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25 September 1998 |
Ref 98/230 |
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"Northern Territory wetlands are facing the continuing threat of invasion by the woody weed Mimosa pigra," says Dr Jim Cullen, Chief of CSIRO Entomology.
"New funding will allow us to introduce more insects as biological control agents," says Dr Cullen. "We will be able to integrate biological control with other control options. In collaboration with the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (DPIF) we hope we can produce a cost-effective, environmentally non-damaging and sustainable management strategy for Mimosa."
The future of the Northern Territory's beautiful wetland areas, including Kakadu National Park, looks more secure against weed invasion after the announcement last week of a $2.1 million funding boost from National Heritage Trust funds.
In welcoming the announcement, Dr Cullen says Mimosa is considered one of Australia's worst environmental weeds under the Commonwealth Endangered Species Protection Act.
"It is a thorny woody plant which can grow to 4m in height completely wiping out native vegetation beneath it's canopy, including the habitats of some threatened plants and animals," he says.
Mr Ian Miller, Chief Weeds Agronomist with DPIF, says: "Mimosa pigra is the largest single environmental threat to the Northern Territory's wetlands. A study site for the integration of control options has been established on the Wagait Aboriginal Land Trust and an intensive trial will be on-going. This site represents the continued collaborative nature of the work between this Department, CSIRO and community groups".
Dr Wendy Forno, CSIRO Entomology's leader for the biological control project says that by the year 2001 CSIRO hopes to have all approved biological control agents widely established across the whole mimosa infestation.
"This weed is a disaster in the Top End with potential to spread into Queensland, northern NSW and Western Australia and this funding commitment will assist the development of a sustainable management strategy to prevent the weed spreading further," says Dr Forno.
The project will be funded until September 2001. The biological control component will include work in the native range, quarantine studies, mass production and release of agents, and detailed evaluation of their impact. The final step will be the integration of the damage caused by these agents with other control options.
More information from:
Dr Penny Edwards (08) 8944 8418
Penny.Edwards@terc.csiro.au
Mr Ian Miller (08) 8999 2270
ian.miller@nt.gov.au
Dr Jim Cullen (02) 6246 4025
jim.cullen@ento.csiro.au
Visit our Web Site: www.ento.csiro.au
Background
Mimosa pigra is a native to Tropical America and was probably introduced to Australia in the mid to late 1800's, either as a botanical curiosity because the leaves close when touched, hence its common name, or accidentally with cattle or as a contaminant of other seed. It quite happily existed in the Darwin Botanic Gardens for many years, although by 1913 it was considered to be weedy, even within the gardens. The plant produces thousands of seed per square metre every year and bristles on the pods keep the seed afloat allowing water to carry the seed to new areas. Mimosa was not found outside the Darwin area until 1952. During the 1970's following several years of above average rainfall and heavy impact of feral Asiatic water buffalo on the floodplains of the Adelaide river, mimosa started on its rapid spread through the Top End. Presently it is still restricted to the NT where it infests more than 80,000 ha of wetlands changing diverse wetland areas into large monocultures of mimosa. It is a threat to pastoral and agricultural areas of eastern Queensland and northern NSW and the Ord region of Western Australia where it could develop large stands if it spread from the NT.
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