Effects of pine oil, sugar and covers on germination of serrated tussock andkangaroo grass in a pot trial

摘要

A pot trial investigated the use of an essential oil (pine oil) with or without adjuvants (sugar. Thatch Busta) and covers (plastic, carpet, mulch, biochar) for control of a small seeded C3 weedy exotic grass serrated tussock (Nassella tricholoma (Nees) Hack, ex Arechav.) and the large seeded C4 indigenous grass, kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra Forssk.). Seed bank experiments showed significant pine oil dose response effects on reducing seed germination of both grass species. Covers improved the reduction in seed germination for serrated tussock caused by pine oil but gave little improvement for kangaroo grass. It also showed interactions between pine oil and sugar with serrated tussock seed germination reduced by 98-100%. This is a comparable result to the grass selective herbicide, flupropanate applied as a pre-emergent herbicide and suggests that organic seed bank manipulations with essential oils and carbon could be used as a management tool in appropriate circumstances.