CB is Coastal bermudagrass; Ba is bahiagrass; F is fescue. ;Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay; S is sand. 6. Ragweed, common - pastures' i. 2. 3. 4. 5. z m m Co) C 2 1 4 2 z F 5.9 HC 19 1--6 CB&G -CB&F 7.1 L 16 -Ba 7.0 HC Co) m CB&F Co) 6.6 L 6.6 HC TABLE 9. CHARACTERIZATION 01. FOUR PASTURES EACH IN JENKINS AND LAURENS COUNTIES, GEORGIA Number of weeds in four selected Jenkins County pastures' 1. Common lambsquarters-..................................... 2. Dock, curly ............................................................... 1 3. Dogfennel.1 4. Horsenettle ............... .. .. 13 4 5. Hnrseweed ....................................... 2 -6. Redberry moonseed....... ........................................ -3 1---7. Sida, prickly ............................................................ 3 -4 8. Sneezeweed, bitter................................................ 9. Spiny amaranth......................................................... 3 10 -1---3 10. Virginia buttonweed ........................................... 3----11. W oodsorrel, yellow ............................. Pasture crop': CB Ba CB CB pH: 5.8 6.7 5.6 7.5 3 Soil group : S L S L 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples witbin eacb pasture. 'Pasture crop: CB is Coastal bermudagrass; Ba is bahiagrass. 3 Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay; S is sand. Number of weeds 1 Laurens County in pastures' four selected w r) -4 C 1 2 20 -4 CB 6.2 HC -3 - CB 5.9 S CB 5.8 L CB 5.8 S m z Co) 0 z mn m 0 m TABLE 10. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURL. EACH IN LIBERTY AND MERIWETHER COUNTIES, GEORGIA Number of weeds in four selected County pastures' Number of weeds in four selected Liberty County pastures'Meriwetber 1 Carpetweed ...................................................................... Cudweed.........................................................................2 Dock, curly 1 1 Dogtennel............................................. 2 8 Horsenettle............................................ 13 3 H orsew eed ................................................. Knotweed, prostrate.1 Ragweed, common.2 ---Smartweed, Pennsylvania ................ Sneezeweed, bitter................................................... 1 Virginia buttonw eed 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. m m 0 c 3 1 2 20 1 1 3 2 1 14 6. 7. 8. 4 5 4 m z 10-4 9. 1(0. 11. ............................ - 14---1 5 1 crn CO) -- 3---- 12. Virginia pepperweed ........................... --Ba CB&F CB Pasture crop': CB Ba&CB 6.1 5.4 5.7 pH: 3 HC S L Soil group : 'Num~ber ot weeds: total from all subsamples witbin eacb pasture. 'Pasture crop: CB is Coastal bermudagrass; Ba is babiagrass; F is fescue. Soil group: C is clay; HC is beavy clay; L is loam and ligbt clay; S is sand. F 5.4 S 5.7 L 5.7 L CB 5.7 HC CB 6.2 HC 3 24 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 11. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES IN WILKES COUNTY, GEORGIA Weed species 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Number of weeds in Wilkes County pastures' B lackberry .................................................. 2 Broom sedge ..... ................................... 3 4 1 Cudweed ......................................... ......... Dock, curly ...................................... . ..... 1 D ogfennel ....... .................................... 10 5 4 H o rsen ettle ................................................ H orsew eed ................................................. 25 2 3 M exicantea ...... .................................... Ragweed, common ............................... 3 8 3 2 Sida, prickly ...................................... .... Sneezeweed, bitter ............................... 25 51 17 6 4 1 Spiny amaranth ........................................ 4 Virginia pepperweed ................................ Pasture crop': CB,&S CB&F CB&F CB pH: Not Available Soil group: Not Available 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples within each pasture. 'Pasture crop: CB is Coastal bermudagrass; F is fescue; S is sericea lespedeza. EVALUATION OF OTHER FACTORS STUDIED In none of the three states was there any obvious correlation between the occurrence of weed species and the pasture crop, pH or soil group, tables 5-14. DISCUSSION The most widely distributed and frequently occurring weeds in tri-state area pastures were horsenettle and bitter sneezeweed. The prevalence of horsenettle is not surprising, since it is a vigorous perennial that reproduces by both seed and root. It has been documented that horsenettle can spread from pastures to crops such as peanuts, corn, and cotton. Over the years, chemical methods for controlling horsenettle have been only partially successful even when augmented with cultural procedures such as timely mowing. Basic and applied research, involving biological, chemical, and cultural methods, is needed. A coordinated regional approach would be the most effective. Bitter sneezeweed is an annual weed which is amenable to conventional control methods, especially if timely application of herbicides is included. Bitter sneezeweed is a prolific seed producer; therefore, prevention of seed production is an important component of any control program. Some of the other weeds found in the survey, such as eclipta, are not easily controlled and may require specialized research, especially if the frequency of their occurrence increases. m C TABLE 12. CHARACTERIZATION 01 FOUR PASTURES EACH IN DE SOTO AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, MISSISSIPPI Weed species 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1(. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Number of weeds in De Soto County pastures' 6 8 10 13 Number of weeds in Jefferson County pastures' 2 6 9 19 m Blackberry.22 Carex lurida.1 Carolina falsedandelion ........................................ 4 21 ................................................... Croton, woolly Cudweed, purple.19 Dock, cluster.6 Dogfennel Horsenettle.............................................. 4 3 114 Horseweed ................................................................. 31 Plantain, bracted.2 common 44 Ragweed, giant.1 Ragweed, lanceleaf ............................................ 8 17 Sneezeweed, bitter................................................ 1 Vervain, wbite ................................................... 4----Virginia pepperweed............................ Woodsorrel................................................P~asture crop': Ba Ba CB pH: 6.2 5.6 6.6 Soil group-'. HC HC HC 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples witbin eacb pasture by pasture number. 2 Pasture crop: Ba is babiagrass; CB is Coastal bermudagrass; NA is not available. 'Soil group: C is clay; HC is beavy clay; L is loam and ligbt clay; is sand. m CD) 0 c -I m 1 32 5 1 2 2 z -I Ragweed, i............................ 86 387 22 5 m 41 CB 6.3 HC NA 5.6 HC NA 5.3 HC Ba 5.7 HC CB 6.1 HC S NI TABLE 13. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES EACH IN JONES AND PANOLA COUNTIES, MISSISSIPPI Weed species Number of weeds in four selected Jones County pastures' Number of weeds in four selected Pano~la County pastures' .................................. 44 1. Buttercup, hairy 2. Carolina geranium ......................................... 3. Common chickweed ...................................... ............................... 4. Croton, woolly 5. Cudweed ............................................... 6. Dock, curly .................................. 7. Dogfennel ....................................... 10 8. Feverfew.........................................3 9. Horsenettle ....................................... 5 .................................. 0. 1( Horseweed ..................................... 1. 1: Poorjoe 2. Ragweed, common........................................... --3. Sida, prickly ................................................... 1L Smartweed, Pennsylvania ................................... 4. 1- Sneezeweed, hitter ........................................... --5. 6. 1( Spiny amaranth .................................................... 1 1" Spurge, prostrate ................................................ 7. f1 Woodsorrel ....................................................... 3 8. Pasture crop': NA pH: 5.8 HC Soil group 3 : 1 50 3 17 11 40 18 NA 5.6 L 3 -7 19 3 7 1 0- 2 - 7 - 37 C) 6 2 6 C 29 NA 5.7 L Ba 5.1 L CB 5.0 HC CB 5.8 HC CB 5.4 L CB 6.2 HC r x 'Pasture crop: Ba is bahiagrass; CB is Coastal bermudagrass; NA is not available. 3 Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay; S is sand. 'Number of weeds: total from all subsamples within each pasture. z -a 0 z WEED SURVEY IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES 27 TABLE 14. CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR PASTURES IN PONTOTOC COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Pontotoc County pastures' Annual fleabane ...... ................... 3 2 Broomsedge .......................................... 12 4 Buttercup, hairy .......... ..................... 15 Carolina falsedandelion ........................... 1 ............ Croton, woolly ......... .... 1 Dandelion ............. ... ............. 4 .... .............. Dogfennel ........... 18 1 Horsenettle .............. ............ 2 Horseweed ........................................ Ladysthumb ............................................... 36 Mock bishopsweed ................................... Ragweed, common ................................... Smartweed, Pennsylvania ......................... Sneezeweed, bitter ................................... S1 Spiny amaranth ........................................ 81 1 1 Virginia buttonweed ................................ CB Ba Ba Ba Pasture crop': 5.8 5.6 pH: 6.3 4.5 3 HC HC HC HC Soil group : of weeds: total from all subsamples within each pasture. 2 Pasture crop: Ba is bahiagrass: CB is Coastal bermudagrass. 3 Soil group: C is clay; HC is heavy clay; L is loam and light clay; S is sand. A Weed Species Number of weeds in four selected 'Number Other annual weeds, such as common ragweed, are highly susceptible to either chemical or cultural control. Still others, such as broomsedge, can be partially controlled by increasing soil fertility levels, improving pasture management (such as timely mowings), or by both procedures. The authors realize that an intensive survey of weeds in each county within the tri-state area would yield different results than those reported herein. Undoubtedly, additional species would be found, but it is believed that the patterns of distribution and frequency of occurrence would be similar to those described. The diversity that exists among states and counties and within counties may well extend to the unsurveyed counties within the three states. Based on this, horsenettle and bitter sneezeweed are the most widespread pasture weeds in the tri-state area. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS A survey of 299 pastures, to determine the distribution and the frequency of occurrence of weed species, was conducted in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. A total of 107 weed species was found in the tri-state area with 65 species occurring in Alabama, 37 species in Georgia, and 69 species in Mississippi. Only 16 percent of the weed species found were common to all three states, thus illustrating the diversity of weed populations. Horsenettle, a difficult-to-control perennial, was one of the most frequently encountered weeds with percentage occurrences of 17, 43, and 52 in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi pastures, respectively. Because horsenettle is widespread in pastures and is capable of infesting cropland, intensive basic .and. applied research for the control of this perennial weed would be highly worthwhile. In the survey, bitter sneezeweed was the most frequently occurring weed. Other weeds found in fairly large numbers in all three states were broomsedge and horseweed. The diversity of pasture weed populations observed among s'tates was. also evident among counties and among pastures within ccunties. No two pastures sampled contained identical weed species composition; furthermore, most weeds found occurred in only one or two states and in 10 percent or fewer of the pastures sampled.