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Solarization for the control of Pueraria montana (kudzu)
Author(s) -
NEWTON CH,
NELSON LR,
DEWALT SJ,
MIKHAILOVA EA,
POST CJ,
SCHLAUTMAN MA,
COX SK,
BRIDGES WC,
HALL KC
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
weed research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-3180
pISSN - 0043-1737
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3180.2008.00660.x
Subject(s) - kudzu , pueraria , loam , horticulture , soil solarization , biology , agronomy , medicine , soil water , ecology , alternative medicine , pathology , traditional chinese medicine
Summary The effects of translucent polyethylene sheeting as a thermal covering to eradicate Pueraria montana (kudzu) were investigated at Clemson, South Carolina on a clay loam. In 2005, the highest reduction of live root crowns was observed where P. montana was covered for the entire growing season (May–October) with a reduction of 42% of live root crowns compared with the control plots. Where P. montana was covered for alternate weeks throughout the growing season live root crowns were reduced by 35%. Covering P. montana for one week and then uncovering for four weeks repeatedly through the season killed 24% of root crowns. In 2006, the second year of treatment to the same plots, the three solarization treatments had similar efficacy of about 97%. The use of polyethylene sheeting appears not to be cost‐effective for general control of large P. montana infestations, but may be useful for small patches.