Forage production following prickly pear control with three different herbicides in West Texas

The cost of spraying prickly pear can vary greatly between herbicide applications. Choosing which herbicide to use is important to consider when comparing to returning forage production. This study took place on two different locations in West Texas. Three different chemicals were sprayed on prickly pear to evaluate mortality rate, canopy cover reduction, and forage production. The chemicals in this study include Tordon 22K, Surmount, and Mezavue. Herbicides were applied at their recommend IPT rate on prickly pear. All three herbicides improved prickly pear mortality but results differed by location. Canopy cover and forage production were similar following treatment applications. Preliminary results suggest that Tordon 22K may be the most cost effective application for prickly pear control.