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Title: EVALUATION OF NON-CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR COGONGRASS CONTROL [IMPERATA CYLINDRICA (L.) BEAUV.]

Author
item BURNELL, K - MISS STATE UNIV
item BYRD, J - MISS STATE UNIV
item ERVIN, G - MISS STATE UNIV
item Bryson, Charles
item MASK, D - MISS STATE UNIV
item BARNETT, J - MISS STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Weed Science Society of America Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2003
Publication Date: 2/7/2004
Citation: Burnell, K.D., Byrd, J.D., Ervin, G., Bryson, C.T., Mask, D.B., Barnett, J.W. 2004. Evaluation of non-chemical management techniques for cogongrass control [imperata cylindrica (l.) beauv.]. [Abstract]. Weed Science Society of America. 44:35-36 CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two mowing studies were conducted to 1) evaluate no, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and bimonthly mowed with a string trimmer alone for cogongrass control and 2) the same mowing time on fertilized and unfertilized cogongrass populations. Mowing treatments for test 1 began in 2000 and for test 2 in 2001; both are on going at two locations. Test 1 was designed as a RCB with 3 m by 3 m plots, while test 2 was a spilt-plot design with the factor of fertilization placed within (1.5 by 3m) the whole plots factor of mowing. Fertilization began in April of 2002 and was on soil test taken every 6 months and resulting recommendations for bermudagrass hay. All plots were mowed using a gas-powered string trimmer. For test 1, data take were monthly shoot density, bi-monthly carbohydrate samples, and root weight of sampled volumes. Data for test 2 included vegetation analysis that were used to derive species richness and diversity, along with richness and diversity, dried aboveground biomass was taken bi-monthly during growing season. Diversity was calculated using Simpson's index. Results for test 1 indicated that average initial density of all plots before mowing was 925 plants/m2, and declined as mowing frequency increased. Density fell to 118 plants/m2 and 355 plants/m2 when mowed weekly and bi-weekly, respectively, by dormancy of 2002. In addition, plots mowed monthly or bi-monthly had densities of 538 and 667 plants/m2, respectively, at dormancy of 2002. In 2003, data indicates that this trend of increasing mowing resulting in decreased densities. Data for carbohydrate and root weight will also be presented. For test 2, diversity, richness and biomass production were all increased by mowing and fertilization treatments. In general, cogongrass biomass increased diversity in fertilized plots even when mowed weekly, but more so as mowing frequencies decreased. Diversity data indicated the opposite trend with respect to mowing.