dod tactical herbicide sites - United States Department of Defense

DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSite 2Location: USDA Station, Brawley, CaliforniaDates July—August 1951Activity Description: By the early 1950’s, the herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-Twere being extensively evaluated by the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) for their weed control properties. However, much of this work providedevidence that these same herbicides were detrimental to broadleaf crops, i.e., beans,soybeans, peppers, tomatoes, etc. Hence, the US Army Chemical Corps’ BiologicalLaboratories at Camp Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, initiated studies to determineapplication rates that could be used in tactical operations as anti-crop agents.Formulations of 2,4,D and 2,4,5-T were evaluated on small field plots of variousagronomic crops in an effort to evaluate the anti-crop effectiveness of small dropletsprays of these herbicides.Assessment: The Army Chemical Corps established a project agreement withDivision of Weed Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils and AgriculturalEngineering, USDA, to conduct studies on the toxicity to agronomic crops ofvarious 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T formulations. The rates varied from 0.5 pounds (lbs) ofactive ingredient of the herbicide per acre (A) to 8 lbs/A. USDA personnel at theUSDA Research Station at Brawley, California conducted all of the studies. CampDetrick personnel provided project oversight and the formulations to be tested.Source: Weintraub RL, Minarik, CE (1952): Field Plot Experiments with PlantInhibitors, the 1950–51 Crop Season. Special Report No. 156, Chemical Corps,Biological Laboratories, Camp Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, August 25, 1952. TheDocument declassified 17 April 1962 but subject to export control.19