Controlling Shrubs in the Arid Southwest with Tebuthiuron

Abstract

Various rates of tebuthiuron pellets were aerially applied on rangelands in the Southwest to determine effects on noxious shrubs. Creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) and tarbush (Flourensia cernua) shrubs were controlled with 0.4 and 0.3 kg active ingredient (a.i.)/ha, respectively, of tebuthiuron pellets. About 1.1 kg a.i./ha of tebuthiuron pellets controlled honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) growing on loamy sands or sandy loams. About 0.6 and 0.5 kg a.i./ha of tebuthiuron pellets controlled whitethorn acacia (Acacia constricta) and desert zinnia (Zinnia pumila), respectively. Higher rates of tebuthiuron are needed to control those shrubs on deep, fine textured soils than on shallow, coarse textured soils.