Stem-injection of herbicide for control of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle: a practical source of power for drilling holes in stems

Abstract

Ailanthus altissima is a well-known invasive tree in many parts of the world showing an outstanding ability to establish within woodlands and other less-disturbed habitats. Previous studies have reported that control of this species is very difficult because of its strong resprouting. Indeed, effective control can be achieved only by mechanical treatment followed by the application of a systemic herbicide. Operating drills or saws and other mechanical equipment require electric power supply which is not readily available in many invaded sites, notably shrubslands and woodlands. In two study sites, we evaluated control obtained by glyphosate through a stem-injection technique and compared two sources of power for the electric drill used. More than 90% of the glyphosate-treated trees in this study appeared to be dead just 1 month after treatments, and a car battery plus inverter was the most practical electrical source for drilling stems in the field.