Electric weed control trials create a buzz

Australian-first trials of a device that uses electricity to kill weeds are yielding promising results,
particularly for combating herbicide-resistant weeds.

The project, now in its second year, aims to assist farmers and community land managers develop
sustainable, non-chemical weed control solutions.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is leading the project in
association with AGXTEND, a brand of CNH Industrial, testing the XPower machine, powered by
Zasso™, under Australian conditions.

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Weeds & Pests

Birds can be a pest around the horse property as they search for sustenance, fouling water and feed-bins and spreading weed seeds in their droppings. The presence of grain in horse feeds encourages larger numbers of birds, which can take a toll on trees and newly sown crops.

However, evidence gathered from the Integrated Pest Management for the Horse Farm report (2007), demonstrated that birds may also affect the incidence of intestinal parasites on the horse farm in ways that are both positive and negative.

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Weeds & Pests

Read more about Grass / Reed identification
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Fri, 08/09/2019 - 08:22 #1

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5 years 4 months

steventh

Last seen: 11/02/2021 - 11:43

Joined: 07/12/2019 - 00:19

Grass / Reed identification

Hi,

Im in the Hawksbury River region (NSW) near a brackish creek and have the attached growing on the property.

Can anyone identify it?

thanks in advance

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Weeds & Pests

Watch for water hyacinth

A significant water weed has been removed from an Armadale waterway after a member of the public reported a sighting to the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Water hyacinth is a declared weed in Western Australia

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Weeds & Pests

People are reminded to be vigilant when buying aquatic plants, after two of Australia’s worst water weeds were recently found for sale.

Department of Agriculture and Food research officer Sandy Lloyd said salvinia had been found for sale online, incorrectly named giant duckweed.

Salvinia is a Weed of National Significance which can devastate waterways and severely impact on the environment, agriculture, and tourism.

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Weeds & Pests

Long-term DPI data confirms rabbit number increase (VIC)

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has warned of a rapid increase in rabbit numbers across Victoria this summer – and landholders need to act now.

DPI Biosecurity Manager for Established Invasive Animals, John Matthews, said data indicates rabbit numbers are starting to rise from a 15 year low.

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Weeds & Pests

Landowners fined over gorse infestations (VIC)

A number of landowners in the Glenlyon and Lauriston areas have had Infringement Notices issued for failure to control gorse on their properties.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Biosecurity Officer Martin Deering said the landowners were fined because of their inaction in controlling gorse.

“The Glenlyon and Lauriston communities sought assistance from DPI to deal with poor landowner performance in relation to gorse control,” Mr Deering said.

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Weeds & Pests

Guilty for failing to treat weeds on time

A Kilmore landowner pleaded guilty in the Seymour Magistrates Court in November to a charge of failing to comply with a Land Management Notice to control serrated tussock on his property.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Biosecurity Officer Kate Cunnew said the landowner was ordered to pay a $2000 fine for failing to treat the serrated tussock within the time frame specified on the notice.

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Weeds & Pests

What weed is that?

The battle to stop the spread of weeds in Queensland received a boost this week with the launch of a new online identification tool to support the Queensland Government’s Flood Recovery Program.

The Weeds of Australia toolkit has been initiated by Biosecurity Queensland in partnership with the Centre for Biological Information Technology, and will help the community to identify over 1,000 different types of weeds.

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Weeds & Pests

Small farmers can now map feral pests using FeralScan

The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre and NSW Department of Primary Industries has launched a number of new websites including, ToadScan, FeralPigScan, FoxScan, ToadScan, RabbitScan. These websites give small farmers the opportunity to map sightings, damage and control of feral pests anywhere in Australia to improve the way pest animals are managed at the landscape level. FeralScan has received overwhelming community participation with more than 8,000 records of feral pests entered by 4,500 participants Australia-wide since it was launched in January this year.

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Weeds & Pests