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Economic Impact of Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum) on Florida Cattle Production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Tajudeen Salaudeen ,
Michael Thomas ,
David Harding  and
Stephen D. Hight
Tajudeen Salaudeen
Affiliation:
Agribusiness Program, College of Agriculture, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307
Michael Thomas*
Affiliation:
Agribusiness Program, College of Agriculture, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307
David Harding
Affiliation:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, FL 32307
Stephen D. Hight
Affiliation:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Tallahassee, FL 32308
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: Michael.thomas.fl@gmail.com
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Abstract

A written survey administered to 3,500 Florida cattle producers in 2006 documented tropical soda apple as the most common pasture weed across the state of Florida. Over 80% of the survey respondents reported tropical soda apple on their ranches, and over 65% declared the plant to be a major problem for their cattle operation. On ranches that reported tropical soda apple infestations, the level of pastures infested with this weed ranged from a low of 4% in north Florida to a high of 12% in central Florida. The cattle producers' most common strategies to tropical soda apple were herbicide application and mowing. These strategies were used by 32% of respondents in north Florida, 75% in central Florida, and 76% in south Florida. On a statewide basis, 20% of cattle producers used herbicides alone, 7% used mowing alone, and 20% used both methods. Some cattle producers reduced the cattle stocking rate as a consequence of tropical soda apple infestations. This negative impact was reported by only 2% of cattle producers in north Florida, 6% in central Florida, and 7% in south Florida. With the use of the economic input/output model IMPLAN, tropical soda apple control costs resulted in economic losses throughout Florida of $15 million annually in 2006 to cattle producers and their supporting business sectors.

Una encuesta escrita que fue distribuida a 3,500 ganaderos de Florida en 2006 documentó Solanum viarum como la maleza más común en pastizales en el estado de Florida. Más del 80% de quienes respondieron la encuesta reportaron S. viarum en sus ranchos y más del 65% declararon esta planta como uno de los mayores problemas en su operación ganadera. En los ranchos que reportaron infestaciones de S. viarum, el nivel de pastizales infestados con esta maleza varió desde 4% en el norte de Florida hasta 12% en el centro de Florida. Las estrategias más comunes usadas por los ganaderos para el control de S. viarum fueron la aplicación de herbicidas y la chapia. Estas estrategias fueron usadas por el 32% de quienes respondieron en el norte de Florida, 75% en el centro de Florida, y 76% en el sur de Florida. A nivel del estado, 20% de los ganaderos usaron solamente herbicidas, 7% usaron solamente chapia, y 20% usaron ambos métodos. Algunos ganaderos redujeron la carga animal en los pastizales como consecuencia de las infestaciones de S. viarum. Este impacto negativo fue reportado por solamente 2% de los ganaderos del norte de Florida, 6% en el centro de Florida, y 7% en el sur de Florida. Con el uso del modelo económico de entradas y salidas IMPLAN, el costo del control de S. viarum resultó en pérdidas económicas de $15 millones anualmente para los ganaderos y los sectores comerciales relacionados, en todo Florida, en 2006.

Keywords

Tropical soda appleSolanum viarum DunalInvasive plantpasturequestionnairesurveyweed controlweed economics
Type
Education/Extension
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , June 2013 , pp. 389 - 394
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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