Integrated management of the invasive weed, cut -leaved teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus L.) along a Missouri highways

Cut-leaved teasel is an invasive, exotic, and noxious weed in Missouri. It infests areas along highways and minimal disturbance sites. Cut-leaved teasel outcompetes native species and also reduces traffic visibility. Field studies regarding seed biology, detection with digital images, and implementation of an implementation of an integrated management program (herbicides and seeding desirables grasses). Seed characteristics such as viability after flowering, seedling emergence patterns and persistence under field conditions were evaluated under field conditions in central Missouri. Hyperspectral images were collected along interstate highway I-70 during mid-july, when cut-leaved teasel was flowering. Twenty targets were selected with unsupervised classification. Hyperspectral (63bands) and multispectral (12 bands) images were processed for supervised classification using maximum likelihood and spectral angle mapper supervised classification after 20 targets were selected with unsupervised classification. For managing areas where teasel was detected, chemical control with triclopyr, aminopyralid, dicamba and metsulfuron-methyl was applied and grasses sown (tall fescue, Canada wildrye and buffalograss).;Cut-leaved teasel produced viable seed that germinated 12 days after flowering. Seed emerged primarily in April and October, with total emergence up to 31% of seed established. Most of the seed (from 75 to 81%) was lost or died after three years under field conditions; only 6.1% remained viable. Cut-leaved teasel was detected using maximum likelihood classification with 80% accuracy using hyperspectral images. Maximum likelihood classification produced higher accuracy classification compared to spectral angle mapper classifier. Application of aminopyralid herbicide in November and May, along sowing tall fescue, Canada wildrye and buffalograss, were the best combination to reduce infestations of cut-leaved teasel. While herbicide programs involving dicamba and metsulfuron-methyl resulted in acceptable control of cut-leaved teasel, control wiht triclopyr was poor (25% control one year after treatments). The development of biology information regarding cut-leaved teasel demonstrated that management under field conditions will require several years. The combination of remote sensing and management with herbicides/grasses can be effective on roadside habitats. The integration of biology, detection, and control techniques lead to the optimum suitable cut-leaved management plan.