During these hard times of drought, the best control option for Serrated Tussock is to chip out individual plants or small infestations and for larger infestations wait until it rains to use herbicides.
Image - Serrated Tussock on the right of a fenceline. Article and image provided by New England Weeds Authority.
When it does rain, spot spray using Glyphosate and/or Flupropanate based herbicides as per the label recommendations. Control scattered infestations first and work back to denser infestations. Always follow up treatments with further spot spraying or chipping, as some plants may be missed and new seedlings will always emerge. Regularly monitor treated areas for the emergence of seedlings.
New England Weeds Authority (NEWA) has been chipping roadside Serrated Tussock out during these dry times as herbicides will not work.
Serrated Tussock is a South American perennial tussock grass that grows up to 45cm tall. It is a highly invasive weed and can produce more than 140,000 seeds in a good year. During winter the leaves of Serrated Tussock stay lime green in colour while other grasses brown off, leaf tips turn a bleached golden yellow colour after frost, are very fine and also feel rough when you run your fingers downwards due to fine serrations. They are tightly rolled, narrow, stiff and upright, and will roll smoothly between the index finger and thumb whilst native tussocks feel as though they have flat edges. In November Serrated Tussock has weeping purple flower heads and seeds are windblown which can travel over 50 km in the wind. Seeds also spread with feed, animals and machinery. Animals can pick up seeds in hooves, fleeces or coats and Serrated Tussock seeds remain viable passing through an animal’s gut. Seeds can remain viable in the soil for three years so treating Serrated Tussock is a continuous weed control program for all landholders who have serrated tussock or are located near properties with serrated tussock. Serrated Tussock colonises bare areas. Drought causing bare ground favours Serrated Tussock. Sandy, nutrient poor soils are at most risk.
For help with weed identification and management please contact any of our Biosecurity Officers (Weeds) on 67703602, call into our office at 2/129 Rusden St Armidale, follow our facebook site or visit www.newa.com.au.
