Screening of herbicides for use in the Benalla radiata pine nursery.  G. Minko and D. W. Flinn.  February 1982.  9 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

At the Benalla Nursery in North-eastern Victoria, screening of several herbicides for use in seed-beds showed that the lowest losses of Pinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine) seedlings occurred in beds treated with chlorthal-methyl, which also significantly reduced the weed population. Although propazine caused marked reductions in weed growth, as indicated by the dry weight of weed tops, it was also associated with considerable losses of seedlings when applied during the pre-emergence phase at a rate of 1.5 kg ha^-1. When used at rates above 0.375 kg ha^-1, oxadiazon caused high mortality of seedlings.

All weedicide treatments significantly reduced the weed population in the seed-beds and tended to be less toxic to P. radiata when applied during the post-emergence phase of the crop.

On the basis of the results reported in this paper, the use of chlorthal-methyl at 7.5 kg ha^-1 is recommended for pre- and post-emergence weed control in the Benalla Nursery. As chlorthal-methyl will not control all the weeds emerging early in summer, it should be supplemented by propazine at 0.625 kg ha^-1 if a weed problem continues to exist.

Also published:

Minko, G. and Flinn, D.W. (1982)  Screening of weedicides for use in the Benalla radiata pine nursery.  For. Comm. Vic., For. Tech. Pap. 29: 3-9.