Blackberry control

Page last updated: Monday, 20 July 2020 - 2:34pm

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

Control methods for blackberry (Rubus species), declared pests in Western Australia.

Information about this pest can be found on the blackberry: declared pest page.

a training course on how to identify early blackberry and report it.
training material that you can use to teach community groups how to identify early blackberry.

Chemical requirements

When using any agricultural chemicals please ensure that you always follow instructions on the label and any permit. Users of agricultural chemical products must always strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. To view permits or product labels go to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website.

Chemical control options

Chemical control options can be found below. For other methods of control please refer to the declared plant control handbook.

Recommended herbicides

December to April - flowering to fruit maturity:

Triclopyr
Triclopyr + picloram
Glyphosate
Metsulfuron
Glyphosate + Metsulfuron
Trounce®

Herbicide: Triclopyr (Group I) (various trade names: see APVMA link)
Active ingredient	600g/L triclopyr
Rate of dilution for spot spraying Product /10L water	1:250 = 40mL use on sparse canes with low absorptive surface 1:350 = 30mL regrowth or bushes damaged by insects 1:750 = 15mL dense growth with high absorptive surface
Rate of product/ha	Not recommended
Wetting agent	1:400 plus summer spraying or crop oil at 1% may be useful
Time of application	Flowering to fruit maturity usually from December-April
Remarks	Rate varies with age of cane and density of absorptive surface: sparse canes with low absorptive surface average regrowth in 2nd year or bushes damaged by insect attack dense growth with high absorptive surface In conjunction with spray treatment: burn or slash dead canes in spring: encourage heavy grazing of regrowth: respray regrowth in summer.

Herbicide: Triclopyr +picloram (Group I) (various trade names: see APVMA link)
Active ingredient	300g/L triclopyr + 100g/L picloram
Rate of dilution for spot spraying	350–500mL/100L water
Amount of product/10L water	35-50mL
Rate of product/ha	Not recommended
Wetting agent dilution	1:400 plus summer spraying or crop oil at 1% may be useful
Time of application	Flowering to fruit maturity usually from December-April
Remarks	Spray 1-2m strip around edge of infestation to help control suckering: permit required in restricted spraying areas do not use close to trees or streams Use the higher rate where plants have been damaged by grazing stock or insects.

Herbicide: Glyphosate (Group M) (various trade names: see APVMA link)
Active ingredient	100g/L glyphosate 360g/L glyphosate 450/470g/L glyphosate 490/500/510g/L glyphosate 540g/L glyphosate 680/700g/kg glyphosate 840g/kg glyphosate Other concentrations of glyphosate available
Rate of product/10L water	120mL of 360g/L formulation 100mL of 450g/L formulation 85mL of 490/500g/L formulation 80mL of 540g/L formulation 63g of 680g/kg formulation Adjust rates for other concentrations of glyphosate
Wetting agent dilution	Addition of Pulse @ 1:500 may give faster kill
Rate of product/ha	Not recommended
Time of application	December to April
Remarks	Use only when other herbicides are thought to be undesirable. Not as reliably effective as Triclopyr (Garlon™). Best results usually obtained early flowering to early fruit set. Repeat application every 12 months is essential. Roundup Biactive or Razor preferred glyphosate treatment near watercourses Other formulations of glyphosate available for aquatic use

Herbicide: Metsulfuron (Group B) (various trade names: see APVMA link)
Active ingredient	200g/kg 600g/kg metsulfuron methyl
Rate of dilution for spot spraying	10g/100L for the 600g/kg formulation
Rate of product/10L water	1g
Rate of product/ha	Not recommended
Wetting agent dilution	1:400
Time of application	December – April
Remarks	Use as high a water volume as possible for best results When retreating use a residual product, such as Grazon™: relatively slow acting; also controls bracken but care is required to use this product near sensitive crops such as grapes and tomatoes Mixtures of granular formulation of glyphosate (680g/kg) and metsulfuron are promising. Suggested rate to use is 600g glyphosate + 3g (metsulfuron) per 100L water add the surfactant. Pulse at the rate of 0.2% (200mL/100L) Other dry formulations 700 and 840g/kg available

Herbicide: Glyphosate (Group M) + metsulfuron (Group B) (various trade names: see APVMA link)
Active ingredient	360g/L or 700g/kg glyphosate + 600g/kg metsulfuron methyl
Rates of dilution for spot spraying	2L of glyphosate (360g/L active ingredient) + 3g/100L metsulfuron methyl (600g/kg active ingredient) 1.5L of glyphosate (450 g/L active ingredient) + 3g/100L metsulfuron methyl (600g/kg active ingredient)
Rate of product/ha	Not recommended
Wetting agent dilution	Pulse 1:500 or 0.2% (200mL/100L)
Time of application	December - April
Remarks	Use as high a water volume as possible for best results Apply when plants are actively growing and do not apply to stressed plants

Herbicide: Trounce® Brush-Pack™ herbicide
Active ingredient	10g/kg metsulfuron (Group B) + 835g/kg glyphosate (Group M)
Rate of dilution for spot spraying	173g (1 pack)/100L
Wetting agent dilution	Pulse 1:1000 or non-ionic @ 1:400 100mL/100L
Time of application	Flowering to start of leaf yellowing
Remarks	Use as high a water volume as possible for best results When retreating use a residual product, such as Grazon™. Relatively slow acting. Also controls bracken, but requires a permit to be used in restricted spray areas. If picking mature fruit avoid treatment at fruit formation

Recommendations for blackberry control

Results have shown that it is best to first apply glyphosate or metsulfuron or a mixture of both to substantially reduce the area of the infestation then treat any remaining plants the following seasons with picloram + triclopyr treatments.
It is not recommended to use the picloram + triclopyr treatment first, as follow up applications of metsulfuron or glyphosate are not as effective as when used first. In addition the cost of the picloram + triclopyr is considerably greater than the metsulfuron.
The use of glyphosate is also more expensive than the metsulfuron and can leave the ground bare of vegetation for some time allowing a substantial germination of blackberry seedlings.
Using only metsulfuron leaves other plants to cover the area and discourages the germination and competes with the blackberry seedlings.
The addition of 1% oil to the spray also improves the control. All declared species of blackberry are controlled using the suggested herbicides.

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Contact information

Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS)

+61 (0)8 9368 3080

Email Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS)

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