Antiweed treatment in Power sub-stations: Why & How?
PRANAY KUMAR (Consultant)
Pest Management Services
A.G.Colony, Patna-25
Weed control on rights-of-way and industrial sites has received surprisingly little attention in India when we consider the vast areas covered by such properties, their economic significance, and the fact that they often pose special control problems not found on agronomic, horticultural, range and aquatic sites.
Weeds along rights-of-way include those that are a safety hazard, that impede the use and maintenance of rights-of-way, cause injury to workers, interrupt flow of electricity or communications, damage structures and ballast, injure livestock or are unsightly to the public.
Every industry has its own objectives and limitations regarding vegetation management hence the approach of treatment varies accordingly but here we will discuss about switchyard only. Electrical power sub-stations are restricted areas where vegetation management is a necessity with objectives:
1. To check the hazards due to E.P.R. during fault.
2. To maintain human efficiency in day to day operations and
3. To minimize the chances of fire hazards
To achieve the above objectives in the switch yard areas, anti-weed treatment is recommended.
Anti-weed treatment is an approach to eradicate vegetation in switchyard area through use of herbicides in a planned way after careful assessment of biotic and abiotic factors, without degrading local environment. Anti-weed treatment is a pro-active, very effective and economical option for long term vegetation control. The principle of anti-weed treatment is:
1. Elimination of existing vegetation.
2. Extermination of propagating materials present in the soil and
3. Soil amendment so that it cannot support external seed materials to germinate further.
To achieve the above goals following steps are involved:
1. Site survey.
2. Herbicide treatment to plants & soil and
3. Periodical evaluation & rectification.
1. Site survey It provides information about:
Weed species and stage of growth.
Climatic factors
Soil factors and
Ecological aspects
Based on above information, the herbicides, control methods, doses and time of application are decided. Usually the selection of an antiweed treatment technique by an expert is a product of experience and empirical observation. The decision is likely to be a wise one in view of the expert’s familiarity with a particular control problem.
Herbicides are pesticides used to control unwanted vegetation (weeds). There are thousands of herbicides and they vary greatly chemically and so there biological properties, even if the same herbicide is applied in different form or at different growth stage, its efficacy changes.
Excellent herbicides have limitations that might be alleviated with the proper addition of another herbicide.
Table 2. Selectivity of herbicides commonly used on rights-of-way.
Herbicide -Plants Not Controlled
2,4-D -grasses
chlorsulfuron (Telar) -perennial and many annual grasses
clopyralid (Transline) -grasses, many broadleaves
dicamba -grasses
fosamine (Krenite) -non-woody plants
metsulfuron (Escort) -grasses
oryzalin (Surflan) -most broadleaves
pendimethalin (Pendulum) -many broadleaves
picloram (Tordon) -grasses
prodiamine (Endurance) -most broadleaves
sulfosulfuron (Outrider) -bermudagrass and bahiagrass
triclopyr (Garlon) -grasses
There are several advantages that may be gained from the combination of herbicides over a single herbicide. Some of these are:
1. Control of a broader spectrum of weeds.
2. More consistent control over a wide range of climatic conditions.
3. Reduced potential of herbicide residue in vegetation and soils.
4. Lower rates of application resulting in decreased crop injury in the close vicinity.
5. Unexpected synergistic effects (increased herbicidal effectiveness beyond that expected).
Cost comparisons of chemical versus other control techniques seem not justifiable in a short period and they don’t represent direct and valid comparisons. For greatest validity carry out for a long period of time and you will see how economical it is.
For further information please mail me at:
pmspatna@gmail.com
