Last week I
participated in an educational event in the Kingsville area that focused on
managing mesquite on our rangelands. A
new tool, a herbicide called SenderoTM by Dow AgroSciences was
discussed in great detail. This product
has two active ingredients, namely aminopyralid + clopyralid, which means that
it is not a restricted use herbicide and does not require a pesticide
applicator’s license to purchase. Recent
testing of this herbicide has shown that it provides nearly 40 percent more
consistent control than the traditional mix of Remedy Ultra and Reclaim.
So when is the best
time to make foliar applications of herbicide to mesquite? Research has shown that the optimum time to
treat is when:
1) the soil temperature at 12-inches below the surface is 75◦F or higher
2) the mesquite leaves are a dark green color all over, rather than
some light green new growth at the ends. Applications should be avoided immediately
following a significant rainfall, as the production of too much new growth will
reduce the movement of herbicide to roots.
This could be a problem with the recent rains this year! Simply wait until all the leaves have turned a
dark green color again before treating.
3) the mesquite tree is not flowering or elongating the beans. In the Coastal Bend this year that time should
be occurring around 63 to 72 days after budbreak or from May 4 to May 12,
assuming a March 1 budbreak date. So the
optimum time to make a foliar herbicide application this year, if all of the
environmental conditions are good, would be approximately from May 13 to May
30.
4) the leaves are healthy. No more than 25% of the leaves can have
damage by insects, hail, disease, or rodents.
Soil moisture is another important factor to consider before
treating. Even though mesquite is a deep
rooted plant, treatments should be delayed if plants are under drought stress.
If you miss the foliar
treatment timing window, you do have other options to help manage mesquite,
including of course mechanical treatments or basal stem treatments. More information regarding honey mesquite
control may be obtained from your local County Extension Office or at the web
site; http://pestman.tamu.edu/
The information given herein is for educational purposes only. This
information is presented in good faith, but no warranty, express or implied, is
given. Weed and brush control results may vary tremendously if treatments are applied under less than
optimum conditions. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made
with the understanding that no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Texas
Agrilife Extension Service.
