Australia
October 30, 2013
Grain growers in the southern cropping region are encouraged to undertake a range of control tactics and vigilant monitoring in a bid to control the weed flaxleaf fleabane.
Previously well controlled by widespread tillage, flaxleaf fleabane has become a problem weed in all Australian grain-producing areas where no-till farming is now common practice.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has just published a fact sheet to assist growers with management of this weed which is a prolific producer of seeds. Each plant can produce up to 110,000 seeds and these can disperse over long distances.
Fleabane’s seedbank is short-lived, therefore it relies on reinfestation from other areas such as roadsides and other infested paddocks.
The University of Adelaide’s Ben Fleet says a strategic approach based on good agronomy and integrated weed management (IWM) principles is required, and all stages of the weed’s lifecycle should be targeted.
“Successful IWM depends on having a flexible plan based on a thorough understanding of the target weed,” Mr Fleet said.
When using chemicals, growers should target young, small weeds (seedlings and rosettes) as herbicide efficacy decreases as flaxleaf fleabane matures.
“To reduce the likelihood of resistance developing, growers should use full label rates of herbicides, rotations between herbicide groups and prevent seed set of survivors,” Mr Fleet said.
A double-knock approach is needed for dense infestations, especially if weeds are more than one month old. Mr Fleet said vigilance was essential as flaxleaf fleabane could establish in non-cropping areas.
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