Title: A who’s who of weeds at Victoria's Elmore field days
Did you know that each Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma) plant has the potential to produce over 30,000 seeds and these seeds can spread in excess of 20 kilometres through wind dispersion? That’s further than the distance from Elmore to Rochester for each plant. Serrated Tussock is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness, potential to spread, and its economic and environmental impacts. Department of Primary Industries Pest Management Officer Martin Deering said infestations of Serrated Tussock in the North Central catchment were often located on arterial roads and were thought to also be spread by the movement of vehicles from high infestation areas.
“Given that Serrated Tussock looks similar to native tussock grasses, it can remain unnoticed until significant infestations have developed - that is why it is so important that people know what it looks like,” Mr Deering said.
“At the Elmore Field Days this year, Serrated Tussock and other noxious weeds such as Boneseed will be on display in the Victorian government tent, so people can have a close look at them and learn what they need to do if they see these weeds in their community.”
Mr Deering said DPI was actively controlling known infestations of Serrated Tussock in the North Central Catchment yet it was important for people to be vigilant as this noxious weed now occupies more than 1.1 million hectares in south-eastern Australia, with more than another 30 million hectares climatically suitable for invasion.
“The worst affected areas in Victoria are in Melbourne, Geelong and Bacchus Marsh but there are also isolated infestations scattered across the state,” he said.
“Serrated Tussock is also unpalatable to livestock, and eventually forms a monoculture unless controlled.”
Serrated Tussock is classified a Weed of National Significance and a Regionally Prohibited Weed in the North Central Catchment, in recognition to its threat to agricultural production and the natural environment.
To learn more about weeds and register as a Weed Spotter, visit DPI’s Landscape Protection team at site 147 at the Elmore Field Days on October 6, 7, and 8.