Water Hyacinth (<i>Eichhornia crassipes</i>) was introduced across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, as well as Australia and New Zealand and has become an important invasive plant in all. In addition to exhibiting vigorous invasive growth across a wide temperature range, hyacinth is found in ponds, lakes and rivers and significantly alters the aquatic habitat it occupies. In the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, hyacinth is widespread across rivers, marshes, shallow channels, and sloughs. Use of mechanical harvesting is limited by access to the shoreline. Biological control agents effective in some parts of the world are present in the Delta but populations are limited and expansion is slow. Herbicide treatment has been the primary method available for control efforts. To aide in maximizing effectiveness of control efforts in the Delta we initiated studies comparing the efficacy of 3 commonly used herbicides (Glyphosate, Imazamox, and Penoxsulam). Following a single herbicide treatment, early visual leaf damage and biomass suppression of more than 50% at 30-days post treatment was observed in glyphosate treated plants. Given the distinct effects of Glyphosate we then considered use of surfactants to increase effectiveness. We compared Glyphosate performance when mixed individually with 4 surfactants: AgriDex (Heavy Paraffin Oil), Rainier-EA (non-ionic oil), Competitor (modified vegetable oil), and Cygnet Plus (limonene oil). All the glyphosate treated plants showed the expected significant suppression in biomass. The AgriDex + glyphosate treatment resulted in an additional suppression in biomass.

Comparing efficacy of herbicides and surfactants in water hyacinth management

254th National Meeting (2017)

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