Calotrope (Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton) is an exotic woody weed that has invaded northern Australia’s rangelands since being introduced in the early 1900s. To expand the range of control options beyond herbicide-based methods, we undertook a stem/root cutting experiment that helped quantify the potential for using mechanical control techniques. Individual, medium-sized (1.72 ± 0.03 m high) calotrope plants were cut off at ground level (0 cm) or below ground (10 or 20 cm) using either a pruning saw or mattock respectively. All calotrope plants cut at ground level reshot vigorously. After four months they had more than twice the number of stems (7.4 ± 0.54) of the uncut control plants and by 12 months they were only 26 cm shorter than the control plants. In contrast, all plants cut at 10 or 20 cm below ground were killed. Some mortality also started occurring in the control and ground level (0 cm) treatments after eight months, but appeared to be associated with a dieback phenomenon. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate the potential to use equipment that severs the root system below ground, such as blade ploughs and cutter bars. A subsequent stick raking demonstration achieved moderate plant mortality (72%) after 13 months, yet produced a six-fold increase in original plant density as a result of new seedling emergence. This finding supports the view that mechanical disturbance will often promote seedling recruitment, and land managers need to have the capacity to undertake follow-up control practices to avoid exacerbating the problem.

Calotrope（Calotropis procera（Aiton）WT Aiton）是一种外来木本杂草，自1900年代初引入以来已入侵澳大利亚北部的牧场。为了扩大除草剂方法以外的控制选择范围，我们进行了茎/根切割实验，该实验有助于量化使用机械控制技术的潜力。分别使用修枝锯或野鸭在地面（0 cm）或地下（10或20 cm）切下单个中型（1.72±0.03 m高）速生植物。强烈砍伐了所有在地面上切碎的香菇植物。在四个月后，它们的茎数是未切割对照植物的两倍多（7.4±0.54），到12个月时，它们仅比对照植物短26厘米。相反，所有在地下10或20厘米处切割的植物都被杀死。八个月后，对照和地面（0 cm）处理也开始出现一些死亡率，但似乎与死亡现象有关。然而，结果表明，有可能使用切断根部地下系统的设备，例如犁刀和割草机。随后的耙耙示范在13个月后达到了中等植物死亡率（72％），但是由于新幼苗的出现，原始植物密度却提高了六倍。这一发现支持这样的观点，即机械干扰通常会促进苗木的招募，土地管理者需要有能力采取后续控制措施，以免加剧这一问题。然而，结果表明，有可能使用切断根部地下系统的设备，例如犁刀和割草机。随后的耙耙示范在13个月后达到了中等植物死亡率（72％），但是由于新幼苗的出现，原始植物密度却提高了六倍。这一发现支持这样的观点，即机械干扰通常会促进苗木的招募，土地管理者需要有能力采取后续控制措施，以免加剧这一问题。但是，结果表明，有可能使用将根系切割到地下的设备，例如犁刀和割草机。随后的枝条耙示范在13个月后达到了中等植物死亡率（72％），但由于新幼苗出苗，原始植物密度却提高了六倍。这一发现支持以下观点：机械干扰通常会促进苗木的招募，土地管理者需要有能力采取后续控制措施，以免加剧这一问题。但是由于新的幼苗出苗，原始植物密度增加了六倍。这一发现支持以下观点：机械干扰通常会促进苗木的招募，土地管理者需要有能力采取后续控制措施，以免加剧这一问题。但是由于新的幼苗出苗，原始植物密度增加了六倍。这一发现支持这样的观点，即机械干扰通常会促进苗木的招募，土地管理者需要有能力采取后续控制措施，以免加剧这一问题。