dod tactical herbicide sites - United States Department of Defense

DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSite 15Location: Middleport, New YorkDate May – September 1965, July 1966Activity Description: Under a January 1965 contract with the US ArmyBiological Laboratories, Fort Detrick, Maryland, FMC Corporation conducted studies inan attempt to improve the herbicidal properties of the Herbicide Purple and HerbicideOrange formulations. Field plots of “several acres” were identified near the NiagaraChemical Division, FMC Corporation Facilities in Middleport, New York.Assessment: Various esters (n-butyl, iso-butyl, iso-octyl) formulations of 2,4-D and2,4,5-T were mixed in “suspensions “ with auxiliary herbicides (e.g., dalapon,diuron,atrazine, ammonium thiocyanate, aminotriazole, and cacoylic acid) and evaluated forstability and phytotoxicity. Individual plots, dominated by deciduous brush, were sevenfeet square and a specified volumes equal to rates of 1 to 3 gallons per acre wereadministered by use of a spray gun. Five replications of each rate was tested, andobservations taken throughout the seasons in 1965 and 1966. The two tactical herbicidesPurple and Orange were provided by the Army Biological Laboratories, Fort Detrick,while the auxiliary herbicides were obtained from commercial sources. The researchersinvolved in the mixing of formulations and in the various tests were employees of theFMC Corporation.Source: Willard JR (1967): Herbicidal Formulations of Enhanced Efficacy forDefoliation: Final Report. Prepared for the US Army Biological Laboratories, FortDetrick, Frederick, Maryland, by the Niagara Chemical Division, FMC Corporation,Middleport, New York.36