Evaluation of herbicides for Canada thistle control in non-crop area near Bucyrus, ND, 2023-24
(Research Report, Hettinger REC, December 2024)A trial to evaluate Canada thistle control using various herbicides and herbicide combinations was initiated in a heavily infested non-crop field near Bucyrus, ND. Treatments were applied on July 20, 2023 using a backpack research sprayer with a 5 foot spray boom using a spray volume of 15 gallons per acre (Table 2). Canada thistle was at the budding stage to early bloom at time of application. Control was evaluated 1 to 8 weeks after treatment (WAT) application and then again at 1 year after treatment (YAT). At 8 WAT, Canada thistle control was 88% or more for all treatments except dicamba plus Venue (81%). At 1 YAT, eight of the 13 treatments continued to control Canada thistle at 90% or more. These included Milestone (aminopyralid), Tordon (picloram), Method (aminocyclopyrachlor), Plainview (indaziflam plus imazapyr plus aminocyclopyrachlor), and Venue (pyraflufen) plus Method. Glyphosate alone, even at 40 oz/A, provided poor control of Canada thistle (61 to 72%). Dicamba alone at 32 oz/A also provided little control (54%). While aminocyclopyrachlor alone and in combination provided the most consistent control, it is only currently labelled for use in non-crop, right-of-ways, and other areas that will not be grazed or hayed. It must not be used around any trees, as it will cause serious injury or death of most tree species if it leaches into the tree’s root zone.