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University of Wyoming
 

Mechanisms and Impacts of Integrated Pest Management for Sustainable Dalmatian Toadflex Control in the Western U.S. -- WYO-00576

 

Dalmatian toadflax is a highly invasive, non-indigenous plant that threatens rangelands throughout the Western U.S. This invader is very difficult to control. Cultural control is largely ineffective and impractical on rangeland. Chemical control has shown promise, though herbicides can have detrimental effects on non-target plants. Biological control of Dalmatian toadflax with the weevil, Mecinus janthinus, has also shown promise but suppression is slow or insufficient under some conditions. Very little is known about IPM of Dalmatian toadflax, though this approach is clearly warranted. The proposed research seeks to evaluate IPM strategies for Dalmatian toadflax control using a combination of reduced-rate applications of one of two herbicides currently used for toadflax control (imazapic or picloram) and releases of Mecinus janthinus. Evaluation of IPM strategies will be conducted at sites in Wyoming and Colorado that differ ecologically so that the results can be extrapolated to rangeland across the western U.S. The overall objective of the approach is to minimize risk to non-target species, while achieving rapid, permanent and economical weed management. The proposed research also seeks to understand mechanistically how IPM works by investigating responses of the plant below- as well as above-ground (using a rhizotron approach).