Initial screening of herbicides tolerated by native plants

Abstract

During the establishment of native plants in revegetation projects the plants often need to be released from weed competition but little is known of their tolerance of herbicides suitable for release spraying Ten native species were treated as 8monthold plants in planter bags with eight herbicides at rates suitable to control weeds Clopyralid fluazifop and haloxyfop could probably control weeds selectively around Coprosma robusta Hebe stricta Pittosporum tenuiflorum Carex flagellifera Phormium cookianum and Leptospermum scoparium Clopyralid was not tolerated by Fuchsia excortica which was the most sensitive species to many of the herbicides evaluated However this species showed good tolerance to haloxyfop fluazifop and terbuthylazine Although Plagianthus regius was also damaged by clopyralid it tolerated metsulfuron and terbuthylazine The two grasses evaluated Poa cita and Chionochloa flavicans tolerated clopyralid and aminopyralid well but were severely damaged by haloxyfop fluazifop and terbuthylazine