Weed detection

A biosecurity expert is urging Wimmera famers to keep an eye out for noxious weeds that are poisonous to both animals and humans.

Agriculture Victoria leading biosecurity officer Michael Moerkerk said weeds such as cape tulip were likely to emerge on farms in the region during spring.

He said the weeds were toxic to humans and livestock and in severe cases poisoning could lead to paralysis and death.

“The plants typically flower from September to October, so now is the time for farmers to identify if their property is infected,” he said.

Mr Moerkerk said even dry material from cape tulips could cause poisoning of stock.

The flowers of both species, cape tulip one-leaf and cape tulip two-leaf, look similar, with six pink-salmon coloured petal-like segments with a yellow centre. Stems are usually zig-zagged in appearance and grow to 75cm in height.

“Both species have long strap-like leaves and as the names imply, cape tulip one-leaf has only one leaf per plant, whereas cape tulip has two to three leaves per plant,” Mr Moerkerk said.

He said there were two control methods to remove cape tulip from an infected area – the application of a registered herbicide, or the physical removal of the entire plant, including the roots, from the soil.

“To control the spread of cape tulip early identification and management before the plants become established and set seed in an area is critical,” he said.

Cape tulip one-leaf is a declared Regionally Controlled Weed in the Wimmera catchment under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 and all landowners have a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent the growth and spread on their land. Cape tulip two-leaf is not as widely distributed throughout the Wimmera catchment and is declared as a Regionally Prohibited Weed.

Further information can be found online at agriculture. vic.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/priority-weeds.