Adaptive Development of Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) Chemical Control Recommendations

Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris P. Mill.) infestations in North Dakota increased 300-fold from 1997 to 2011, when the plant was added to the state noxious weed list. Long-term control of other invasive species had included biological control agents, but no effective agents for yellow toadflax had been identified, so a control program using herbicides was needed. The objective was to shift from short-term control with picloram applied in the fall at maximum allowed rates to long-term management with minimal nontarget species impact with an adaptive management approach. Yellow toadflax control was increased from an average of 64% with picloram at 1,120 g ha−1 alone 12 mo after treatment (MAT) to over 90% when applied with diflufenzopyr while the picloram rate was reduced 50%. Yellow toadflax control with aminocyclopyrachlor applied at 140 g ha−1 ranged from 91 to 49% 12 MAT when applied in June or September, respectively. In contrast, yellow toadflax control with picloram plus dicamba plus diflufenzopyr averaged > 90% regardless of application date during the growing season. Land managers now have at least two options for long-term yellow toadflax control with a wide window of application timing. The goal of replacing a single high-use–rate herbicide treatment was met but both picloram and aminocyclopyrachlor can injure many desirable forbs. However, application timing can now be adjusted to have the least impact on nontarget species. The adaptive development program led to a 58% reduction in yellow toadflax infestations in North Dakota by 2014.

Comparison of Aminocyclopyrachlor Absorption and Translocation in Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) and Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

Aminocyclopyrachlor has provided excellent control of many perennial weed species including leafy spurge, but control of yellow toadflax has been inconsistent.14C-aminocyclopyrachlor absorption was rapid in both leafy spurge and yellow toadflax and averaged 72% 48 h after treatment (HAT). However, translocation within the plant differed by species. More14C translocated to the aboveground portion of yellow toadflax (28% of applied) compared to leafy spurge (16.5% of applied). There was rapid translocation of14C-label to the roots of both species but more reached the belowground portion of leafy spurge than yellow toadflax. Over 12% of applied14C translocated into leafy spurge roots within 24 HAT but declined to 2% by 192 HAT. In comparison, only 2% of applied14C was found in yellow toadflax roots 24 HAT, and just 0.15% remained in belowground plant parts by 192 HAT. The inconsistent long-term control of yellow toadflax with aminocyclopyrachlor is likely due to poor translocation to the root system, which would allow for rapid regrowth in this hard to control perennial species.

Hybridization between Invasive Populations of Dalmatian Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica) and Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

Although there is evidence that interspecific hybridization can initiate invasion by nonnative plants, there are few documented examples of novel hybridization events between introduced plant species already exhibiting invasive behavior. We conducted morphometric and molecular analyses of toadflax plants with intermediate morphology found at two sites in Montana, which were co-invaded by yellow toadflax and Dalmatian toadflax. Field-collected putative hybrid plants had intermediate morphometric scores (mean 0.47, on a scale of 0.0 = indistinguishable from Dalmatian toadflax to 1.0 = indistinguishable from yellow toadflax) for a suite of phenotypic traits that differentiate the parent species (leaf length : width ratio, growth form, seed morphology, inflorescence type, and ventral petal shape). Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analysis of a subset of these putative hybrids revealed combinations of species-diagnostic bands, confirming the presence of DNA from both parent species. Controlled interspecific hand-pollinations generated viable first generation (F1) hybrid plants that also had intermediate morphometric scores (mean 0.46) and a mix of species-diagnostic ISSR bands from both parents. The hand-generated F1hybrids crossed readily with both parent species to produce viable first generation backcrossed (BC1) plants. Our results confirm that hybridization is occurring between invasive populations of yellow toadflax and Dalmatian toadflax, and that the hybrid progeny are viable and fertile. This example of hybridization between alien congeners is of concern as the parent taxa are already known to be highly invasive. Further research is needed to assess the invasive potential of hybrid toadflax populations, and the likelihood of introgressive trait transfer between the parent species.