Fall application of herbicides improves Macartney rose-infested coastal prairie rangelands

Published source details Scifres C.J. (1975) Fall application of herbicides improves Macartney rose-infested coastal prairie rangelands. Journal of Range Management, 28, 483-486.
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Summary

Macartney rose Rosa bracteata (native to China), was introduced to the USA in the early 1800s. It has become invasive and is a severe management problem on over 200,000 ha of rangeland in southeast Texas, particularly in the Gulf Prairies and western Quercus stellata savanna. Various herbicide control trials were undertaken near the village of Benchley and Bloomington town.

Benchley: On Macartney rose plants averaging 1 m tall x 2.5 m canopy diameter, several herbicides and herbicide combinations (equal amounts, 1:1, of each) were tested at 1.12 kg/ha: 2,4-D, 2,4-D with picloram or dicamba; 2,4,5-T and silvex each alone or with picloram or dicamba; and dicamba with picloram. Herbicides were applied on 26 September 1970 (sprayed from the ground in 94 l/ha of water plus 0.5% commercial surfactant) to l0 x 35 m plots (randomized complete block design; 3 replications).

Bloomington: On 3 October 1972 and 11 October 1973, various herbicides, herbicide combinations, application rates, and formulations were aerially applied to dense stands of Macartney rose on infested grassland.

One and two years after treatment, reductions in rose canopy cover were estimated in plots or along belt transects.

Best Macartney rose control was achieved with picloram combined with 2,4,5-T at 0.56 or 1.12 kg/ha; aerial application at 1.12 kg/ha reduced rose canopies by 70-80% after a year. This combination was equally effective applied in water containing 0.5% surfactant or in a diesel oil:water (1:4) emulsion. Alone, 2,4-D at 1.12 kg/ha (standard treatment) also had good results reducing canopies by 40-50%.

Herbicides more effectively controlled undisturbed rose than plants previously shredded (a generally ineffective mechanical control method) or sprayed e.g. picloram with 2,4,5-T at 0.56 kg/ha achieved a 50% canopy reduction on disturbed plants but over 70% reduction on undisturbed plants after one year.

Increasing the volume of the carrier from 47 to 94 l/ha did not adequately increase Macartney rose control to justify extra costs of the higher spray volume.

Note: If using or referring to this published study, please read and quote the original paper, this can be viewed at: https://www.uair.arizona.edu/holdings/journal/issue?r=http://jrm.library.arizona.edu/Volume28/Number6/