Now is the time for landowners to check their properties for the noxious weed serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma), as pasture competition is at one of its lowest points in years and the invasive grass continues to spread across Victoria.
Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) Community Engagement Officer Ivan Carter said the combination of low rainfall and a late autumn break in some regions has created ideal conditions for serrated tussock growth.
“We’re urging landowners to use any spare time to survey their properties for serrated tussock plants,” Mr Carter said.
“Controlling the weed before it goes to seed is critical to prevent further spread, lost productivity and increased management costs.”
Serrated tussock can germinate at any time after rain, but mostly in autumn and winter. With struggling pastures and hot, dry conditions, the weed is spreading rapidly, particularly in overgrazed or bare paddocks, compounding productivity losses for farmers.
Young plants and seedlings can be removed manually using a pick or shovel, or spot sprayed with a registered herbicide, depending on the size of the infestation. Newly germinated seedlings are bright green, erect, and stand out from other pasture grasses.
Before flowering, serrated tussock appears lime green, and its flower-heads turn purple as seeds ripen in late spring and early summer. The fine leaves roll smoothly between fingers, while native Poa tussocks feel flat-edged and rough to the touch. Mature plants can produce thousands of seeds each season, which can blow up to 20 kilometres from the parent plant.
“Controlling mature plants before they flower can be done with herbicide, manual removal, or cultivation,” Mr Carter said.
“Maintaining healthy, competitive pasture is one of the most important aspects of weed management, as serrated tussock struggles to establish where ground cover is strong.”
Under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, Victorian landowners have a legal responsibility to control serrated tussock. The weed, declared noxious and a Weed of National Significance, requires all reasonable steps to prevent its growth and spread.
Serrated tussock now covers more than 250,000 hectares in Victoria. Large infestations require ongoing management using a
combination of control techniques. For advice or to get involved with the VSTWP as a
community representative.
