Choosing the Right Treatment 2013 MnPIE Recertification Dale S. Sutherland CPS Timberland

Managing Sites, Not Just Treating Them Vegetation Management Seldom a one shot treatment Converting vegetation types over time Usually fighting natural succession On going battle Use all the tools Know What You Have Inventory Know What You Want Desired Future Condition Vision Know How to Get There IVM Plan Know your toolbox

Vegetation Management Plans A solid Vegetation Management Plan/Strategy can Eliminate the Need for “Mulligans”

Inventory Inventory Site Target Species Non Target Species Need to know what you have Target Species What do you want to control Non Target Species What species do you want to protect Sensitive Areas Wetlands/Streams/Lakes etc Rare and/or Endangered Species Adjacent Ownership Ag fields/gardens Adjacent vegetation other Soil Type Other ID what is important to your site and for your goals/vision

Know the Species Target and Non Target Plant Characteristics Know how they tick….. You need this info to develop action plan Live Cycle Annual Biennial Perennial Reproduction Seed Root/rhizome Habitat/Ecosystem needs Use of classification systems (ECS, Habitat Type, Biophysical, Soil type, etc) Helps you predict what is likely to show up following mgmt activities Moisture Light Etc

Desired Future Condition What do you want it to look like? Native Grass/Prairie Red Pine Stand Grassy Powerline R/W How do you get there? Here is where the IVM toolbox comes in Mechanical Chemical ( We’ll focus here) Biological Cultural Knowledge about the Plants Knowledge about your tools How do they work

IVM Toolbox Mechanical Chemical Cultural Biological Most treatments will fit in these catagories

Herbicide Classifications (Products can fall into multiple categories) Selective Controls only certain types of plants Broadleaf herbicides such as Garlon, Tordon, Escort Non Selective Will damage or control most plants Rodeo, Roundup, Arsenal Rate dependant Systemic Translocated throughout the plant Garlon, Tordon, Arsenal, Escort, Rodeo Contact Controls only the portion of the plant that is treated Krenite

Herbicide Classifications (Products can fall into multiple categories) Pre Emergent (Oust XP, Diuron, Krovar, Evade) Controls plant growth at germination Emergent (Most products used in VM and Forestry) Controls plants after germination Foliar Systemic (Garlon, Escort, Tordon, Arsenal, Streamline) Applied to top growth and translocated throughout the plant Soil active systemic (Tordon, Arsenal, Spike, Perspective) Absorbed into root system and translocated throughout the plant. Pre emergent products are soil active

Mode of Action Defined: The entire chain of events from first contact of the herbicide to the final effect on the plant. Absorption Translocation Site-of-Action Mechanism-of-Action

Why understand herbicide MOA? Better understanding of how herbicides perform The role surfactants play Diagnosing herbicide injury Professionalism Public relations

Mode of Action For a herbicide to be an effective, it must: Contact the plant surface Remain on the plant surface long enough to be absorbed Reach a cellular site and disrupt a life supporting process or structure Degrade into non-toxic metabolites

Absorption or Mode of Entry Movement of herbicide through the cuticle or epidermal root tissue into the plant

Mode of Entry Primary means by which herbicide is absorbed into a plant. Three options: Foliar active Soil active Foliar and soil active

Foliar Absorption

Foliar Absorption

Mode of Entry Soil active – absorbed by roots Herbicides applied to soil surface move within top 1 to 4 inches Herbicides must move in the soil solution, so require soil water to be activated in soil May require greater concentrations than foliar applied herbicides because of the great volume of soil Individual products affinity to adsorb to soil plays a role Soil structure is important, texture, organic content, etc

Translocation Movement of herbicides from point of entry to the site of action in the plant

Translocation Phloem - living tissue that transports sugars from the site of synthesis or storage to the site of use. Xylem - nonliving tissue in a plant that transports water and mineral nutrients from the roots to the shoots. Phloem Xylem

Contact herbicides do not move in plant Phloem mobile (Symplastic) herbicides move upward (acropetal) and downward (basipetal) in the plant Xylem mobile (Apoplastic) herbicides move up in the plant Systemic herbicides move (translocated)

Site-of-Action Location in plant where herbicide exerts toxicity at the cellular level

Amino acid and protein synthesis Photosynthesis Fatty acid synthesis Cell division Growth regulation Amino acid and protein synthesis

Mechanism of Action Specific biochemical or biophysical process in plant that is inhibited by the herbicide

Herbicides Classified by Their Mechanism of Action Photosynthesis Amino acid and protein synthesis Cell division Cell membranes Pigment synthesis Growth regulation Growth inhibition Fatty acid synthesis

Mechanisms of Action 1. Acute toxicity – rapid kill of plant tissue by causing cell rupture, not translocated, non-systemic, contact herbicides (e.g., such as paraquat, diquat, sulfuric acid, and petroleum oils) 2. Chronic toxicity – kills slowly through chronic toxicity, systemic 3. Hormone or growth regulation - disruption of transport systems and interference with nucleic acid metabolism, systemic, affects broadleaves and not grasses (e.g., 2,4-D, triclopyr, picloram, dicamba) 4. Disrupt cell division – inhibits mitosis (e.g., asulam, trifluralin)

Mechanisms of Action 5. Inhibit pigment synthesis – disrupts formation of carotinoids and chlorophyll (e.g., oxyflorfen) 6. Inhibit photosynthesis and ATP formation – disrupts electron transport system (e.g., triazines) 7. Inhibit formation of lipid or wax – alters fatty acids and disrupts chloroplasts and mitochondria (e.g., fluazifop, sethoxydim) 8. Inhibit synthesis of amino acids – disrupts acetolactate synthase and production of branched-chain amino acids (e.g, imazapyr, sulfonylureas) or shikimic acid pathway (not found in animals) and production of aromatic amino acids (e.g., glyphosate)

Mechanisms of Action Why do we need to know Mechanism of Action Herbicide Resistance Multiple Modes reduce chance of building population of resistant plants Tank mixes Broadens spectrum of control

Chemical Properties Soil Persistence Mobility Half life varies by product and impacted by many factors i.e. soil pH, moisture, temperature, organic content, microbial activity Mobility How readily a compound moves from one ecosystem compartment to another Factors influencing mobility Adsorption to soil particles Surface runoff Uptake by plants and animals Leaching Volatilization

Persistence How long a chemical remains intact in the environment. Measured by half-life or time required for one half of an initial amount to be degraded. Herbicides must be persistent in the environment long enough to be absorbed and translocated by plants. Soil-active herbicides need to be more persistent than foliar-active herbicides. The more persistent a chemical is, the more likely it is to move off site and cause a problem. Herbicides registered for ROW and forestry have short to moderate persistence.

Half-life of Common Herbicides

Water Solubility and Mobility of Common Herbicides

Application Methods High Volume Foliar (Typically > 25 gals/acre) Most effective when target species densities are high Allows for canopy penetration Foliar and soil active products Run off reaches soil surface Low Volume Foliar (Typically < 25 gals per acre) Effective for lower density target species Use a good surfactant Some products work well with low volume applications Rodeo works well with low volumes Coverage of the growing points on plant Less run off to soil Useful when desirable/sensitive plants below canopy

Application Methods Cut Stubble Cut Stump/Basal Soil active products Tordon, Arsenal, Stalker, etc Absorbed thru root system Must move into root zone Unfrozen soil Timing can be anytime soil is not frozen Cut Stump/Basal Typically oil based carrier Oil needed to penetrate bark Fresh cut stump can use water based

Timing Brush Control Foliar Woody perennials At least one growing season on regrowth Critical with root suckering species like Aspen Actively growing Plants not under stress

Timing Weed Control Annuals Biennials Perennials Know each target species Annuals Early in plant life cycle Prevent seed production/release Chemical and/or mechanical Biennials Year one: thru out year Year two: early in season, prevent seed production Will die in year two Perennials Combo of chemical and mechanical often most effective Need to control root system

Use Rates Label Recommendations Label use rates tend to be broad Label covers entire U.S. Use past experience as a guide to local rates Review past treatments to evaluate use rates Low end rates will produce less consistent results Higher rates help make up for inconsistencies in site and climatic conditions Don’t overlook the value of adjuvants

Tank Mixes Mechanism of Action Weed Tolerance Target Species Mix Discussed Earlier Multiple Mechanisms of action Especially on tough to control species Weed Tolerance Rotate Treatments Target Species Mix Use more than one product to broaden spectrum Ex: Milestone plus Escort (Opensight) Desired Future Condition Extended control vs short term control Ex: Rodeo and Oust XP Oust XP extends herbaceous control

Conclusion Have a Plan No “One Best” Treatment Choose the right tool or combination of tools/timing Make decisions site by site Know your Site Know the Tools Know the Plants

Questions??? Thank you!!! Dale Sutherland CPS Timberland 218-259-3605