Free On-Ground Assistance to Help Landholders Control African Lovegrass

In collaboration with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board is deploying contractors to spray infestations in and around Lameroo, Pinnaroo, Karoonda and Meningie this summer.

African lovegrass is a tough, summer-active perennial grass that degrades and competes with desirable pastures. In addition to being a significant fire hazard, this declared weed can also form herbicide resistant populations. Its harmless and green-in-summer appearance often help the weed go undetected until it is well established on properties and roadsides.

The program is being delivered by PIRSA in partnership with the Murraylands and Riverland and Limestone Coast Landscape Boards in an effort to reduce the impact and spread of this highly invasive grass to the agricultural industry and our environment.

Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board District Manager Bec Gould encouraged eligible landholders with suspected African lovegrass outbreaks to register to participate in the program.

“African lovegrass is a hard-to-control weed so we encourage all landholders in the area with an incursion to take advantage of this initiative. As with all weeds, control works best if we can coordinate neighbouring landholders, so you’re encouraged to talk to surrounding landholders and get them on board too”.

Landholders in the Murraylands and Riverland are required to control African lovegrass incursions in line with the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

“Participating in this free initiative will help landholders meet their obligations to control the declared weed on their property”.

Landholders in the hundreds of Vincent, Wilson, McPherson, Hooper, Marmon-Jabuk, Molineux, Seymour, Sherlock, Cotton, Bews, Parilla, Pinnaroo, Malcolm, Coolinong, Roby, Peake, Price, Quirke, Sherlock, Allenby, Day, Carcuma and Bonney are eligible to apply to participate in the initiative.

Participating landholders are required to provide access to landscape board staff and contractors, monitor treated incursions and undertake follow-up activities to ensure control works are successful.

Eligible landholders can register here or call Russell Norman on 0427 095 313. Funding is limited, and participation is available on a first-come-first-served basis. Registrations close on 17 January 2024. Landholders are also encouraged to discuss their ideas for alternative approaches to African lovegrass control with landscape board district officers.

Karoonda workshop to provide additional African lovegrass support

Access to free contractor spraying of African lovegrass is part of a larger initiative under the Priority Weeds, Cropping and Pasture Weeds Program to control this priority weed in the Murraylands and Riverland and Limestone Coast regions.

A free workshop will be hosted in February 2024 to help landholders learn more about control methods for African lovegrass.

The workshop will include a presentation and breakfast at the Karoonda Institute, followed by a visit to a local demonstration site.

The demonstration site was established to investigate best practise approaches to African lovegrass control in a regional setting. The site includes a number of different techniques designed to find the most effective combination of control while minimising the risk of developing herbicide resistance.

The site has been set up to assess a number of knock-down approaches, including the combination of both mechanical and chemical options to increase the effectiveness of control. Mechanical applications include the use of crimp rollers, slashing and blade plough, and chemical options include standard knockdown sprays, Rotowiper and follow up to reduce future seed set.

More information about the workshop, including registrations will be promoted closer to the time.

This program is funded by the Commonwealth Government and State Government through the Priority Weeds, Cropping and Pasture Weeds Program.