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<p>Hello All,<br>
Japanese stiltgrass is relatively new to Massachusetts. We are trying to control it along a rural ag/forest/residential roadside. Many patches are too large to pull by hand, so another method is desired. State regulations make it difficult to use herbicides, except for a few (see second paragraph). We are also exploring the possibility of heat treatment. Mervosh and Ward from CT Ag. Experiment Station got good results from a 400,000 BTU propane torch and found it to be effective. I am wondering if anyone has used the 100,000 BTU unit or has tried the steam or foam treatment. I would appreciate hearing about effectiveness, how difficult it is to avoid other vegetation, recovery of other species in years following the treatment, and where these tools can be purchased. (I am aware of the source of Weed Dragons, Flame Engineering.)<br>
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I also hope to learn if any of the herbicides that are possible to use under current MA regulations would be effective on stiltgrass, but not too harsh on the other vegetation. They include: several glyphosate products; metsulfuron methyl; metsulfuron methyl sulfometuron methyl; ammonium salt of fasamine; imazapyr, and triclopyr, butoxy ethyl ester (the list, including brand names, can be found at <<a href="http://www.mass.gov/agr/pesticides/rightofway/Sensitive_Area_Materials.htm">http://www.mass.gov/agr/pesticides/rightofway/Sensitive_Area_Materials.htm</a>>).<br>
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In experiments to augment native species recovery after stiltgrass removal, Flory added native seeds and found less recovery of the native community (<a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/120848698/HTMLSTART">http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/120848698/HTMLSTART</a>). Has anyone seen successful establishment of other plants by seeding after stiltgrass removal? If so, can you send details? <br>
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Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!<br>
<br>
Cynthia Boettner, Coordinator<br>
Invasive Plant Control Initiative<br>
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge<br>
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<br>
103 E. Plumtree Rd.<br>
Sunderland, MA 01375<br>
Phone: 413-548-8002 ext. 115<br>
FAX: 413-548-9725<br>
Email: Cynthia_Boettner@fws.gov<br>
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