Planned improvements to the program in 2018/19
A meeting of DPIRD staff, search contractors and Local Action Groups (LAGs) was held at the end of the 2017/18 search season to discuss changes to optimise the Program’s current operation.
Some of the main issues raised were:
- Concern over the lack of complete seed set control with summer treatments. This was a problem to landholders with large areas because the summer surveillance was too time consuming and impacted on other farm operations. It was suggested that the use of a single low rate application of picloram be applied with glyphosate as this had shown in research to give suppression of seed set for the entire summer.
Additional recommendations have been provided to landholders. - The restriction of grazing stubbles for at least six weeks prior to searching had also been an issue for landholders who relied on the stubbles for feed.
As a result it has been agreed to allow grazing up to four weeks prior to searching. - The program is operating satisfactorily where continuous cropping or short rotations were used. However, it was brought to attention that eradication was not being achieved as easily where landholders who derived their major income from sheep rather than cropping, and hence were using longer rotations, were finding that some plants were surviving in treated squares.It has been agreed to trial the use of a pre-cropping application of picloram.
- Some landholders have problems with “infested squares” becoming compacted and the chemical is not penetrating the soil profile deep enough to take out plant root systems.
The program will trial working these squares and treating with picloram. - The Management Guide has been reviewed and updated. It was also suggested to separate the guide into two sections, the first containing the biology, identification, legislative and search methods, and the second part the control recommendations. The first section is unlikely to change but control recommendations require regular reviewing. Hence the second part will be the only part needing regular reprinting. This will be a cost saving to the program.
The new 2018 “Management Guide” will be in this format. - Landholders have raised the issue of the full search required for Code 3 paddocks being at their cost.
This is an important search and must be done before the paddocks are released. The search assistance program will now be extended as a trial to Code 3 paddocks for 2018/19.