Orange Oil

The Natural Alternative to Traditional Herbicides

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Natural Based Herbicide For Free Floating Aquatic Weeds

Orange Oil by Aquatic Technologies is an alternative herbicide option to traditional herbicides [1]. Feel confident about an using environmentally friendly herbicide with Orange Oil.
  • Made from Local Oranges
  • No harsh chemicals - only oranges
  • Effective on Duckweed, Azolla and Salvinia[2]
  • Environmentally Friendly[3]
  • Safe to use around pets[4] and wildlife
  • No withholding period after application
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Natural Treatment for Free Floating Aquatic Weeds

Orange Oil can be used on Free Floating Aquatic Weeds[2] (weeds not attached to substrate)
Free Floating Aquatic Plants
Suitable for early stages of infestation: crowded plants where water surface is visible[2]
Suitable for moderate infestation where water surface is barely visible[2]
Successful on Azolla, Duckweeds and Salvinia

Control and Prevention

Orange Oil

Use Orange Oil to treat Free-Floating Weeds[1]

  • 1L treats 500m² of surface area
  • Apply to light/medium weed infestations
  • Spray on application

For best results, avoid a single heavy application. Apply several light applications over a 1 to 3 week period [2] [5-6].

Use Together With Surface Clear

Use Surface Clear to assist in keeping Free-Floating Weeds from returning

  • Apply 100mL per 100m²
  • Helps prevent further growth of free floating aquatic matter
  • Shake vigorously and tip in
  • Use after Orange Oil Treatment

Silicone-based liquid that helps reduce the re-establishment of new free floating aquatic matter on your water’s surface.

What Does Orange Oil Target?

Free floating weeds
Orange Oil can be used on: Azolla, Duckweed and Salvinia.
How does it work?
When the Orange Oil covers the surface of the leaves, it disrupts the cuticle, breaking down or dissolving the waxy coating on plant cell walls. It also contributes to the desiccation or burndown of young tissues[7]. This results in the plant losing its ability to retain water[4]. The damaged leaf cells leak water and the plants die of dehydration[8].
How does it perform?
Orange Oil is a non-selective herbicide that is water-soluble which makes it easier to apply[9][7] Orange Oil binds to proteins at different sites than synthetic herbicides. This allows elimination of herbicide resistant weeds[7][10].

How to get the most out of Orange Oil

Orange Oil does not work like traditional herbicides and is best applied by someone with experience spraying. It is important to apply Orange Oil correctly to achieve desired results.

Firstly, you must make sure Orange Oil is fit for your situation.

  • The weed must be Free Floating
  • The density of the weed must be single layered (no plant overlapping)
  • The coverage of the weed must not be at 100%
  • Your water body must have an average depth of >1m

You can partially remove the weed by means of physical removal to ensure you meet the parameters above.

We recommend you apply multiple treatments (minimum of 3) to the weed you are trying to eradicate. You should apply Orange Oil directly to the weed and to the free space around the weed.

Ensure you use a low pressure, shower droplet spray to lightly and evenly coat the surface of the weed. If the weed moves away from you from the force of the stream, it is too powerful.

Treatment should continue until the weed is no longer visible on the surface of your water body.

If applied correctly, we find that full applications on day 1, day 2 and day 4 are quite effective. You may need to spot spray any remaining weeds. If you are not able to apply Orange Oil to all of the weed in one application, you will need to treat more frequently to ensure all of the weed is covered over a short period of time.

Friendly to the environment

  • Orange Oil is a natural product[4]
  • More environmentally friendly than synthetic herbicides[4]
  • Does not cause environmental pollution[4]
  • Non-persistent which means it decomposes rapidly, preventing the accumulation of compounds in soil and its subsequent influence on non-target organisms[9]

How much do you need for your body of water?

Orange Oil

Applied at a rate of 1L per 500 square metres of surface area
Product Size Coverage (Surface Area)
1L 500m²
2L (2x1LTwin Pack) 1,000m²
5L 2,500m²
20L 10,000m²

Sources

[1] R. Ciriminna, F. Meneguzzo and M. Pagliaro, “Orange Oil,” in Green pesticides handbook : Essential oils for pest control, Taylor Francis Group, 2017, pp. 291-301.

[2] NSW DPI, Salvinia Control Manual, Orange, NSW: NSW Department of Primary Industries, 2006.

[3] M. S. Gomes, M. d. G. Cardoso, M. J. Soares, L. R. Batista, S. M. Machodo , M. Andrade, C. de Azeredo, J. M. Valerio Resende and L. Rodrigues, “Use of Essential Oils of the Genus Citrus as Biocidal Agents,” American Journal of Plant Sciences, vol. 5, pp. 299-305, 2014.|

[4] O. Messerschmidt, J. Jankauskas and F. Smith, “Limonene-containing herbicide compositions, herbicide concentrate formulations and methods for making and using same”. United States of America Patent US 8,273,687 B2, 25 September 2012.

[5] Queensland Government, Salvinia, The State of Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2020.

[6] NSW Government, Salvinia – Smothers Dams and Waterways, New South Wales DPI, 2015.

[7] D. Soltys, U. Krasuska, R. Bogatek and A. Gniazdowska, “Allelochemicals as Bioherbicides — Present and Perspectives,” in Herbicides – Current Research and Case Studies in Use, IntechOpen, 2013.

[8] E. Koperek, “Organic Herbicides,” World Agriculture Solutions, Pennsylvania, 2015.

[9] R. Ribeiro and M. Lima, “Allelopathic effects of orange (Citrus sinensis L.) peel essential oil,” vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 256-259, 2012.

[10] G. Flamini, “Natural Herbicides as a Safer and More Environmentally Friendly Approach to Weed Control: A Review of the Literature Since 2000,” in Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, vol. 38, Elsevier, 2012, pp. 353-396.