ABSTRACT
Potatoes are an important crop, both worldwide and in the United States. As with other crops, weeds can cause significant yield losses in potatoes. Tuber yield loss can be up to 85% when weeds are left unmanaged. Potatoes can be competitive with weeds after the canopy closes, but weed management is critical prior to canopy closure to prevent marketable tuber yield reduction. Unique to potatoes, standard production includes at least one hilling, a mechanical field operation that throws soil onto the potato crop to increase rooting area and protect the tubers from sunlight. Hilling can aid in weed management and the operation timing can be manipulated to optimize weed reduction. Although there are limited herbicide modes of action registered for use in potatoes, several effective herbicides can be integrated with mechanical control to achieve season-long weed management. Some weeds have developed resistance to these herbicides so combining herbicides with other cultural and mechanical production practices is likely of greater importance in future potato production. Cultural practices include manipulating plant spacing, utilizing cover crops and mechanical weed management with several types cultivator types. Many studies have evaluated combinations of all of these practices for the system impact on weed density and potato yield. Results suggest that integrated weed management systems are feasible and practical for managing weeds, while minimizing potential negative environmental impact.
