New Herbicide to Control Chinese Tallowtree
The Chinese Tallowtree arrived in the United States in the 1700s in South Carolina. Then the U.S. Department of Agriculture distributed this tree along the Gulf Coast in the 1900s in an attempt to establish a soap-making industry. Current distribution includes all of the southeastern United States from Texas to Florida, North Carolina to Arkansas, and it was recently discovered in California.
This nuisance tree infests thousands of acres of Louisiana landscape and is the bane of most landowners who are looking for new ways to control this weed.
Clearcast by BASF started life as a herbicide for aquatic weeds. One BASF researcher had some Clearcast left over after doing trials in a Louisiana ditch. He sprayed the extra herbicide on some nearby tree saplings. When he returned to see the results of his ditch trial, he also made a remarkable observation. The Clearcast killed only the tallowtrees but left the oaks unaffected. Since then, BASF has had successful trials of Clearcast selectively killing tallowtrees and has an EPA label for forestry uses.
Mr. Ray Erwin, BASF sales rep, was scheduled to make a presentation about Clearcast at the Southwest Louisiana Forestry Forum but came down ill with a 102-degree fever. Keith Hawkins, area extension forester, cobbled together a PowerPoint show and made a presentation to fill in for Erwin. Some of the highlights of the Clearcast program included:
• Applications can be made near desirable hardwood vegetation
• Controls the entire plant, including root system
• Minimal soil residual allows for re-colonization of desirable species
• Minimal irrigation restrictions
BASF and one of its customers conducted a trial using an aerial application of Clearcast over some South Carolina wetlands. Results one year after treatment show Clearcast selectively removed invasive Chinese tallow trees while not affecting desirable hardwoods such as red maple, wax myrtle, baccharis and live oak.
According to its Clearcast brochure, BASF is applying for a label to use Clearcast for basal and stump treatments. At this time, the label only allows foliar application.
One of the topics Hawkins did not cover was the cost of Clearcast. Fortunately, Erwin can answer that question and send information about Clearcast. You can reach him at BASF by calling 214-850-0682 or by email.
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| Last Updated: 6/26/2009 3:23:27 PM |
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