The Response of Potted Orchids to Sequential Postemergence Herbicide Applications in Hawaii

Abstract

Two experiment were conducted in 1999 and 2000 to determine the response of orchid cultivars, grown as potted plants, to postemergence herbicides. In a film covered commercial nursery in Pahoa, four orchid cultivars were exposed to five sequential herbicide applications. The cultivars used were: Emma White (Dendrobium), Wildcat Blood Ruby, Volcano Queen (both Oncidiums), and SuFun Beauty (Vanda). The herbicides evaluated in this experiment were diuron and clopyralid applied at the anticipated (1×), 2×, and 4× use rate. Spray applications were made directly to crop foliage using a spray to wet application. The first application was applied on 11 Nov. 1999 with sequential applications made at 20-, 208-, 73-, and 69-day intervals for a total of five sprays. Orchid dry weight accumulation was not significantly reduced and all cultivars responded in a similar way. “Emma White” was the only cultivar to express abnormal growth to clopyralid in the form of J-shaped flower spikes and deformed flowers. The other three cultivars did not show any noticeable injury in response to any of the spray applications. A follow up experiment was conducted on the dry leeward coast of Oahu in a commercial saran house. Diuron was the only herbicide evaluated at one and four times the anticipated labeled use rate. The first application was made on 27 Apr. 2000 with sequential applications made at 50-, 21-, 70-, and 66-day intervals for a total of five sprays. The orchids selected for this experiment included nine Dendrobiums and one Vanda. Treatments were made directly to plant foliage using a spray to wet application. Whole plant dry weight accumulation of the 10 cultivars responded in a similar way and no herbicide treatment reduced dry weight accumulation in comparison to untreated plants.