Crop weeds

Weeds are estimated to cost Australian agriculture more than $2.5 billion per year. Understanding weeds and the various methods to control them ultimately reduces costs and improves productivity.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development conducts research into the management of weeds and has developed integrated weed management (IWM) packages, that incorporate a number of varied weed control options, including chemical, physical and biological strategies, are vital for sustainable weed management in this state.

Weed populations that have developed herbicide resistance, where standard herbicide treatments are no longer effective, pose an increasing threat to WA's agricultural production.

Articles

  • In poor growing seasons, crops may not be good enough to harvest.  Managers need to make some tough decisions, after assessing feed value for livestock, potential weed seed set, level of herbicide

  • In 2023, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is conducting more than 250 research trials across the state.

  • The term 'residual' applies to a number of herbicides that have a long lasting activity in the soil. These herbicides are often applied directly to the soil prior to planting crops, pre-emergent.

  • In Western Australia's Mediterranean-type climate, the survival of pests and diseases over summer is often critical in determining pest outbreaks and disease epidemics in broadacre crops.

  • Spray-topping or pasture topping is the application of a sub-lethal rate of herbicide when grasses are coming into head and flowering.

  • Spray-topping is a very effective method for managing annual grass seed set in pastures.

  • 'Crop-topping' is the late application of herbicides to prevent weed seed-set.

  • One-off soil inversion results in the complete burial of the water repellent topsoil in a layer typically at a depth of 15 to 35 cm, and brings to the surface a layer of wettable subsoil.

  • Windmill grass (Chloris truncata) is a native species and is the tenth most common summer weed species in the Western Australian wheatbelt.

  • Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is one of the most serious and costly weeds of annual winter cropping systems in southern Australia.

Pages

Filter by search

Filter by topic