Abstract
In attempts to reduce the amounts of conventional herbicides used, alternative practices are sought in the management of roadside vegetation. In this investigation, alternative herbicides (citric-acetic acids, clove oil, corn gluten meal, limonene, and pelargonic acid), flaming, and mulching were assessed in management of annual and perennial, herbaceous vegetation in field and roadside plots. Several formulations of alternative herbicides applied singly or repeatedly during the growing season were evaluated and compared with conventional herbicides (glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium) or with flaming or mulching. Citric-acetic acid formulations, clove oil, limonene, or pelargonic acid applied as foliar sprays immediately desiccated foliage, but the efficacy lasted for no longer than five weeks. Repeated applications were better than single applications of these herbicides in suppressing plant vegetative growth. Corn gluten meal imparted little or no early control and stimulated late-season growth of vegetation. A single flaming of vegetation gave no better control than the alternative herbicides, but repeated flaming strongly restricted growth. Mulching with wood chips or bark gave season-long suppression of vegetation. Glyphosate gave season-long inhibition of vegetation, but the efficacy of glufosinate ammonium waned as the growing season progressed. For season-long suppression of vegetation with alternative herbicides or flaming repeated applications will be required.
Highlights
Management of vegetation is an important element for safety and aesthetics in healthy roadside environments
The present study evaluated many organic products derived from plants
Research has shown that concentration used in this study with at least 15% to 20% acetic acid provided acceptable weed control of broadleaf annual weeds but gave poor control of annual grasses [11, 14]
Summary
Management of vegetation is an important element for safety and aesthetics in healthy roadside environments. Methods of management to produce this environment include cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical procedures for weed control. Chemical control involving the use of herbicides is used substantially in management of roadside vegetation [1]. Use of herbicides provides flexibility and low costs in control of vegetation, considering the equipment and the wide spectrum of materials that are available for use [1]. State departments of transportation are investigating alternatives to conventional herbicides in weed management. Alternatives include chemical treatments with plant-derived herbicides and mechanical treatments. Several alternative herbicides that are marketed as products to manage growth of vegetation have an active ingredient that is of plant origin or include various by-products of food and feed processing [3, 4]
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