Herbicidal Control and Nutrient Management

Herbicidal Control ^1/

On pastures and rangeland, oxeye daisy can be temporarily suppressed by aminopyralid, metsulfuron, picloram, or 2,4-D. The recommendation for picloram is one pint product (Tordon 22K® or Picloram22®) per acre to actively growing plants before bloom or to fall re-growth. This rate applied to rosettes in mid-May provided two years control on a forest meadow site. On that site three years after treatment, an average of 23 rosettes/square meter was measured. The recommended rate for metsulfuron is one ounce per acre product (Escort® or Cimarron®) applied to rosette plants in the spring (May). This treatment also provided two years of control on the forest meadow site with an average of nine rosettes/square meter three years after treatment. The metsulfuron treatment was not statistically different than the picloram treatment. A non-ionic surfactant is needed in the spray solution at 0.5% by volume for metsulfuron to be effective. The label rate for aminopyralid is 4 to 6 ounces product (Milestone®) per acre to plants in the pre-bud stages. Pre-bloom foliar applications of 2,4-D at 2 quarts per acre with repeated applications to re-growth can also be used. Glyphosate applied at one to two quarts per acre will kill oxeye daisy on cropland or where re-vegetation is planned. Label information for all herbicides should be carefully followed not only for application restrictions but also for restrictions that apply to grazing and harvest of forage after application. See Table 1.

The eco-toxicity is the lethal concentration of the herbicide when applied in a single dose kills 50 percent of the tested organism (the lower the number the more toxic the herbicide). Follow label guidelines for rangeland use and all other label requirements when applying herbicides to avoid damage to desirable plant species.

^1/Any mention of products in this publication does not constitute a recommendation by the NRCS. It is a violation of Federal law to use herbicides in a manner inconsistent with their labeling.

Nutrient Management

An unpublished study conducted in the 1970’s found repeated application of nitrogen fertilizer was almost as effective in managing oxeye daisy as spraying with 2,4-D or picloram after seven years. Grass yields increased 500% where nitrogen was applied at 80 or 160 pounds/acre and was 2.5 times greater five years after nitrogen applications were discontinued. This suggests that oxeye daisy is not competitive with grasses under high nitrogen conditions. The recommended rate of nitrogen for management of oxeye daisy growing in a stand of competitive grasses is 80 pounds/acre. This also emphasizes the importance of nutrient management in hay fields where oxeye daisy is a threat.

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Last Modified: 08/21/2008