INVASIVE WEED MANAGEMENT

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2 Weed? A plant in the wrong place Exotic weed? Weed from other parts of the world Invasive weed? Weeds that can disperse rapidly overcompeting native species mainly by absence of their natural herbivores If not controlled invasive weeds can easily get out of hand and become part of the local floras / like tumble weeds and many others. Tumbleweeds (Salsola tragus) in grasslands

3 Importance of exotic and invasive weeds: Quickly occupy disturbed land including gardens, roads, ditches, waterways, etc. Lower the value of crops Degrade native plant communities Reduce habitat for native fauna Cost billions of $ yearly in management Others Polypogon monspeliensis along the Río Gande

4 To control or not to control? A management decision - Scale from garden size to regional - Tolerable levels often funding driven that - In many cases weeds are so widely distributed control is not practical - Aggressive control may affect native vegetation - Control must be a well planned integrated process - Etcetera.

5 On Fort Bliss we have monitored several selected species for over 10 years Including Peganum harmala (African rue), Centaurea melitensis (Malta centaurea), Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass), Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar), Eragostis lehmanniana (Lehmann lovegrass), and Salsola iberica (Russian thistle). Some species have restricted distributions responding to water accumulations and runoff; others are beyond practical control efforts. Control has been applied to African rue (P. harmala) since this species expands to dryer areas and shows more xeric affinities than other species under monitoring. Mapping populations has been done using GPS and GIS technology. Location Easting Northing File Name NM 506 Plants R051315a Training Area 5B Plants R051718a Area 5B Plants R051718a Area 5B Plants R051718a Area 5B Infested area R051718a HWY 54 West Side Infested area R071214a HWY 54 Plants Line Line Feature Feature R070617b HWY 54 Plants Line Line Feature Feature R070617b HWY 54 Plants R071214a HWY 54 Plants R071214a HWY 54 Plants R070617b HWY 54 Plants R070617a HWY 54 Infested Area R060515a OTSA/RAM Infested Area R052719a OTSA/RAM Infested Area R052720a OTSA/RAM Infested Area R052721a OTSA/RAM Infested Area R052721b War HWY Plants R041123a WSMR P RT 2 (Orogrande) Plants R081018b 49 Target 1 Plants R051016b 49 Target 2 Plants R051018a 49 Target 3 Plants R051019a Road to SHORAD SHORAD Facility

6 Control of African Rue (Peganum harmala) an herbaceous perennial Fort Bliss Experience From here to here In about two seasons

7 Dormant Dormant Sprouting and new seedlings Flower buds Blooming and green fruits Mature fruits & foliage turning paler Seed set and new growth Blooming again More fruits and seeds Most plants still green Dormancy starts Dormant INVASIVE WEED MANAGEMENT African rue life cycle in our region J F M A M J J A S O N D

8 Mechanical TOOLS Chemical

9 Disruption of African rue life cycle J F M A M J J A S O N D Year 1

10 Disruption of African rue life cycle J F M A M J J A S O N D Years 2 & 3: treatments based on monitoring populations

11 R E S U L T S Control levels fluctuate between 80% and 95% Remaining plants are mostly seedlings and a few re-sprouts from older plants

12 CONCLUSIONS Principles: IPM approach is the best option when dealing with pests and weeds Know pest biology and life cycle Identify available tools and develop a control plan Disrupt life cycle to avoid seed production and further spreading Integrate weather patterns into control plan (rainy season, hot season, etc.) Evaluate results and adjust approach to increase effectiveness Continue monitoring until acceptable control levels are met Early detection and proactive control, while you still have a chance

13 Thanks!!