A comparison of two stem injection treatments applied to American beech in central West Virginia

Abstract

Efficacies for two herbicide stem injection treatments on American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and impacts to nontarget residual trees were evaluated in central West Virginia. The treatments consisted of hack-and-squirt injection of all beech stems ≥1.0 in. to 9.9 in. diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) with either imazapyr as ArsenalTM (28.7 percent) or glyphosate as Razor ProTM (41 percent) in water carriers. The treatments were applied in September 2008 and evaluated 12 months after treatment. Complete control of injected stems was achieved with both treatments; however, treatment efficacy on untreated beech stems >1.0 ft tall to 0.9 in. d.b.h. was higher on the Arsenal treatments. No damage occurred to any desirable overstory species such as black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) or red maple (Acer rubrum L.) trees that were located on all the treatment plots. Land managers can use the hack-and-squirt injection treatments described in this study to control both injected trees and a large proportion of smaller beech root sprouts associated with them.