Citrus Growers Forum

dauben · Posted: Fri 19 Nov, 2010 12:24 am

I thought this was a pretty interesting research report so I thought I'd share it.

The influence of exogenously applied 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on fruit drop and quality of navel oranges
http://ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/download/60514/48748

Phillip

Millet · Posted: Fri 19 Nov, 2010 12:50 am

2.4-D is a growth hormone. It is sometimes used by commercial growers with the proper epuipment, but should NEVER EVER be used by unexperienced hobby and home growers. - Millet (877-)

dauben · Posted: Fri 19 Nov, 2010 12:56 am

Millet wrote:

2.4-D is a growth hormone. It is sometimes used by commercial growers with the proper epuipment, but should NEVER EVER be used by unexperienced hobby and home growers. - Millet (877-)

Milllet is that becuase of the potential to kill the tree or are there health effects from 2,4-D that have been recently discovered. The later is one that I'm concerned about that seems to be ambiguous with the data out there. I've read that the half life is something like 7 days, but other sites made it sound like it was much longer. The use of GA3 sounds very similar to prevent fruit drop.

Phillip

Millet · Posted: Fri 19 Nov, 2010 1:06 am

Dauben, personally, I would not worry much about the health effects. Here on the farm, we use many gallons of 24-D Amine ever year as a weed killer. On our wheat crop we use a mixture of 2-4-D mixed with Round Up. However, when 2,4-D is used as a growth hormone spray on any type of vegetation, the very smallest mistake in application rates will easily result in a dead or damaged plant. - Millet (788-)

dauben · Posted: Fri 19 Nov, 2010 1:27 am

Millet wrote:

Dauben, personally, I would not worry much about the health effects. Here on the farm, we use many gallons of 24-D Amine ever year as a weed killer. On out wheat crop we use a mixture of 2-4-D mixed with Round Up. However, when 2,4-D is used as a growth hormone spray on any type of vegetation, the very smallest mistake in application rates will easily result in a dead or damaged plant. - Millet (788-)

I'm using it extensively on my property for weed control also, but I'm also not being careful to keep it off of the base of trees when spraying around them. I'm not worried about it's health effects when used on weeds (I'm not eatin' the dandelions), but like everything there's some claims out there that raise questions on it's impacts from human consumption. Me being skeptic, I always question these things particularly when claims are made with no scientific basis quoted. I deal with people that are so stupid that get upset when they find out there's H2O in their water so I question half the theories out there on the web.

It's also funny that you use 2,4-D mixed with Roundup. I just started doing that. Mallow here in San Diego is resistant to Roundup so I give it a dose of 2,4-D to help kill it.

Phillip

Darkman · Posted: Fri 19 Nov, 2010 2:26 am

Is 2,4-D the same thing as Scythe? I know I probably spelled that wrong.

_________________
Charles in Pensacola

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

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Malcolm_Manners · Posted: Sat 20 Nov, 2010 12:37 am

Scythe herbicide is a petroleum oil with pelargonic acid and nonanoic acid (plant-produced fatty acids). It contains no 2,4-D.

Darkman · Posted: Sat 20 Nov, 2010 8:26 pm

I'm looking for a reccomendation for a herbicide to spray under my Citrus that I will be planting this spring. The Scythe + 40% Roundup was suggested. Is the effectiveness of that comparable to the 2,4-D and Roundup? Does the Citrus need to be a certain age before you can use either of these? I am a hobbiest so I will not have access to any controlled sustances.

_________________
Charles in Pensacola

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

dauben · Posted: Sun 21 Nov, 2010 12:37 am

Darkman wrote:

I'm looking for a reccomendation for a herbicide to spray under my Citrus that I will be planting this spring. The Scythe + 40% Roundup was suggested. Is the effectiveness of that comparable to the 2,4-D and Roundup? Does the Citrus need to be a certain age before you can use either of these? I am a hobbiest so I will not have access to any controlled sustances.

2,4-D is a selective herbicide commonly found in Weed-N-Feed products (I happened to find this out on this forum when asking a similar question). It won't kill grasses on it's own, but in doing some research it sounds like it can be combined with round up and be more effective than using roundup alone.

I found these quotes online the other day for the concentrations that some others use:

1) 2.5 oz glyphosate (Roundup) + 1 oz 2,4-D (400 Amine, or LV400) per gallon

2) here in Louisiana where the weeds and grass grow tall and thick, we use 4 ounces of 2 4d and 2 ounces gly, per gallon

I've been using 2.5 oz of Glyphosate and 2.5 oz of 2,4-D per gallon. I haven't tried the rates above yet. Maybe Millet can tell us what he uses and how effective it is on grasses (non-broad leaf).

Phillip

Darkman · Posted: Sun 21 Nov, 2010 1:47 am

dauben wrote:

Darkman wrote:

I'm looking for a reccomendation for a herbicide to spray under my Citrus that I will be planting this spring. The Scythe + 40% Roundup was suggested. Is the effectiveness of that comparable to the 2,4-D and Roundup? Does the Citrus need to be a certain age before you can use either of these? I am a hobbiest so I will not have access to any controlled sustances.

2,4-D is a selective herbicide commonly found in Weed-N-Feed products (I happened to find this out on this forum when asking a similar question). It won't kill grasses on it's own, but in doing some research it sounds like it can be combined with round up and be more effective than using roundup alone.

I found these quotes online the other day for the concentrations that some others use:

1) 2.5 oz glyphosate (Roundup) + 1 oz 2,4-D (400 Amine, or LV400) per gallon

2) here in Louisiana where the weeds and grass grow tall and thick, we use 4 ounces of 2 4d and 2 ounces gly, per gallon

I've been using 2.5 oz of Glyphosate and 2.5 oz of 2,4-D per gallon. I haven't tried the rates above yet. Maybe Millet can tell us what he uses and how effective it is on grasses (non-broad leaf).

Phillip

There is one grass I am particularly worried about. It is called Torpedo Grass. We did not have it here until after Hurricane Ivan in 1994. It is very hard to kill. I had some invade a flower bed that was isolated by a four foot wide concrete sidewalk. The bed itself was completely excavated to a depth of two foot four years ago and the sides were then double lined with commercial grade weed block before filling with a freshly composted (still hot and steaming so I know it didn't come in with the planting mix) potting mix. The only thing planted in it was a tree form Indian Hawthorn. My wife sprayed the invading Torpedo Grass with a hose end pre regulated Roundup. She tried to not spray the tree (2" trunk and ten feet tall). The grass is fine didn't even yellow. The Hawthorn is dead. It is inevitable that I will have to deal with this in the Citrus at some point. I'll need a plan before then.

_________________
Charles in Pensacola

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!