Turfgrass management method

Abstract

The present invention relates to chemical compositions comprising imidazolinone compounds that are suitable for use in turfgrass management. The invention also provides methods for altering the growth and reducing mowing frequency, suppressing seed head formation and controlling undesirable vegetation in turfgrass.

Claims

2. The method of claim 1 wherein X is N; R is H or a cation; and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are either separately or the same, H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl.

3. A method for retarding growth and suppressing seed heading in a turfgrass, the method comprising: applying to the foliage or soil surrounding the turfgrass, a sufficient quantity of a composition having an mount of 2-(4'-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo -2-imidazolin-2-yl)-5-methyl-nicotinic acid or salt thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the composition has an active ingredient consisting essentially of 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-5-methyl-nicotinic acid or salt thereof and is applied at a rate of from about 25 to 200 grams per hectare.

5. A method for retarding growth and suppressing seedheading in turfgrasses, which comprises applying to the foliage or soft surrounding the turfgrasses, a sufficient quantity of a composition having a synergistic effective amount of at least one compound comprising the structure: ##STR10## wherein X is N or CH; R is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, or a cation; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyloxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyloxy, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together with the carbons to which they are attached may form a 6 membered ring; and the optical isomer thereof.

6. The method of claim 2, comprising applying to turfgrasses 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl) 3-quinolinecatboxylic acid.

7. The method of claim 2, comprising applying to turfgrasses 5-ethyl-2-(4-isopropyl-4-methy-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl )nitclinic acid.

8. The method of claim 2, comprising applying to turfgrasses either or both methyl 6-(5-isopropyl-5-methyl-4-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl) m-toluate and methyl 2-(5-isopropyl-5-methyl-4-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl) p-toluate.

9. The method of claim 2, comprising applying to turfgrasses methyl 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-6-methoxy nicotinate.

10. The method of claim 2, comprising applying to turfgrasses 5-(allyl-oxy)-2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)nicotinic acid.

11. The method of claim 2, comprising applying to turfgrasses 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl )nitclinic acid or salt thereof.