Sesbania herbacea

AKA

• Sesbania• Coffee Bean• Coffee Weed• Colorado River Hemp• Tall Indigo• Formerly Sesbania

exaltata

• 3’ – 10’ tall (much taller in SEMO)

• Leaves 4”-12” with 20-70 leaflets

• Yellow flowers ½”- ¾”

• Slender seed pods 6” – 8” with numerous seeds

• Noticeably pungent smell

Large distribution, primarily the southeastern states

Found in low-lying, wet areas, disturbed sites, road ditches, stream banks

Grows in a variety of soils, heavy clay to sandy

Grows best when soil temperatures are warm, optimal over 800 F

Indian Jointvetch• Aeschynomene indica

• Commonly mistaken for Sesbania

• Grow in similar habitats and conditions

• Shorter plant

• More leaflets

• Leaflets become shorter at the end of the leaf causing a pointed shape to leaf

• Darker green color

• Less pungent smell

Control

• When is the population high enough to need control?

• Methods of control– Fertilizer– Mechanical– Water management– Herbicide

Fertilizer

• Nitrogen, granular urea 46-0-0 • Why does this work? Competition or direct

impact on the sesbania plant• When to apply • Application rates• Pilot study on Ten Mile Pond CA

Pilot study at Ten Mile Pond CA

• University of Missouri Extension • Four test plots for sampling• Each plot was treated with different rates of

nitrogen; 0#/acre, 25#/area, 50#/acre, 100#/acre

• Numerical but not statistical difference in the number of sesbania plants

Mowing

• Mow before the plants produce seed

• Works best where the plants occurred in a narrow strip or isolated spot

Disking

• Disk prior to seed production

• Fits in well with regular moist soil management

Water Management

• Not an option for everyone• Dewater earlier, promote earlier germinating

plants• Competition is the best control

Deep Soil Disturbance

• This works with a new population of plants

• Seeds are still viable for 5+ years

• Works great in some places, disaster in others

Herbicides

• Follow the label• Costs• Herbicides affect other plants• Don’t forget the surfactant or crop oil

• Glyphosate herbicides

• Broad spectrum herbicide

• Glyphosate resistance

• 2% Solution

• Low cost

• Very effective on Sesbania but equally effective on all broadleaf plants

• Drift potential

• Some states have specific restrictions

• ½ - 1 pint/acre

• Good herbicide for moist soil management where 2,4-D is not an option

• Not as cheap

• It is labeled to control smartweed but the smartweed recovers

• Use prior to sesbania bloom

• Full rate 1 ½ pints/acre because of plant height

• Work well with crop oil 1-2 pints/acre

• Not effective on jointvetch

• Combination for spraying adjacent to water bodies

• Surfactant is important

• Order of mixing is important

• Sesbania is not listed on the Garlon 3A label, however it works

• Rodeo; 1 ½ - 2% solution

• Garlon; 2-2 ½ pts/acre