Temporal Weed Interference with Young Pecan Trees

Abstract

Vegetation surrounding pecan (Carya illinoinensis Wangenh. C. Koch) trees in a 4.3 × 6 m area was either controlled with a nonresidual herbicide for the entire growing season, not controlled, or controlled at certain times during the growing season. After three growing seasons, trunk diameters were suppressed 54% when vegetation was not controlled, 47% when not controlled until 1 Aug., and 37% if not controlled after 1 June compared to entire growing season vegetation control. Trunk diameters were not significantly different from entire season vegetation control when vegetation was controlled from 1 June through fall frost or vegetation controlled from April until 1 Aug. Vegetation in the plots was typically dominated by cool season herbaceous dicots in May and June, and warm-season grasses during August and September.