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Post-Emergent Control of Nuisance Cones in Fraser Fir Christmas Tree Plantations

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Post-Emergent Control of Nuisance Cones in Fraser Fir Christmas Tree Plantations Article Post-Emergent Control of Nuisance Cones in Fraser Fir Christmas Tree Plantations Bert Cregg 1,*, Dana Ellison 2 and Jill O’Donnell 3 1 Department of Horticulture and Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing Michigan, MI 48824, USA 2 Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing Michigan, MI 48824, USA; [email protected] 3 Michigan State University Extension, 401 N. Lake Street, Suite 400, Cadillac, MI 49601, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-517-353-0335 Received: 29 March 2018; Accepted: 27 April 2018; Published: 28 April 2018 Abstract: Heavy cone production by Fraser fir Christmas trees requires significant labor inputs to remove nuisance cones. We conducted two field trials in collaboration with operational Christmas tree farms to evaluate the effectiveness of post-emergent herbicides to stop the development of newly emergent cone buds. In the first trial (2016), we applied six products (two conventional herbicides and four herbicides labeled for organic production) to trees using back-pack sprayers in operational plantations at four farms in Michigan. Three products; Scythe, Axxe, and Avenger, provided better cone kill than the other products but resulted in phytotoxicity at two locations. In 2017, we applied the three most effective products from the earlier trial at three farms either as single applications or as two applications approximately one week apart. We also evaluated a hand-held mechanical de-coning device at two farms. For all the products and the mechanical device, cone control in the 2017 trial was high (>80%). Phytotoxicity to foliage was low (mean rating, <0.3; 0 = none, 2 = severe) for single applications of the herbicides. Repeated applications increased cone control slightly but also increased risk for phytotoxicity. The mechanical device caused significant damage to shoots and foliage. We attribute the increased product effectiveness and reduced phytotoxicity between the 2016 and 2017 studies to improved coverage and earlier spray timing. Based on the current retail product cost, chemical cone control can be cost-effective compared to handpicking cones if trees have high numbers of cones that can take several minutes to remove. The effect of using surfactants and reducing product rates should be investigated along with mechanized application. Keywords: coning; herbicides; cone picking; phytotoxicity; pelargonic acid 1. Introduction Precocious cone production is a major production issue for Fraser fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.) Christmas tree plantations. In North America, Fraser fir trees begin to produce female cones (strobili) within four or five years after planting (Figure1). Fraser fir trees in native forests, in contrast, typically do not produce female cones until the age of 15 [1]. Cone production increases rapidly during the Christmas tree production cycle and trees that are 3 m tall can produce more than 1000 cones. Cones are a liability in Christmas trees because they disintegrate after maturing in the fall, leaving unsightly stalks that can render trees unsalable. Moreover, cones are a strong sink for photo-assimilates and reduce the amount of carbohydrates available for shoot and needle growth [2]. Because of the impacts of cones on Christmas tree quality and growth, growers pick female cones from trees shortly after cone buds emerge in the spring. Cone picking is labor intensive and results in one of the largest labor costs for Fraser fir Christmas tree producers in North America. Forests 2018, 9, 233; doi:10.3390/f9050233 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Forests 2018, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 12 cone buds emerge in the spring. Cone picking is labor intensive and results in one of the largest labor Forests 2018, 9, 233 2 of 12 costs for Fraser fir Christmas tree producers in North America. Figure 1. Heavy cone production in a Fraser fir fir plantation in Michigan. Research onon reducing reducing or or eliminating eliminating cone cone production production in Fraser in Fraser fir has fir focused has focused on (1) pre-emergent on (1) pre‐ (oremergent pro-active) (or pro strategies‐active) to strategies prevent treesto prevent from forming trees from cone forming buds and cone (2) buds post-emergent and (2) post (or‐emergent re-active) techniques(or re‐active) to eliminatetechniques cones to eliminate once they cones have once formed. they Pre-emergent have formed. approaches Pre‐emergent to reducing approaches coning to includereducing influencing coning include environmental influencing factors environmental that control factors coning that control and the coning application and the of application plant growth of regulatorsplant growth to reducingregulators coning to reducing [3]. For coning example, [3]. the For application example, the of paclobutrazol, application of apaclobutrazol, gibberellic acid a (GA)gibberellic inhibitor, acid reduced (GA) inhibitor, cone production reduced in cone Fraser production fir trees in Christmasin Fraser treefir trees plantations in Christmas in Michigan tree byplantations up to 54% in [4 ].Michigan However, by there up areto drawbacks54% [4]. However, to the pre-emergent there are drawbacks approach to to cone the reduction. pre‐emergent First, treesapproach must to be cone treated reduction. as buds First, are formed trees must along be new treated shoots. as buds All trees are informed plantations along new must shoots. be treated All becausetrees in plantations it is impossible must for be growerstreated because to identify it is which impossible buds for will growers be reproductive to identify and which which buds will will be vegetative.be reproductive Therefore, and which growers will will be likely vegetative. treat many Therefore, trees that growers would will not conelikely even treat without many treatment.trees that Second,would not paclobutrazol cone even treatments without treatment. can be expensive Second, as paclobutrazol conifers require treatments relatively highcan be doses expensive in order as to induceconifers a require response, relatively and rates high increase doses asin treesorder grow to induce larger. a response, and rates increase as trees grow larger.In contrast to pre-emergent cone treatments, post-emergent treatments are intended as a substituteIn contrast for manually to pre‐ pickingemergent cones. cone An treatments, advantage post to post-emergent‐emergent treatments control isare that intended growers onlyas a needsubstitute to treat for treesmanually that producepicking cones. cones, An rather advantage than treating to post‐ allemergent trees as control in a pre-emergent is that growers strategy. only Chemicalneed to treat post-emergent trees that produce control cones, of Fraser rather fir conesthan treating might beall possibletrees as in because a pre‐emergent cone buds strategy. emerge twoChemical to three post weeks‐emergent prior control to vegetative of Fraser bud-break. fir cones might The asynchronybe possible because between cone cone buds bud emerge emergence two andto three vegetative weeks budprior break to vegetative provides abud window‐break. during The asynchrony which cones between are susceptible cone bud to emergence herbicides, and but existingvegetative foliage bud canbreak be provides relatively a tolerant. window Owenduring [5 which] conducted cones trialsare susceptible and found to that herbicides, up to 90% but of emergingexisting foliage cones can could be berelatively killed with tolerant. properly Owen timed [5] conducted herbicide sprays.trials and Owen found tested that productsup to 90% that of includedemerging conventional cones could herbicides,be killed with as well properly as herbicides timed herbicide listed for sprays. use in organicOwen tested production products systems. that Organic-registeredincluded conventional herbicides herbicides, might as be well well as suitedherbicides for this listed application for use in because organic they production have a relatively systems. lowOrganic overall‐registered toxicity. herbicides Many are naturalmight be products well suited such for as this citrus application oils or short-chain because they fatty have acids a thatrelatively work aslow desiccants overall toxicity. [6–9]. This Many suggests are natural they products could potentially such as citrus cause oils “burn-down” or short‐chain of newly fatty acids emerged that coneswork withas desiccants minimal [6–9]. damage This to suggests existing they needles could with potentially thick cuticles. cause “burn‐down” of newly emerged cones with minimal damage to existing needles with thick cuticles. ForestsForests 20182018, ,99, ,x 233 FOR PEER REVIEW 3 3of of 12 12 The objective of the current project is to develop protocols for post‐emergent control of cones in FraserThe fir Christmas objective of tree the plantations. current project Specific is to develop objectives protocols of the current for post-emergent studies are controlto: (1) determine of cones in theFraser effectiveness fir Christmas of treetreatments plantations. on stopping Specific objectivescone development of the current and studies (2) evaluate are to: (1)the determine severity theof phytotoxicityeffectiveness ofon treatments needles and on shoots. stopping cone development and (2) evaluate the severity of phytotoxicity on needles and shoots. 2. Materials and Methods 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. 2016 Trial 2.1. 2016 Trial 2.1.1. Study Locations 2.1.1. Study Locations This trial included four locations
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