Branched Broomrape Eradication Program
Branched broomrape is a parasitic weed of a wide range of broadleaf crops. Broomrapes are root parasites that extract all of their nutritional requirements from their host plants. Broomrape species infest 16 million hectares worldwide and have been reported causing production losses of up to 75% in tomatoes and 90% in rapeseed.
Branched broomrape was found in 1992 near Bowhill in the Murray Mallee of South Australia. Since this discovery, over 500,000 hectares of land has been surveyed to delineate the extent of the infestation. Over 300,000 hectares is surveyed annually to confirm that the infestation is being contained.
A Quarantine Area was created in November 1999 and a national eradication program was established soon afterwards. Since this time, DWLBC has been managing the campaign to eradicate branched broomrape from Australia. The current Containment Zone contains all of the known infested sites in Australia.
- Page URL: http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecuritysa/branched_broomrape/branched_broomrape_eradication_program
- Page Last Modified: November 8, 2011