Weed Science Commons^™

Weeds Can Poison Crops, Aik Hock Cheam

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Weeds can interfere with the growth of a crop simply by competing with the crop for nutrients, moisture and light. But some weeds also release chemicals that inhibit the germination and growth of crop plants; the technical term for this is allelopathy. Aik Cheam outlines the problems caused by two common weeds and the discusses preventative measures.

Skeleton Weed : The Current Situation, Peter Scott, Jon Dodd

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Skeleton weed is a major threat to western Australia's grain industry. This weed established itself throughout the entire eastern States wheatbelt in just over 50 years and is now found from south-east Queensland to South Australia. It was first founs in Western Australia at Ballidu in 1963, and since that time has been the subject of an ongoing and intensive eradication campaign. Peter Scott and Jon Dodd report on the present status of skeleton weed in Western Australia and outline the progress to date and future directions of the eradication campaign.

Weeds : A Curse For Native Plants In Farm Woodlands, Max Abensperg-Traun

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Weeds have a mJOR IMPct on native Australian plants, particularly in the tropical north and the agricultural regions of southern Australia.

Maz Abensperg-Traun, and his clooeagues from the CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, explainthe effects of weed invasion on the diversity of native herbaceous plants in faarm woodlands in the centeral wheatbelt of south-west Western Australia.

Wiping Out Tall Weeds, Brad Rayner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Control of weeds is an on-going battle for farmers, with many weapons becoming increasingly expensive. A refreshing exception to this trend is the blanket wiper, a cheap but effective meens of applying herbicides to taller weeds in pasture. Brad Rayner explains how it works.

Crops In The Woolbelt : Current Options And Emerging Prospects, Wal Anderson, Ross Gilmour, Robyn Mclean, Peter Nelson, K H.M Siddique, Paul Carmody, Ian Prtichard

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

It has traditionally been more profitable to grow sheep for wool in the medium rainfall parts of the south-west of Western Australia than to grow crops . Crop production has been difficult owing to the hilly terrain, the frequency of waterlogging, the high incidence of damaging frosts in some areas, the frequency of losses from diseases, difficulties with wet weather at harvest, and a lack of adapted crop varieties.

Advances over the past decade have made cropping on a limited scale potentially profitable in the woo/belt.

This article is intended to bring the various options for crop production to the …

Clearwing Moths Are Key To Dock Control, Kingsley Fisher

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Two clearwing moths imported from Morocco and France could be the key to controlling dock (Rumex pulcher) - one of the worst weeds of high rainfall pastures in southern Australia

Using Goats To Control Weeds, John Peirce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Feral goats are common in the woodland and tall shrubland areas of arid Australia. They survive and reproduce despite regular shooting, capture and droughts. These goats are considered vermin in Western Australia because of their competition with sheep for forage and their reputation as destroyers of vegetation. Research elsewhere, however, has indicated that it is only the uncontrolled grazing by large numbers of goats that causes degradation, in the same way that uncontrolled grazing by sheep can cause erosion. To some people, however, feral goats are a valuable source of income. They have the potential for meat sales, and they …

Monitoring Western Australia's Rangelands, Ron Hacker, David Beurle, George Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Rangelands, native pastures used for grazing domestic livestock, occupy about 100 million hectares or 40 per cent of Western Australia, extending from the tropical grasslands of the Kimberley to the arid shrub steppe of the Nullarbor Plain.

The rangelands are characterized by highly variable seasonal conditions. Carrying capacity can fluctuate dramatically from year to year. Grazing management requires a tactical approach from one season to the next because of the great variation in the capacity of the land to support stock.

Rangeland monitoring provides pastoralists with objective information on these changes to assist their management decision making. The Western Australian …

Biological Control Of Doublegee, Dane Panetta

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Doublegee (Emex australis) is one of the worst agricultural weeds in Western Australia. To date, however, biological control of this weed has proved elusive. Multiple releases of two weevils which attack doublegee have not led to insect establishment. For one of these species, further research has shown that doublegee control would probably not be achieved in the wheatbelt even if insect establishment were enhanced by growing its host during the summer months. A joint Western Australian Department of Agriculture/ CSIRO project is investigating the virulence and host specificity of an undescribed South African species o/Phomopsis fungus. Should this pathogen prove …

Biological Control Of Paterson's Curse, John Dodd, Bill Woods

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The long- delayed biological control programme for the weed Paterson's curse (Echium plantagineum) has begun with the release of the leaf mining moth (Dialectica scalariella)' an insect slightly bigger than a mosquito. Yhe caterpillar stage of the moth feeds inside the leaves, producing tunnels and chambers which damage the leaf.

The leaf mining moth has already become established in suitable areas. Although the familiar purple haze of Paterson's curse will continue to be seen for years to come, we expect that the leaf mining moth - and other agents yet to be released - will make it a more manageable …

The Potential For Skeleton Weed, John Dodd, F. D. Panetta

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Since its introduction into Australia during the 900s skeleton weed has become one of the most economically significant weeds. Its presence in cereal crops in south-eastern Australia has caused suvere yield reductions and harvesting problems.

Skeleton weed was first found on a Western Australian farm in 963. Since then it has been the subject of an intensive eradication campaign organised by the Agricultural Protection Board and funded by an annual levy on wheat growers. Such campaigns, which rely mainly on volunteer searchers, do not exist in eastern Australia because the weed is so widespread it would be impossible to eradicate. …

Barley Breeding Update, P A. Portmann

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Barley production in Western Australia has increased over the past few years, peaking at 1.42 million tonnes in 1984. The European Economic Community, however, has flooded world markets for barley and over half of ourbarley was sold for feed to Saudi Arabia last year. Current prices therefore have declined as has the total area sown to barley in this State.

Despite this, the potential to increase barley yields is most promising. The Department of Agriculture has cross-bred lines in advanced stages of field testing which could increase yield by 10 per cent across the agricultural areas.

In the longer term, …

Skeleton Weed : How Serious A Threat In Western Australia?, F D. Panetta, J. Dodd

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Skeleton weed is probably the most serious weed ever to threaten the Australian wheat industry. It interferes with wheat cropping at two stages: through competition with the growing crop, particularly for nitrogen and water during the crop's development: and later through the production of a tall, wiry flowering stem which tangles in harvesting machinery and can make harvesting difficult, if not impossible.

The weed is a major problem in eastern Australia although a combination of cultural, chemical and biological control programmes is helping to reduce its impact.

In Western Australia, skeleton weed is being contained mainly by eradication efforts. Weed …

Research On Declared Plants And Other Weeds, G. A. Pearce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Knowledge about weeds is necessary to assess their significance, devise control measures and to select those which are to be declared for the purposes of the Agricultural and Related Resources Protection Act.

Once a plant has been declared in Western Australia, all landowners must control and prevent its spread to new areas and work towards eradicating known infestations. The Act also declares plants which are prohibited from entering the State.

It is becoming more and more important to provide specific reasons for the declaration of a weed and its placement in a certain category. Such decisions require appropriate action to …

Doublegee Control In Pasture : What Is It Worth, D J. Gilbey, R. J. Lightfoot

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A recent study showed that the cost of spraying to control a heavy doublegee infestation can be recovered in the first year of the spraying.

Lupin Yields Are Not What They Should Be : Viewpoint, M Ferguson, S. Trevenen

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Mike Ferguson has been in charge of the Three Springs office of the Department of Agriculture since 1977.

Based on trials he has done and others he has seen, he believes farmers can greatly increase their yield of lupins.

Controlling Annual Ryegrass Toxicity, C H. Trotman

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Eight years of intensive work has changed annual ryegrass toxicity from an unknown killer to a manageable problem.

Ryegrass Disease Could Spread, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The disease annual ryegrass toxicity kills sheep and cattle grazing pastures which contain infected annual ryegrass. In Western Australia the first confirmed outbreak was in 1968 in the Gnowangerup area.

The disease has noe spread over a range of 450 kilometres and with a total area of perhaps 100 000 hectares. because annual ryegrass is the major sown pasture grass in W.A. the disease could spread throughout the South-West.

There are some precautions that can be taken.

Protecting Agriculture In 1976 : Three Sides Of An Apb Campaign, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A quick look at three areas in which the A.P.B. are working with landholders to protect Western Australia from invasion.

Protecting our agriculture and wildlife is not only the APB's job— it is very much the community's job also. Any suspect birds or plants must be reported immediately to the Agriculture Protection Board.

A Survey Of Shearing Times, B R. Beetson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

When do farmers in W.A. shear their sheep, and why do they selest the times they do?

A Department of Agriculture survey attempted to answer these questions, which have important implications for the wool industry.

Wild Oats In W.A, J G. Paterson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A summary of background information, recent research findings and current recommendations for the control of wild oats in Western Australia.

The Control Of Annual Ryegrass, Geoffrey A. Pearce, J. E. Holmes

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A valuable pasture plant - one of the worst weeds if cereal crops - host to a potent animal disease toxin.....annual ryegrass is the subject of intensive studies by the Department of Agriculture.

This article reviews current research into the control of annual ryegrass in crops.

The Doublegee Problem In Western Australia, D J. Gilbey

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Doublegee is native to South Africa and is now naturalised as a serious weed of crops and pastures throughout the temperate areas of Australia.

Doublegee was introduced for cultivation as a vegetable by English migrants to the Swan River Colony in 1830, and a bed of doublegees is known to have been sown at Mr. J. Phillips' property on the Canning River in 1833. However, the plant soon became a troublesome weed and its name was changed from Cape spinach to Tanner's curse and later to doublegee.

More than 180 doublegee seedlings per square metre have been counted in a …

Docks In Western Australia, J M. Allen

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A survey carried out by the Department of Agriculture has shown that docks are the most serious weed of the higher rainfall areas of Western Australia. They are estimated to cost farmers $400 000 annually in lost production. One of the main reasons why they are important weeds is that they regenerate rapidly from tubers and compete with desirable annual pasture species. Also the upright dock flowering stems are woody and unpalatable. Individual plants become intertwined and deter stock from grazing summer pastures.

Results from the survey of the dock problem are given in this article. The findings show that …

Skeleton Weed : The 1974 Narembeen Campaign, C R. Chambers

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Skeleton weed took an alarming, historic turn in Western Australia at the 1974 New Year.

After a decade of an almost complacent pattern—control of one or two small outbreaks annually by the Agriculture Protection Board— general alarm erupted with the discovery of big areas at Pithara and mainly Narembeen.

What followed was a massive movement and engagement of not only Department staff but also the farming community in an attempt to beat this outbreak.

Noxious Weed Control Policy, J A. Ritchie

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Explanation of a new classification system which has been incorporated into the weed control policy of the Agriculture Protection Board.

Calotropis Or Rubber Tree (Calctropis Procera (Linn.) Dryand), G R W Meadly

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TWO SPECIES of Calotropis have been introduced to the northern parts of Western Australia. They are closely related in most respects but differ in one fundamental feature which decides their significance as undesirable plants.

Cotton Bush (Asclepias Fruticosa L.) : Garden Plant Now A Noxious Weed, G R W Meadly

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE cotton bush is native to South Africa but is now naturalised in most tropical and sub-tropical countries of the world. Its spread is, in no small measure, due to being grown frequently as a garden subject.

The Control Of Weeds In Linseed And Rape, Geoffrey A. Pearce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Like all crops linseed and rapeseed can suffer from weed competition.

Linseed is highly susceptible to weed competition, while rape is susceptible to the chemicals used to kill broad-leaved weeds, so both crops pose special problems.

As in other broad-acre crops, cultural methods usually provide the best means of weed control.

Management Of Dry Land Lucerne In The South-West, R Sprivulis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MANY dry land lucerne stands have been successfully established in the dairying areas of the South-West.

With good management these can remain productive for many years; poor management can greatly reduce their productive life.