Rapid treatment for Chromolaena odorata invading forest margins on sugar cane plantations in South Africa using tractor-mounted sprayers

• Published in: International journal of pest management Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 85 - 88
• Main Author: Goodall, J. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.1997; Washington, DC Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chemical control; Chromolaena Odorata; Forest; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herbicide; Parasitic plants. Weeds; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Tractor-mounted Sprayer; Weeds; Natal; South Africa; Africa; Saccharum; Monocotyledones; Sprayer; Chromolaena odorata; Systemic; Compositae; Tractor; Pyridine derivatives; Rapid technique; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Chemical control; Cost efficiency analysis; Agricultural equipment; Weed; Forest zone; Treatment efficiency; Plant protection equipment; Herbicide; Sugar plant; Phytotoxicity; Spermatophyta; Non target organism; Chemical weed control
• ISSN: 0967-0874; 1366-5863
• DOI: 10.1080/096708797229031

Herbicide was applied to Chromolaena odorata thickets in two phases, the first a broadcast spray at 1000 l water ha-1 and the second a spot-spray on plants missed four months later. Triclopyr 480 g l-1 a.i. was effective at 0 .25% v/v, providing more than 95% control. Exposed indigenous tree seedlings were killed by the spray and saplings were defoliated. Seedlings underneath C. odorata thickets were not affected and benefitted once the weed was killed. Herbicide and machinery costs make the technique marginally more expensive than treating infestations with manual labour, but the technique is 11 times faster per treated hectare. The spray droplet size ranges from 500 to 7000 mum and is not susceptible to wind dispersed drift.