First rotationEucalyptus macarthuriicut stump control in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Many cold tolerant eucalypts, E. macarthurii in particular, coppice vigorously following harvesting, and in contrast to E. grandis are proving difficult to kill by existing cut stump control methods. Based on past research, selected cut stump treatments were tested on single stem E. macarthurii trees, that had not been coppiced, in Paulpieterburg, KwaZulu-Natal. These included the application of the herbicide triclopyr (amine salt, 360 g l−1), alone, or in combination with glyphosate (isopropylamine salt, 360 g l−1), either to the cut-surface, or to a basal frill. Due to the uncertainty as to the efficacy of these treatments for killing stumps of species other than E. grandis, the above treatments were integrated with current harvest residue management operations (burning; the piling of harvest residues on top of stumps; removal of the harvest residues away from the stumps) to determine if any of these further reduced the level of coppicing. Compared to the removal of slash away from the stumps, the burni...