Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: Control of Western Dwarf Mistletoe with the plant-growth regulator Ethephon.

Author: Parks, Catherine A.; Hoffman, James T.

Date: 1991

Source: Res. Note PNW-RN-506. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 4 p

Station ID: RN-PNW-506

Description: Ethephon (Ethrel), an ethylene-releasing plant-growth regulator, was applied with a hydraulic sprayer to ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) infected with dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium campylopodum Engelm. f. tsugense (Rosend.) Gill) in the Emmett Ranger District, Boise National Forest. Abscission rates of 60 to 100 percent of dwarf mistletoe shoots were consistently achieved with applications in both July and August of 2,400 p/m of ethephon plus surfactant. Ethephon did not kill the endophytic system of the parasite in the host tissue; new shoots began developing on some of the infections within 2 months after treatment. One year later, most of the female and all the male plants flowered. Results indicated a shorter period of shoot abscission for this dwarf mistletoe. Normal pollen production is interrupted for the year of treatment only, and seed production and dispersal will occur in the second year after treatment.

Keywords: Dwarf mistletoe control, ethephon

View and Print this Publication (222 KB)

Publication Notes: 

• We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
• This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.
• You may send email to pubrequest@fs.f ed.us to request a hard copy of this publication. (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)

 Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility

Citation

Parks, Catherine A.; Hoffman, James T.  1991.  Control of Western Dwarf Mistletoe with the plant-growth regulator Ethephon..   Res. Note PNW-RN-506. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 4 p