Ohio State University (OSU) Extension is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of various herbicide treatments aimed at managing autumn olive, a troublesome non-native invasive plant. This study takes place at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station (EARS) located in Caldwell, Ohio.
Winter (Dormant) Herbicide Applications and Results:
On February 15, 2023, OSU researchers administered six distinct herbicide treatments to a randomly selected group of 30 autumn olive plants. These treatments included:
- Treatment 1: Garlon 4 Ultra (triclopyr) at 12%
- Treatment 2: Garlon 4 Ultra (triclopyr) at 6%
- Treatment 3: Arsenal PowerLine (imazapyr) at 1%
- Treatment 4: Arsenal PowerLine (imazapyr) at 0.5%
- Treatment 5: Chopper (triclopyr + glyphosate) at 2%
- Treatment 6: Chopper (triclopyr + glyphosate) at 1%
On May 25, 2023, the researchers assessed the herbicides' performance, assigning each treated plant a rating based on regrowth status, with ratings ranging from 1 (no regrowth) to 4 (extensive regrowth).
Remarkably, all treatments, except for Treatment 2, exhibited effective control of autumn olive.
Summer (Foliar) Herbicide Applications:
Subsequently, on August 31, 2023, the research team carried out foliar herbicide applications on 24 autumn olive plants. These applications featured the following herbicides:
- Treatment 1: Garlon 4 Ultra (triclopyr) at 12%
- Treatment 2: Garlon 4 Ultra (triclopyr) at 6%
- Treatment 3: Arsenal PowerLine (imazapyr) at 1%
- Treatment 4: Arsenal PowerLine (imazapyr) at 0.5%
- Treatment 5: Chopper (triclopyr + glyphosate) at 2%
- Treatment 6: Chopper (triclopyr + glyphosate) at 1%
The researchers plan to further evaluate autumn olive control in the year 2024.
To recap, with the exception of Treatment 2 in the dormant (winter) applications, all other treatments demonstrated commendable control over autumn olive. Although it remains too early to draw definitive conclusions regarding the foliar (summer) applications, they show promise in delivering at least satisfactory control. Additional assessments of control measures are scheduled for 2024, with another round of dormant herbicide applications set for February 2024.
The Research Team: This research project is spearheaded by a team of dedicated OSU Extension professionals, including:
- Alyssa Essman, OSU Extension Weed Science
- Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Noble County
- Dean Kreager, OSU Extension Licking County
- Clif Little, OSU Extension Guernsey County
- Mark Loux, OSU Extension Weed Science, Emeriti
- Clifton Martin, OSU Extension Muskingum County
- Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension Perry County
- Chris Zoller, OSU Extension Tuscarawas County
This ongoing research aims to provide valuable insights into the effective management of autumn olive, benefiting Ohio's ecosystems and agricultural practices.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoomtravels
Categories: Ohio, Crops