Preventing giant Parramatta grass (Sporobolus fertilis (Steud.) Clayton) reinfestation with reduced rates of flupropanate herbicide
T.S. Andrews, NSW Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 168, Scone, New South Wales 2337, Australia.
Summary
Controlling mature stands of giant Parramatta grass (GPG, Sporobolus fertilis (Steud.) Clayton) with flupropanate herbicide is costly and requires a rate that can injure beneficial pasture species. Research on other perennial grass weeds has shown that seedlings of those species can be controlled with reduced rates of flupropanate. A field scale trial on the North Coast of New South Wales found that such an approach could be used to prevent GPG reinfestation after a cropping phase. Flupropanate herbicide was applied at 0.45 L ha-1 (0.34 kg a.i. ha-1) during the springs of 2006 and 2007 and prevented the establishment of GPG compared with the control treatment that was infested with approximately 4200, 300 and 900 plants ha-1 in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. The potential to control GPG seedlings with reduced flupropanate rates has the multiple benefits of reduced cost, preventing GPG seed production, greater pasture tolerance and therefore greater competition.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2009) 24 (3) 118-119.