Skeleton weed

Page last updated: Tuesday, 5 December 2023 - 1:42pm

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

Skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea L.) is a declared pest in Western Australia under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007. The management and control of this pest is the responsibility of the landholder.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development with support from the Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme has in place the Skeleton Weed Program to manage skeleton weed in Western Australia's wheat growing areas.

The main objective of the Program is to assist landholders to eradicate skeleton weed and to prevent its further spread within the State. This is achieved through strong support from DPIRD, an effective control program for affected properties, and the detection of newly infested areas via a targeted surveillance program before skeleton weed can become established.

The Program provides significant benefits for grains, seeds and hay industries through its eradication and management program, successfully eradicating skeleton weed from a number of properties and limiting the spread across the grain and hay growing areas of Western Australia.

An important mechanism for delivering the project activities is achieved through the funding of Local Action Groups (LAG’s). These groups undertake the delivery of program activities in a particular area (usually a shire or group of shires) thanks to strong local support in their communities.