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Dragged-Rail Treatments for Reducing Cholla Infestation in Southeast New Mexico, USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Robert D. Cox  and
Braden G. Johns
Robert D. Cox*
Affiliation:
Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Box 42125, Lubbock, TX 79409
Braden G. Johns
Affiliation:
Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Box 42125, Lubbock, TX 79409
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: robert.cox@ttu.edu.
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Abstract

Cholla infestations can be problematic on rangelands in North America, Australia, Africa, and Europe, and treatment options for this plant are limited because of its ability to resprout from broken stem fragments. We investigated dragged-rail treatments, where iron rails are dragged across the rangeland by tractor and knock plants over while uprooting them, as a treatment option for tree cholla in southeast New Mexico. Railing effectively controlled tree cholla plants over 0.5 m tall, but did not effectively control plants smaller than 0.5 m. Nevertheless, treatment did effectively reduce overall cholla density: Treated areas averaged 40 to 50 plants ha−1, whereas nontreated areas averaged over 350 plants ha−1. Railing can be an effective means of cholla control, especially if followed by another treatment, such as prescribed fire, that is known to be effective against the smaller sizes of cholla.

Las infestaciones de Cylindropuntia imbricata pueden ser problemáticas en los campos de pastoreo en Norte América, Australia, África y Europa, y las opciones de tratamiento para esta planta son limitadas debido a su habilidad de rebrotar a partir de fragmentos del tallo. Investigamos tratamientos de arrastre de rieles, en los cuales rieles de hierro fueron arrastrados con un tractor a lo largo de campos de pastoreo para volcar las plantas y sacar las raíces del suelo, como una opción de tratamiento de C. imbricata en el sureste de New Mexico. El arrastre de rieles controló efectivamente plantas de C. imbricata de más de 0.5 m de altura, pero no controló efectivamente plantas de menos de 0.5 m de altura. Sin embargo, el tratamiento redujo efectivamente la densidad de C. imbricata: las áreas tratadas tuvieron un promedio de 40 a 50 plantas ha−1, mientras que las no-tratadas promediaron más de 350 plantas ha−1. El arrastre de rieles puede ser un medio efectivo de control de C. imbricata, especialmente si es seguido de otro tratamiento, como quema dirigida, la cual se sabe es efectiva contra plantas de C. imbricata de menor tamaño.

Keywords

Tree cholla, Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F.M. KnuthChollacontrolCylindropuntia imbricatarailing
Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 2014 , pp. 286 - 289
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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