Tufted Love Grass and Stink Grass
(Eragrostis spp.)

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Table of Contents

1. History
2. Life Cycle
3. Distinguishing Characteristics
4. Control in Corn
5. Control in Soybeans
6. Control in Winter Wheat

History

A member of the grass family and an introduced species from Europe. Both tufted love grass and stink grass are very similar in appearance and in their susceptibility to herbicides, therefore they will be grouped together. Both species are found predominately on coarse textured soils, in southern and central Ontario.

Life Cycle

Annual, reproducing only by seed.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Both species look very similar. However in the field, stink grass can be distinguished from tufted love grass by the presence of a distinct odour (and hence the name) that is noticable especially when the green leaf tissue is crushed between two fingers. Both species have tufted stems. The leaves are flat and hairless and the leaf sheaths are split and overlap. The ligule is hairy, there are no auricles, but there are tufts of hair that appear on each side of the the leaf collar that sometimes gets mistaken for auricles. The flower head is dark gray/green to darkish brown in colour and the seed is egg-shaped and yellowish to reddish-orange in colour.

Tufted Love Grass and Stink Grass Pictures
Each thumbnail image links to a larger image

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Herbicide Control in Field Corn

Pre-Plant Control

All of the pre-emergent herbicides tested provided over 80% control of tufted love grass and stink grass (Table1).

Post Emergent Control

The post-emergent grass herbicides should provide over 80% visual control of tufted love grass and stink grass (Table 2).

Source:
Dr. Peter Sikkema, Ridgetown College, University of Guelph.

Number of Trials:

Table 1 is based on a summary of 1 field trial in Ontario.

Table 2 is based on a summary of 1 field trial in Ontario.

Herbicide Rates:
Rates used in this trial are listed in OMAF Publication 75 - Guide to Weed Control.

Weed Stage:
Tufted love grass and stink grass had not yet emerged for the pre-emergent applications and was at the 2 to 6 leaf stage at the time of all post-emergent applications.

What has been your experience?
We want your feedback. Let us know what you have experienced with these or other products, as well as any other effective management strategies.

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Herbicide Control in Soybeans

Pre Emergent Control

PURSUIT was the only herbicide tested that did not control tufted love grass or stink grass. DUAL II MAGNUM, FRONTIER and SENCOR all provided acceptable control of this weed (Table 1).

Post Emergent Control

All of the post-emergent graminicides should provide over 80% visual control of tufted love grass and stink grass (Table 2). Broadspectrum herbicides like PURSUIT and CLEANSWEEP do not provide effective control of tufted love grass and stink grass (Table 3).

Source:
Dr. Peter Sikkema, Ridgetown College, University of Guelph.

Number of Trials:

Table 1 is based on a summary of 1 field trial in Ontario.

Table 2 is based on a summary of 2 field trials in Ontario.

Table 3 is based on a summary of 3 field trials in Ontario.

Herbicide Rates:
Rates used in this trial are listed in OMAF Publication 75 - Guide to Weed Control.

Weed Stage:
Tufted love grass and stink grass had not yet emerged for the pre-emergent applications and was at the 2 to 6 leaf stage at the time of all post-emergent applications.

What has been your experience?
We want your feedback. Let us know what you have experienced with these or other products, as well as any other effective management strategies.

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Herbicide Control in Winter Wheat

No field trials have evaluated tufted love grass and stink grass control in soybean.

What has been your experience?
We want your feedback. Let us know what you have experienced with these or other products, as well as any other effective management strategies.