Downloads

Use the links below for downloadable .pdf documents. Files sizes may be large.

Extension Publications

Practitioner’s Guide for Effective Non-Restricted Herbicide Techniques to Control and Suppress Invasive Woody Species in Hawai‘i [WC-10]. Includes information on controlling:
Acacia confusa, Formosan koa
Acacia mearnsii, Black wattle
Ardesia elliptica, Shoe button ardesia  
Bambusa spp., Bamboo
Casuarina equisetifolia, Ironwood
Cinnamomum burmannii, Padang cassia     
Coffea spp., Coffee
Eucalyptus spp., Eucalyptus
Falcataria moluccana, Albizia
Fraxinus uhdei, Tropical ash
Grevillea robusta, Silky oak    

Presentations

Dr. Leary spraying gorse.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus) infestations in Hawaii and New Zealand display similar patterns of resource exploitation from altered landscapes.

Gorse is a woody legume shrub endemic to Western Europe and the Mediterranean, and a major cosmopolitan weed with infestations existing in ten other countries through out the globe. To determine how gorse infestations are influential in different geographical locations, separate field analyses were conducted on Mauna Kea, Hawaii and Bank’s Peninsula, New Zealand. Information presented at the Hawaii Conservation Conference 2005. (~6.3 MB)

Study sponsored by the Hawaii Pacific Exchange Program of the Hawaii Conservation Alliance and TSTAR-USDA award 2004-34135-15174.

Initial evaluations of native Hawaiian plant introductions to stabilize the ecosystem against weed invasions at MAO Organic Farm

Leary at MAO Organic Farm

A field experiment was initiated at MAO Organic Farm in Lualualei Valley on Oahu in January 2007 to identify the agronomic attributes of four native plant species as intercrops in organic agriculture. The four plant selections represent four different functional groups, but all are know to produce high levels of biomass residues, which is a valuable attribute in soil protection and weed suppression. (~9 MB)

This project is sponsored by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research program FY 2008.

The residual activities of imazapyr and glyphosate on dormant Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. (fountain grass)

Fountain grass is a fire-adapted species that creates hazardous fuel loads interfering with the conservation of other native vegetation. Herbicide suppression is an important fire management tool, but conventionally has been limited to brief seasonal intervals when the grass is actively growing. Yet, fountain grass is dormant for most of the year. A field experiment was adminstered to test imazapyr and glyphosate activity on dormant fountain grass. In conclusion, The residual activity displayed by imazapyr 7 months after application could make this a new fire management tool that can provide greater flexibility in the decision-making process to mitigate fire risks. (~4 MB)

This information was presented at the Hawaii Conservation Conference, Honolulu, HI in July, 2008, and supported in part by the USDA through the T-STAR program.

Integration of herbicide and fertilzier applications to establish Acacia koa seedling populatioins in abandoned exotic grass pastures on Mauna Kea

Dr. Leary preparing herbicides for a research trial.

Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) is an important forage species for high-elevation grazing systems in Hawaii. With the viability of ranching in Hawaii in flux, many grazing areas have been redesignated for reforestation with the native watershed canopy species koa(Acacia koa). However, without the grazing pressures to keep kikuyu grass in check, this species becomes an aggressive competitor against young seedlings. A field experiment was established in Sept 2005 and monitored for over 2 years to look at the effects of herbicde fertilizer combinations in suppressing kikuyu grass and simultaneously enhancing koa establishment. (~1.5 MB)

This information was presented at the Hawaii Ecosystems Symposium in Hilo, HI in July, 2007. This research was fully sponsored by the USDA T-STAR program.