Farmers will gain valuable insights into summer weed control with a particular focus on fleabane at BCG’s members-only Trials Review Day on February 21, where BCG Research Agronomist Angus Butterfield and ICAN Rural Senior Consultant Mark Congreve will present the latest research and practical management strategies.
Flaxleaf fleabane (Conyza bonariensis) is characterised by a deep taproot system, prolific seed production, and resistance to common herbicides making it a challenging weed for farmers across Australia. Recent BCG research has focused on evaluating product combinations and rates for double-knock strategies.
Angus Butterfield, Mark Congreve. Photos: The Buloke Times
“Fleabane becomes increasingly difficult to manage once it matures, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for total control. The most successful growers are those who take a planned approach, using a double-knock strategy and targeting the plants when they’re young to stay ahead of the problem,” says Butterfield.
Near Birchip
Angus Butterfield undertook two trials researching the weed near Birchip, in the summer of 2023-24, focussing on double-knock control. The first trial investigated the effectiveness of different first pass options and the second trial, second pass treatments.
Complementing BCG’s local research, Mark Congreve will bring 40 years’ experience working with weeds and herbicides, including 15 years of practical field experience with fleabane in northern regions of Australia.
“Weeds change farming systems,” he says. “There is no one strategy for controlling fleabane, but simple practices such as getting on top of it early and getting the product into the plant under the right spray conditions results in most effective control.
Autumn germination
“In northern parts of Australia, we are seeing an autumn germination, and the plants sit under the crop throughout the growing season until spring, when they grow rapidly with the increased sunlight and warmer conditions. Growers should consider the age of the plant relative to its root size when devising their control strategy.”
Mark is developing an integrated management manual for fleabane which is planned to be released later in 2025.
Full trial results and recommendations will be presented at BCG’s Trials Review Day at the Birchip Community Leisure Centre on Friday, February 21. Trials Review Day is a strictly members’-only event. Members are encouraged to RSVP on the BCG website.
Become a BCG member today at bcg.org.au or contact the BCG office on (03) 5492 2787.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 7 February 2025.
