oustarherbicideforefficientherbaceousweedcontroland.docVIP

Oustar Herbicide for Efficient Herbaceous Weed Control and Enhanced Loblolly Pine Seedling Performance in the southeastern United States Jimmie L. Yeiser, Professor and T.L.L. Temple Chair, Stephen F. Austin State University, Arthur Temple College of Forestry, P.O. Box 6109 SFA, Nacogdoches, TX 75962. 936-468-3301(w); 936-468-2489(f); jyeiser@sfasu.edu. Andrew W. Ezell, Professor, Mississippi State University, Department of Forestry P.O. Box 9681, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9681.Abstract Oustar herbicide is a new pre-mixed blend of hexazinone (Velpar DF)+sulfometuron (Oust XP). Tests at six sites in the southeastern United States were established to compare Oustar (0, 10, 13, 16, 19 oz product ac-1) to industry standards (Velpar L+Oust 32+2; Arsenal AC+Oust 4+2, both in oz product ac-1) for herbaceous weed control (HWC) and resultant loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling performance. Sites were prepared prior to planting with: fire only, chemical followed by a burn, mechanical only, or chemical and mechanical methods. Oustar (13 oz) and industry standards provided similar HWC and seedling performance. When averaged across all six sites, herbicide plots consistently had more bareground than untreated plots by nearly 2X at 30 days after treatment (DAT), 3X at 60-DAT, 4X at 90-DAT, and 5X at 120-DAT. Similarly, herbicide treatments increased age-two seedling survival (9%), total height (0.69 ft), ground line diameter (0.26 in), and volume index (1.54x10-2 ft3) over that of untreated seedlings. Late (October) site preparation commonly resulted in less herbaceous cover on application day. Sites with less ground cover on application day exhibited more bareground at 60- and 120-DAT than sites with high initial ground cover. The low rate (10 oz) of Oustar applied to sandy loam soils receiving chemical and mechanical preparation prior to planting provided bareground comparable to industry standards. Managers integrating late site preparation followed by spring HWC