Rangeland Ecology & Management

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BENEFITS OF SELECTIVE CHEMICAL CONTROL OF HUISACHE AND HONEY MESQUITE.
Author
Hart, Charles R.
Ansley, Jim
Clayton, Megan K.
Cummings, Daniel C.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2016
Body

Many ranch managers and landowners in the Southwest U.S. seem to have a continuous battle with honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana). These species can create a closed canopy, near monoculture stand that dramatically changes the species diversity and species richness of a pasture or landscape. Various techniques including mechanical, chemical and fire have been developed and utilized over the last 50+ years to remove or suppress mesquite and huisache. Long-term viability of a treatment varies greatly across and within these treatment types. Controlling these unwanted species is one aspect all treatments have in common. Cattlemen have long recognized the value of a positive forage response following control. Past research has documented this forage response and longevity of treatment following chemical applications of root-killing or top-killing treatments. More recently, landowners are managing for multiple land uses including wildlife habitat and livestock production. This paradigm shift highlights the need for selective control of unwanted species, while not harming e plant species important for wildlife habitat. Since the introduction of Sendero? herbicide (aminopyralid + clopyralid) in 2012, research has focused on the value of chemical control of mesquite and huisache for improving habitat diversity and relative abundance of desirable woody species, grasses and forbs. Early data indicate honey mesquite, huisache, and several acacia woody species are highly susceptible to Sendero aerial broadcast treatments (>75% injury or mortality 2 YAT). Conversely, desirable tree species including Bumelia (Bumelia lanuginosa), lotebush (Ziziphus obtusifolia), live oak (Quercus virginiana), Guayacan (Guaiacum angustifolium), and Brasil (Condalia hookeri) exhibited tolerance (<20% initial injury, no death) to aerial broadcast applications of Sendero, and in many cases never exhibited herbicide symptomology following application. By using selective chemical solutions like Sendero herbicide, honey mesquite and huisache can be removed from rangelands to promote a healthy wildlife habitat capable of sustaining improved livestock production. ?Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Corpus Christi, TX