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

The population of the epiphytic weeds Tillandsia recurvata and Tilland sia aeranthos on forestry and ornamental trees in different areas of A rgentina 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 d ifferent 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 thei r combination. All the selected herbicides, alone or in combination, c ontrolled the epiphytes without causing phytotoxicity to the host plan t, 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 susceptib le to the invasion of epiphytes.