Relative application costs: The cost for a contractor to apply berbicides can be up to $ 1000 per day and more if the site is difficult to access. One spray contractor said, ‘Most landholders focus on the cost of the  herbicide without thinking through the application costs. Often it is far more economical to apply a higher cost herbicide which will give a better long-term result and minimise the time to come back to follow-up treatment of a less expensive and less reliable herbicide.’

MANAGING BLACKBERRY: HERBICIDES

Herbicides At A Glance

Five considerations when selecting a herbicide:

  1. Proximity of the application site to water.
  2. Selectivity of herbicide.
    It is best practice in weed management to retain desirable species and maintain groundcover.
  3. Cost of herbicide.
    Low-cost active ingredients will not always give the best long-term control. Application costs for retreatment need to be factored into the decision.
  4. Level of control.
    Experience has shown that a mixture of triclopyr + picloram +/– aminopyralid will give the greatest long-term control.
  5. Application costs.
    For large infestations the cost of retreatment is often underestimated.

Situations for specific herbicides
Metsulfuron-methyl: Recommended for initial treatment of large, dense infestations.

Glyphosate: Recommended for small infestations that are easy to check and retreat and areas where other herbicides cannot be used, such as in or near watercourses and in urban and peri-urban areas.

Triclopyr: Recommended for initial treatment of large infestations.

Picloram: Recommended where the use of pellet formulations is considered the most appropriate application technique.

Picloram + Triclopyr: Recommended for most infestations, both large and small, as it usually provides the highest levels of control.

Contacts

Contact the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce:

Victorian Blackberry Taskforce PO Box 536 Wodonga 3689

vbt@vicblackberrytaskforce.com.au

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