Interest in Teff grass as a summer annual crop grown between vegetables has increased in recent years. It is a low input and adapted to many soil types and conditions. It grows fast is fairly high yielding and desired by horse and livestock managers. It is competitive but there is a low tolerance among buyers for weeds. Herbicides will be needed in many situations. Few herbicides are specifically registered for Teff Grass although several and registered for” warn season” grasses. Because Teff is grown between other crops, it is important that any herbicide that is used not have any long term soil activity. We conducted a trial this summer in the Gila Valley near Yuma to evaluate the crop safety of a range of herbicides with different modes of action. All of these were applied post emergence when the Teff was 6 to 9 inches tall. Most of the 15 herbicides tested have a short soil residual that would be gone within the life of the crop. A couple, including Harmony and Osprey ,may persist into sensitive crops. The following chart illustrates the amount of crop injury that was visible 10 days after application. Sharpen(Kixor, Treevix) produced as much as 70% stunting and will likely kill the crop. The Prowl/Dicamba (Clarity) tank mix, Pastora and Tenacity caused 20 to 25% stunting and discoloration that would be unacceptable although the crop will likely recover. Goal, Prowl alone,2,-D and dicamba (clarity) alone caused slight injury.

To contact Barry Tickes go to: btickes@ag.arizona.edu.

For questions or comments on any of the topics please contact Marco Pena at the Yuma Agricultural Center.
College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.