The efficacy, absorption, translocation, and metabolism of thiencarbazone-methyl (TCM) in hedge bindweed, field bindweed, ivyleaf morningglory, tall morningglory, and wild buckwheat were evaluated in greenhouse experiments and field trials. Forty-eight hours after foliar microapplication, ¹⁴C-TCM absorption was highest in ivyleaf morningglory (60%), followed by field bindweed (50%), wild buckwheat (35%), tall morningglory (17%), and hedge bindweed (9%). In all species, ¹⁴C-TCM was translocated systemically. By 24 h after application, ¹⁴C-TCM was detected in all parts of the plants. The translocation pattern is species-specific, with more translocation in tall morningglory and wild buckwheat. In all vining weeds ¹⁴C-TCM was almost not metabolized whereas corn metabolized almost all ¹⁴C-TCM 48 h after application. The efficacy of TCM was analyzed using dose–response curves. Wild buckwheat had the lowest value for the dose at which 50% of the activity occurs (2.1 g ai ha⁻¹ TCM), followed by hedge bindweed and ivyleaf morningglory. Field studies confirmed the high control of wild buckwheat with TCM. Even at the lowest tested concentration of TCM, wild buckwheat was controlled by over 90%. In contrast, efficacy of TCM in field trials against perennial vining weeds was very low, 25% for field bindweed and 65% against hedge bindweed. Control efficacy could be well explained by the translocation pattern of TCM in vining weeds.

Nomenclature: Thiencarbazone-methyl; field bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis L. CONAR; hedge bindweed, Calystegia sepium (L.) R.Br. CAGSE; ivyleaf morningglory, Ipomoea hederacea Jacq. IPOHE; tall morningglory, Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth PHBPU; wild buckwheat, Polygonum convolvulus L. POLCO; corn, Zea mays L. ZEAMA.