Chemical control of suckers in hazelnut orchards of western Oregon

Abstract

AbstractHazelnut naturally grows as a multi-stemmed tree. The basal sprouts, known as suckers, grow throughout the season. Suckers are removed to promote a single trunk that facilitates production mechanization and increased yield. In western Oregon, herbicides are the most common method of sucker control, and at least four applications per season are performed in the spring and summer seasons. This study evaluated the efficacy of foliar-applied herbicides currently registered for sucker control in hazelnuts. Season-long and short-term field studies were conducted to assess the efficacy of herbicides to control hazelnut suckers. In the season-long studies, four consecutive applications of treatments that contained 2,4-D, glufosinate, or paraquat provided 50% to 80% control, maintained sucker height at 50 cm or less as compared to 155 cm for the nontreated control, and reduced sucker biomass by 87% as compared to the nontreated control. The short-term study results confirmed the efficacy of 2,4-D, glufosinate, and paraquat for sucker control, and in this study, carfentrazone and saflufenacil reduced sucker biomass to a level comparable to 2,4-D or glufosinate treatment. These results confirm that 2,4-D, glufosinate, paraquat, carfentrazone, and saflufenacil can be used for sucker control in hazelnut and emphasize the necessity of multiple applications during the growing season to control suckers in hazelnut. Proper herbicide selection is important to control suckers with success.