"In other parts of the U.S., this species has devastated cotton production and in many areas, especially in Georgia, it was not uncommon to see cotton fields literally mowed down to prevent this weed from producing seed," Hager said. This means farmers have the dual challenge of determining whether Palmer has invaded their fields and, if it has, taking effective action to kill it before it takes over.
As a seedling, Palmer amaranth looks a lot like waterhemp, another problematic weed that is difficult to control. "Once it is taller than 4 inches, the effectiveness of herbicide treatments drops off very dramatically and very quickly," Hager said.Ĭatching the plant that early is problematic, however.
That means treating young plants with herbicides when they are less than 4 inches tall. Killing the plant before it can go to seed is the best way to control it, he said. And it is becoming resistant to the most common herbicides used to combat it, he said. It can tolerate drought and heat extremes that would kill other plants. Palmer amaranth germinates throughout much of the growing season, starts earlier and grows faster than other weeds, and is a prolific seed producer, Hager said. Palmer amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri), a flowering plant native to the Sonoran desert and southwest United States, has a laundry list of traits that make it a fierce competitor on the farm, said Aaron Hager, a University of Illinois crop sciences professor.
0 kommentar(er)
