j. ferrell extension weed specialist of onsite ppts...don’t assume your herbicide will kill every...

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Why herbicides fail

J. Ferrell Extension Weed Specialist

Where we are today

• Herbicides are more potent and forgiving than ever before.

Why do herbicides fail?

• Generally speaking, applicator error.

• Not going to discuss improper calculation, rain-off, or forgetting to add the herbicide to the sprayer.

Don’t assume your herbicide will kill every weed

• Milestone VM controls many weeds, but not all of them:

Tropical soda apple - yes Blackberry - no

James H. Miller. USDA Forest Service. Invasive Plants of the Eastern United States CD-ROM

Plant Size

Application timing

• Annuals – germinate from seed, produce seed, die within 1 yr. – Spanish needles, ragweed, etc.

• Perennials – emerge from rootstock, produce seed, go dormant. – Blackberry, trees, etc.

Annual

Control of Annual Weeds

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20

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120

Emerg. Seed. Veg. Flower Mat.

Wee

d C

ontr

ol

Perennials Control of Perennial Weeds

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

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90

100

Dorm. Veg. Bud Flower Fruiting Fall

Wee

d C

ontr

ol

Drought

• Slow plant growth. More time for the plant to disassemble the herbicide.

• Cuticle thickness.

Adjuvants

• Can greatly improve herbicide uptake

Leaf Surface

No adjuvant

adjuvant

Reduction of Droplet Surface Tension

Surfactants vs Oils

• Surfactants simply flatten out the droplet.

• Oils (methylated seed oils) will partially dissolve leaf waxes.

Surfactant

Methylated seed oil

Why not use MSO all the time?

• Surfactant - $5 per 100 gal water

• MSO - $10-20 per 100 gal water

Application technique

• More is not always better.

Spray retention – 1 squirt

Spray retention – 3 squirts

More is not better

100% spray retention 30% spray retention

Why do they fail?

• Misidentified the weed • Wrong herbicide • Weed size • Application timing • Adjuvant selection • Drought • Improper spray technique

Got more herbicide on you than in the tank!

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