Control of Asclepias syriaca
Asclepias syriaca (Apocynaceae) is a perennial herb native to North America. The species was introduced into the EPPO region as a garden ornamental and has since become a problematic species negatively impacting biodiversity and ecosystem services. Despite of being an invader in disturbed semi-natural vegetation, A. syriaca prefers agricultural fields or plantations. It is one of the most widespread invasive species in Pannonic sand grasslands in Hungary. The invasion of A. syriaca has been monitored from 2011 to 2017 in a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve (Fülöpháza Sand Dunes in the Kiskunság) in Hungary. A single herbicide treatment (glyphosate) was applied against populations of the species in May 2014. This single treatment was successful as a short-term control measure as the number of shoots decreased following herbicide treatment. The herbicide translocation by rhizomatic roots induced damage of dormant bud banks. However, the surviving buds developed shoots and a slow regeneration was seen over a longer-time period. The authors conclude that the successful control of A. syriaca after herbicide treatment depends on repeated management of treated areas to suppress further spreading during subsequent seasons.
Sources
Bakacsy L, Bagi I (2020) Survival and regeneration ability of clonal common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) after a single herbicide treatment in natural open sand grasslands. Scientific Reports Nature. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-71202-8