Weeds

Weeds pose a serious risk for primary producers as they can impact on market access and agricultural production.

In 2006/07, each Western Australian agricultural business spent an average of $29 376 ($341 million total) on weed control (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

Weed control is a shared responsibility between landholders, grower groups, biosecurity groups and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

To protect WA’s agriculture, the department:

works with landholders, grower groups, community groups and biosecurity groups
regulates weeds under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007
provides a weed identification service
provides a predictive simulation tool called weed seed wizard
provides information on weed control, crop weeds, regulated/declared plants and herbicides
contributes to social science through weedwatcher.

For advice on weeds search our website, the Western Australian Organism List or contact our Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS).

For diagnostic services, please contact our Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

Articles

Silver grass

4 February 2011

Silver grass is an annual grass occurring in both cropping and grazing regions across Australia. There are several species, the most common being Vulpia myuros and V. bromoides.
Wild radish

18 May 2012

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is highly competitive in crops and can cause a yield loss of 10-90%.
Herbicide resistance

31 January 2011

Herbicide resistance is the inherited ability of an individual plant to survive a herbicide application that would kill a normal population of the same species.
Pasture manipulation - for grass control

30 April 2015

Pasture manipulation is the application of herbicides for grass control early in the growing season (autumn or early winter).

It is often the preferred option for grass control.
Harvest weed seed control shows continued success in controlling resistant weeds

15 October 2020

Results from a two-decade annual survey continue to show the success of harvest weed seed control as a part of broadacre farmers’ integrated weed management strategy in the Geraldton region.
Chemical weed control in canola

2 September 2020

The Chemical weed control in canola bulletin has been produced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, with co-investment from the Grains Research and Development Corporat
Crop weeds: integrated weed management (IWM)

12 January 2011

In-crop weed competition causes losses costing around $1 billion per annum for Western Australia.
Crop weeds: controlling small weeds

14 January 2011

In an integrated weed management program, control of weeds should occur in the fallow, pre-sowing, early post-emergent and in pasture phases.
Managing weeds in emerging crops

17 August 2017

Following the extended dry conditions this autumn, weeds are now emerging and becoming a challenge for growers to manage in paddocks that may have patchy crops, crops with staggered emergence or no
Developing an integrated weed management (IWM) plan

15 February 2011

Integrated weed management (IWM) is a system for managing weeds over the long term, and is particularly useful for managing and minimising herbicide resistance.