Effects of Herbicides on Germination and Seedling Development of Three Native Grasses

Two experiments conducted in growth chambers examined influences of 2,4,5-T [(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy) acetic acid], chlopyralid (3,6-dichloropicolinic acid), picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid), and triclopyr {[3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl)-oxy]acetic acid} on germination and early seedling development of buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.], blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Griffiths], and sideoats grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.]. Germination and plumule growth were largely unaffected chlopyralid but were significantly reduced by 2,4,5-T, picloram, and triclopyr, especially at rates greater than 1.1 kg/ha. Blue grama was less affected by herbicides than either buffalograss or sideoats grama.