Horsenettle
Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense L.)
Life Cycle:
Perennial. Flowers bloom in late-spring to early summer, forming yellow berries containing seeds that shrivel in the fall. The aboveground plant tissue dies back after a frost.
Emergence:
Seeds germinate well within 1-inch of the soil surface. Very few plants emerge from seeds at depths of 4-inches or greater. Two-thirds of roots (6-inches long) buried 18-inches below the soil surface can produce new shoots; emergence decreases at greater depths.�
Reproduction:
Mode(s) of Reproduction: Reproduces by seed and vegetative reproduction of new shoots from creeping roots.
Dispersal Mechanisms: The berries, with seeds inside, are eaten by animals and then deposited. Berries that are not eaten drop to the ground.
Longevity: Under laboratory conditions seeds remain viable for at least 7 years.
Dormancy: Some of the seeds of horsenettle are dormant at the time of dispersal in the fall. This dormancy is broken by the following spring.
Competitiveness:
Horsenettle established for one year prior to planting snapbeans reduced yields by 18 to 20%. As the length of establishment increased so did yield reduction, with yields reductions of 48 to 65% in snapbeans competing with three year old horsenettle plants. Horsenettle has also been shown to reduce yields in peanut by up to 40%. In addition to being a good competitor with crops, horsenettle is poisonous to livestock.
Preferred Soil/Field Conditions:
Can grow in a variety of soil types, though it prefers a sandy or gravelly textured substrate.
Management:
Biological
Predation/grazing: No information.
Decay: No information.
Mechanical
Tillage: Tillage at any depth can increase the spread of horsenettle.
Rotary Hoeing: Not effective.
Flaming: Not effective.
Mowing: Mowing early in the season encourages horsenettle growth; mowing later in the season decreases growth.
Cultural
Crop rotation: No information.
Planting date: Most likely will not affect horsenettle infestations.
Chemical
Application timing and effectiveness: Very few herbicides are effective at controlling horsenettle. Sequential herbicide applications are necessary for control.