Scaling Up Brazilian Peppertree Mackenzie Bell, Graduate Assistant Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (Schinus terebinthifolia) IPT Research University of Florida with Contractors in South Florida Stephen Enloe PhD Brazilian Peppertree
• Introduced early 1800s • Lag time before noted as an invasive • Northward expansion of distribution • Also found in TX, HI, CA, and GA
• Dioecious • Woody shrub-like tree • Anacardiaceae (poison ivy/cashew family) $1-2 million annual costs to control Shades out native vegetation Aggressive growth form of lateral branches creates an impenetrable thicket Current Control Efforts: Commercial Standard Basal Bark Proposed: Reduced Hack and Squirt approach Determine practicality for this novel application type in natural areas.
Objective Compared to commercial standard basal bark… 1. Reduced hack and squirt would take a similar and amount of time. Hypotheses 2. Reduced hack and squirt would provide a reduction in herbicide applied. 3. Reduced hack and squirt would provide similar control (defoliation). • 24 plots, each ~0.5 acre, established West of Miami in South Florida Water Management District C9 in June 2018 Methods: • Two contractor crews of 6 members each Field plot treated 12 plots: • Crew 1- June 6-8 set up • Crew 2- June 18-20 • Four treatments replicated over three plots, CRD design Treatments
Trt Trade Common name %v/v Application Type Lbs ae/gal Max label # Name rate (lbs/acre) 1 Method Aminocyclopyrachlor (ACP) 50 Reduced HS 2.0 0.28
2 Milestone Aminopyralid (AP) 50 Reduced HS 2.0 0.22
3 Control Water - -- -- 4a Trycera Triclopyr acid (TA) 10 Basal – Crew 1 2.87 9.0
4b Garlon 4 Triclopyr ester (TE) 22.5 Basal – Crew 2 4.0 8.0 • Post-treatment defoliation observations collected 60DAT and 180 and 360 days after treatment planned Methods: • 10 trees randomly sampled throughout Data analysis each plot for percent defoliation • ANOVA in Statistical package R, Tukey HSD comparison Machete height for hacks (~2ft)
1 hack every 1-4 inches (1 bottle cap – 1 2L soda bottle width) Cntrl Mile Mile Bas Met Bas
Bas Met Met Cntrl Cntrl Mile
Bas Mile Mile Bas Met Cntrl
Cntrl Met Bas Mile Met Cntrl 60 DAT Results ApplicationApplication Time time
No significant difference between application time for treatments (p = 0.807)
• Time normalized for 1 acre plots • Significant difference between crews for application time • No interaction between treatments and crew (p=0.175) Herbicide Mix vs Acid Equivalent applied
0 0 0 0
Note: Crew 1 applied 10% Triclopyr acid formulation, Crew 2 applied 22.5% Triclopyr ester basal bark treatment Interaction significant between crew and treatments, Significant differences in amount applied DefoliationDefoliation 180 DAT 180 (continued) DAT
• Significant difference in control after 180 days between crews • Aminopyralid (AP) did not provide similar efficacy as compared to basal bark and aminocyclopyrachlor (ACP) • Scaling up research • Reduction in herbicide active ingredient Discussion • Label rates
Basal – Basal: Reduced HS: Reduced HS: Triclopyr Triclopyr acid ACP AP ester 1/3 plots 3/3 plots 4/6 plots 1/6 plots • If results hold, then we have found a novel alternative to standard basal bark application for control of Brazilian Peppertree Conclusions • There are caveats in the density of trees that contractors treat when using these treatments • Refine protocol to reduce application time and increase practicality for crews Future Directions / Implications This novel technique has the ability to enhance IPT to reduce chemical output while maintaining applicator efficiency when dealing with challenging woody invasive species. Acknowledgements Questions?
Questions? • EDDMapS. 2019. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Available online at http://www.eddmaps.org/; last accessed February 7, 2019. • Ewe, S. M. L. (2001). “Ecophysiology of Schinus terebinthifolius contrasted with native species in two south Florida ecosystems.” Ph.D Dissertation, University of Miami, Florida. • Ewel, J. J., Ojima, S. D., Karl, A. D., & DeBusk, F. W. (1982). Schinus in successional ecosystems of Everglades National Park (South Florida Research Report, T-676). Miami, FL: National Park Service. • Ewel, J. J. (1986). Invasibility: Lessons from south Florida. In: H.A. Mooney, & J. A. Drake (Eds.). Ecology of biological invasions of North America and Hawaii (pp. 214–230). New York, NY: Springer-Verlag. • Ferriter A. et al. (2006). Brazilian peppertree Management Plan for Florida. Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, Brazilian peppertree Task Force: Florida. • Geiger, J., Pratt, P., Wheeler, G. and A. Williams, D. (2011). Hybrid Vigor for the Invasive References Exotic Brazilian Peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi., Anacardiaceae) in Florida. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 172(5), pp.655-663. • Gioeli, K and Langeland, K. (1997). “Brazilian pepper-tree control.” University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, SS-AGR-17. • Lindenmayer, R. B. (2012). Understanding aminocyclopyrachlor behavior in soil and plants. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global; SciTech Premium Collection. • Manrique, Cuda, and Overholt (2013). Brazilian peppertree: a poster child for invasive plants in Florida. Journal of Florida Studies • Morton, J. (1978). Brazilian pepper—its impact on people, animals and the environment. Econ Bot. 32:353–359. • Tassin, J., Rivière, J. and Clergeau, P. (2007). Reproductive versus Vegetative Recruitment of the Invasive Tree Schinus terebenthifolius: Implications for Restoration on Reunion Island. Restoration Ecology, 15(3), pp.412-419.