Title: Serrated tussock war takes a new turn in Victoria with herbicide resistance
[Ballarat Courier, Page: 28 Wednesday, 21 July 2010] -- THE battle against serrated tnssock has intensified with reports of herbicide resistance to the destrnctive weed in pockets of Victoria and New South Wales. As a result Department of Primary Industries will hold a forum next week for land managers to learn how to avoid herbicide resistance through integrated weed management.
The forum, being run in partnership with the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party, will provide information on other research projects and serrated tussock best practice management. DPI principal research scientist David McLaren said recent surveys found serrated tussock resistant to the selective herbicide flupropanate at the Rowsley Valley and Diggers Rest in Victoria and the NSW centres of Armidale and Goulburn.
The consequences of serrated tussock herbicide resistance are serious and include its greater dominance as a weed and increased costs for land managers," Dr McLaren said. This makes it critical for land managers not to rely solely on one herbicide to control serrated tussock. The only other real option for chemical control of serrated tussock in Australian pastures is glyphosphate, but this is not selective and must he applied carefully using spot spraying to eusure every serrated tussock leaf receives the herbicide.
"Chemical control needs to he used strategically in combination with mechanical control, cropping, pasture rehabilitation and grazing management to reduce the likelihood of resistance developing."
Dr McLaren said the discovery of herbicide resistance had raised concerns about the future management of serrated tussock. "Flupropanate is commonly used for controlling large infestations of serrated tussock as it is a soil active herbicide with a residual effect that prevents serrated tussock from germinating for several years if conditions are favourable," he said. "It is an excellent management tool but land managers need to use it wisely or we risk losing it as a control tool."
The forum will be held on July 29 from 6pm at the state government offices, Level 5, corner of Little Malop and Fenwick streets, Geelong. For more information contact Chelsea Wardrope at the DPI on 5226 4680 or visit serratedtussock.com.
Article: WeedsNews695 (permalink) Categories: :WeedsNews:herbicide resistance, :WeedsNews:weed control, :WeedsNews:wons Date: 21 July 2010; 11:17:43 AM AEST