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well in well-watered pastures. There are a number of methods of control, including <br /> biological control, grazing, hoeing and hand-pulling, plowing and disking, burning, and <br /> chemical control. A weevil species that feeds on the seedhead shows promise as a <br /> biological control agent. Current populations, however, are not high enough to effectively <br /> control yellow starthistle. Ongoing research may yield additional species which might <br /> reduce the plant populations to acceptable levels. Hoeing and hand-pulling can effectively <br /> control yellow starthistle in small areas, but this would not be practical in a large area such <br /> as Buckeye Ranch. Two or three well-timed plowing or disking efforts early in the season <br /> may provide effective control. <br /> Finally, chemical control--herbicides--can be effective in weed control. Chemical control <br /> of weeds will be an option of last resort. Various chemicals that may be used include <br /> 1 <br /> glyphosate, picloram, diuron, simazine, 2,4-D, aminotriazole, and chlorosufluron. A <br /> likely choice will be an herbicide with pre-emergence and/or post-emergence capabilities. <br /> Permission will be sought from the agricultural commissioner before application. It is <br /> recommended that broadleaf herbicides be used only after the first year, as desirable <br /> seedling grasses may be sensitive to the herbicides. <br /> If yellow star-thistle is to be controlled, then an ecological analog, such as native perennial <br /> grasses, should be favored. Once a stand of native perennial grasses is established, yellow <br /> starthistle will have a difficult time re-establishing itself. <br /> At Buckeye Ranch, an application of both a pre-emergent and a contact herbicide is <br /> recommended. During the spring of the first year, a contact herbicide for broadleaf control <br /> is recommended immediately after spring mowing. This will effectively suppress or kill <br /> late-growing weeds. During the fall of the second year, a pre-emergent such as Glean or <br /> Telar(chlorosulfuron) at approximately 4-1/2 ounces to 80 gallons of water per acre is <br /> Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) <br /> 150 <br />