Combined use of mowing and chemical control for the efficient control of the noxious invasive species Typha spp.

Abstract

Changes in weed communities due to changes of climate and agricultural practices have already been indicated. Cattail (Typha spp.) is considered as a noxious invasive species with an increasing dispersal in Greece and other countries, where it starts to become a serious problem particularly in wet areas and especially for perennial crops. Pot and field experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the efficacy of several herbicides and mowing against cattail. The results of the present study revealed the low efficacy of several herbicides (like imazamox, 2,4-D and MCPA) against Typha spp. plants. On the other hand, pot experiments showed that especially glufosinate and glyphosate (in high rate) killed the majority of cattail plants grown by rhizomes. Moreover, they key result of our field experiment is the strong indication of a synergistic action of mowing and chemical control, especially in the case of glufosinate and glyphosate. The case of Typha spp. confirms that the integration of several control methods and agronomic practices may ensure an efficient, long-term management of noxious and invasive weeds.