CONTROL OF THE EPIPHYTIC WEEDS TILLANDSIA-RECURVATA AND TILLANDSIA-AERANTHOS WITH DIFFERENT HERBICIDES

The population of the epiphytic weeds Tillandsia recurvata and Tillandsia aeranthos on forestry and ornamental trees in different areas of Argentina has increased, causing deleterious effects on their hosts. As a result, an experiment was performed to control these epiphytes with different herbicides. During October 1988/June 1989, in the La Plata woods (34-degrees-55'S) the following treatments were applied to ten different host species which were actively growing: Atrazine 10 g l -1; Dichlobenil 5 g l-1 ; Simazine 5 g l-1 of formulated product and their combination. All the selected herbicides, alone or in combination, controlled the epiphytes without causing phytotoxicity to the host plant, owing to the different absorption systems of the epiphytes and the hosts. This is a new approach to control these epiphytic weeds and an important tool for preserving natural forests which are very susceptible to the invasion of epiphytes.