1. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana) Integrated grazing for success Charles Grech 2/11/05 DPI Agricultural weeds

2. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 2 The problems Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana) –Low feed value & physical damage to livestock when in seed –replaces more productive improved pasture species –invades native grasslands and conservation zones –Seeds dispersed by adhering to machinery & animals –Stem seeds and basal cleistogenes

3. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 3 Grazing management PhD Two National projects: –Chilean needle grass Regional Best Practice Management –Grazing management for long term utilisation and control of Chilean needle grass To determine the stock density, species of grazer and time of grazing to maximise animal production Supervisors Dr Brian Sindel - The University of New England, Armidale Dr David McLaren - Department of Primary Industries, Frankston Dr David Chapman - The University of Melbourne, Parkville

4. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 4 Trials underway... Regional Best Practice Management –NSW & Vic Feed evaluation of Chilean Needle Grass –fertiliser and clipping –spraytopping Reducing seed production –Comparison of stock class for Chilean Needle Grass grazing –Time of Burning –Time of Slashing Competition and Selective manipulation –Pasture Species Competition –Soil Fertility and pH –Herbicide wiper

5. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 5 Chilean needle grass Regional Best Practice Management The majority of knowledge concerning CNG comes from a study undertaken at one location (near Armidale, NSW) –seed production appeared to be sensitive to rainfall, –interaction of temperature and rainfall. –This makes the generalisation of management recommendations from one region to the next questionable

6. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 6 Four regional trial sites –Glen Innes NSW(Property of Col & Andrew Say ‘Euroa’) –Goulburn NSW(Property of Tony and Donna Kent ‘Dambreezi’) –Toolleen Vic(Property of Roger & Brian Hickson ) –Greenvale Vic(Property of Ian & Margaret Souter ‘ The Elms’) Sites managed with regional staff - DPI NSW & VIC –Lori McWhirter –Jeff Lowien –Natasha Baldyga –Brad Westhead Chilean needle grass Regional Best Practice Management

7. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 7 Treatments ( applied autumn 2003 onwards ) –Herbicide (Glyphosate; non selective & spraytopping, Flupropanate) –Sheep grazing (strategic grazing, set stock, lockup) –Resowing (pasture, cropping) Chilean needle grass Regional Best Practice Management Glen Innes Greenvale, Toolleen, Goulburn

8. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 8

9. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 9 Effect of grazing regime on desirable perennial grass basal cover in glyphosate plots - Toolleen d569 11 24 0 10 20 30 % cover Lockup & Resow Strategic graze & Resow

10. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 10 Strategic grazing after Flupropanate application (Winter 2003) –significantly less CNG than set stock plots - Toolleen Dec04 Winter 2004 Spring 2004Autumn 2005 Set stock Strategic

11. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 11 Trends so far… Flupropanate –reduced CNG cover –proportional to grazing broadleaf weeds Glyphosate (& sow) –reduced CNG –increased perennial Chilean needle grass Regional Best Practice Management

12. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 12 Feed evaluation of Chilean needle grass Fertiliser addition & Clipping Low feed value in contrast with producer observations Feed value quantified throughout growing season (FeedTest) –compared to cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) Trial conducted at Greenvale Victoria (Property of Ian Souter) spring 2003 to winter 2005

13. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 13 Treatments –Clipped regrowth Vs unclipped growth –Fertiliser addition Feed evaluation of Chilean needle grass Fertiliser addition & Clipping A 250kg/ha single super phosphate (8.8%P 11%S 19%Ca) B 200kg/ha urea (46%N) –split fertiliser applications of 100kg/ha over spring 2003

14. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 14 Results since spring 2003… Clipped CNG continues to have significantly more ME (2003 & 2004) N fertilised - significantly more ME at day 63 & day 398 Feed evaluation of Chilean needle grass Fertiliser addition & Clipping

15. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 15 Feed evaluation of Chilean needle grass Spraytopping Feed value quantified throughout growing season (FeedTest) –compared to phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) Trial conducted at Bannockburn (Hamilton Hwy) Victoria spring 2003 Treatments –Two spray times, linked to growth stage –Two spray rates (Glyphosate)

16. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 16 Feed evaluation of Chilean needle grass Spraytopping Effect of spraytopping –irrespective of time of spray & rate of spray Plants that were spraytopped (both CNG & Phalaris) –significantly higher dry matter percentage (DM%) –significantly lower fibre content (NDF) Application rate (both CNG & Phalaris) –no significant responses

17. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 17 Clipped CNG - significantly more ME than unclipped (2003 & 2004) N fertilised - significantly more ME than non N at day 63 & day 398 Spraytopped Plants (both CNG & Phalaris) –significantly higher dry matter percentage (DM%) –significantly lower fibre content (NDF) Feed evaluation of Chilean needle grass

18. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 18 Effect of Stock Class on Chilean needle grass seed production CNG can be valuable winter feed when in its vegetative state Grazing is a means to reduce seed production Cattle graze CNG better than sheep

19. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 19 Trial established to quantify the amount of standing seed remaining after grazing by sheep or cattle in different grazing regimes. –Animal production –pasture changes Treatments initiated spring 2004 ongoing –Cattle Vs Sheep Angus cows and calves Suffolk X ewes and lambs –Rotational Vs Set stock grazing 12DSE/ha equivalent 4 paddock time based rotation Effect of Stock Class on Chilean needle grass seed production

20. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 20 Trial layout Greenvale VIC property of Ian Souter Managed by John & Alan McKenzie Weed CRC summer student Aaron Dodd 30ha trial area

21. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 21 Effect of Stock Class on Chilean needle grass seed production Trial Measurements –Standing CNG seed panicle and stem seed set harvest –Pasture regrowth after grazing Growth composition BOTANAL –Pasture composition change Basal observations Ground cover –Animal liveweight & condition score Monthly Fleece VM

22. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 22 Results - Seed production Grazing cw. ungrazed –reduced standing seed panicle stem cleistogene Cattle cw. Sheep –cattle grazed more than sheep approx 100 seeds/g

23. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 23 Results - Pasture regrowth Grazing cw. Ungrazed –BOTANAL (pasture cages) –early spring (d56) –grazing reduced CNG

24. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 24 Results - Animal production Sheep Vs Cattle –Liveweight (kg/ha, DSE/ha) –Welfare

25. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 25 Stockclass conclusions Grazing –significantly reduced CNG seed production (panicle & stem) –changed early spring regrowth to a more palatable composition –Cattle significantly more effective than sheep Managed grazing with cattle to reduce seed production

26. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 26 Time of Burning - Chilean needle grass Burning can sterilise weed seeds both on the plant and in the soil seedbank Trial conducted at Greenvale Victoria (Property of L&J Karmel). –Summer 2004/2005 ongoing

27. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 27 Time of Burning - Chilean needle grass Treatments –3 burning times –20x20m plots –drip torch strip ignition(leeward side)

28. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 28 No effect of time of burn as yet... Burning prior to seedfall reduced panicle seeds left standing patchy burns Burning significantly increased CNG seedlings when compared to unburnt decreased vegetative litter increased bare soil Time of Burning - Chilean needle grass Early summerMid SummerAutumn

29. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 29 Time of Slashing - Chilean needle grass Slashing reduces dry matter during reproductive phases –reduced panicle seeds (regeneration) Vector for the spread of CNG. Evaluation of different times of slashing related to CNG growth stage Trial conducted at Greenvale Victoria (Property of L&J Karmel). –Summer 2004/2005 ongoing

30. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 30 Time of Slashing - Chilean needle grass Treatments –7 slashing combinations –5x20m plots –3 point linkage rotary slasher

31. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 31 Time of Slashing - Chilean needle grass Time of slashing (from 2004 only) –no effect on seedlings in following season –no effect on botanical composition CNG Desirable perennials litter (Dec Slash)

32. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 32 Pasture competition - species Pasture competition can make soil resources unavailable to weed species This trial evaluated the competitiveness of 3 pasture species at different sowing & fertiliser rates. Trial conducted at Wildwood Victoria (autumn 2004), on the property of Robyn Kissel ‘Grevisfield.’ –non arable infestation of CNG.

33. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 33 Pasture competition - species Treatments –3 species Phalaris aquatica, Dactylis glomerata Festuca arundinacea –2 sowing rates –2 fertiliser rates (Di ammonium Phosphate) –45x20m plot area (one grazing cell), –Sowing using all terrain disc seeder (RockHoppa by AgReCon) –Tractor fitted with high flotation tyres (Trelleborg) The trial plots were made up of 30 grazing cells across 15 lanes of a 16 lane grazing system operating on a 90-100day rotation stocked equivalent to 35DSE/ha (Cattle).

34. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 34 Pasture competition - species A Control plots were not fertilised or sown to any pasture species B Jessup MaxP Tall fescue (Festuca & Goulburn Subterranean clover. C Kara Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) & Goulburn Subterranean clover. D Holdfast Phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) & Goulburn Subterranean clover. E Seed rates Jessup MaxP Tall fescue (Goulburn sub clover) Normal rate 22kg/ha (6kg/ha) High rate44kg/ha (12kg/ha) Kara Cocksfoot (Goulburn sub clover) Normal rate7kg/ha (6kg/ha) High rate14kg/ha (12kg/ha) Holdfast Phalaris (Goulburn sub clover) Normal rate8kg/ha (6kg/ha) High rate16kg/ha (12kg/ha) Note: Sub clover seed was lime coated and inoculated. Seed rate is expressed as equivalent sowing rate of bare seed.

35. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 35 Effect of Soil fertility and pH Nassella species may be less responsive to soil fertility than phalaris species Trial established to evaluate the response of Chilean needle grass to different levels of soil fertility and pH Glasshouse trial - DPI Frankston Winter/spring 2005 –LaTrobe university honours student James Winters Treatments (fully factorial) –3 levels of Phosphorus –3 levels of Nitrogen –3 soil pH levels

36. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 36 Effect of Soil fertility and pH Measurements –seedling vigour (destructive harvest) –mature plants (still growing!) Results - Response to soil Phosphorus –Seedling height Phalaris plants significantly higher than CNG (d19 onwards) –Shoot weight Phalaris plants significantly higher than CNG –Leaf area Phalaris leaf area significantly higher than CNG (78cm 2 vs 19cm 2 ) –Root Length Phalaris roots significantly longer than CNG CNG root length increased less than Phalaris in response to P

37. DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 37 Conclusion Feed evaluation of Chilean Needle Grass fertiliser and spraytopping had limited effects Reducing seed production/seedbank –Grazing significantly reduced CNG seed production (panicle & stem) Cattle significantly more effective than sheep –Burning reduced panicle seeds increased seedlings –Slashing decreased panicle seeds Competition and Selective manipulation –Herbicide integration Flupropanate & allow pasture regeneration –CNG slow response to soil Phosphorus