Germination, Growth, Development, and Control of Camphorweed(Heterotheca subaxillaris)

Abstract

Germination studies on camphorweed [Heterotheca subaxillaris(Lam.) Britt. & Rusby] revealed that freshly harvested disk achenes germinated best at 17.5 C (88%) while ray achenes were dormant. Camphorweed seed from disk achenes also germinated at temperatures as low as 3 C. Seedlings grown under long-day conditions at 23 C day and 8 C night temperatures for 144 days elongated at the rate of 0.18 cm/day. Plants grown under short-day conditions at the same temperature regime elongated at the rate of 0.06 cm/day. Total leaf surface area, fresh weight, and dry weight of shoots of plants grown under long days were at least 1.5 times greater than plants grown under short day conditions. Camphorweed, regardless of size and age, survived a 2-h exposure at −5 C. All plants in the rosette stage survived at −15 C in the freezer and an overnight temperature of −11.7 C in the field, whereas larger plants were killed at these temperatures. Stage of growth was an important factor in the herbicidal control of camphorweed. Plants in the rosette stage were generally more susceptible to herbicides than older plants. Simazine [2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine] at 3.4 kg/ha, paraquat (1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bypyridinium ion) at 0.6 kg/ha, methazole [2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazolidine-3,5-dione] at 5.0 kg/ha, and a formulated mix of diuron [3–3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] and terbacil (3-tert-butyl-5-chloro-6-methyluracil) at 4.5 kg/ha provided adequate control of camphorweed in the rosette stage. Asulam (methyl sulfanilylcarbamate) at 2.2 or 4.5 kg/ha applied alone did not control camphorweed in the rosette form but was more effective on older plants. Various combinations of these herbicides were generally effective at both stages of growth.