Next Community Focus Group Meeting

The next Community Focus Group Meeting (CFG) will be advised shortly.

“Growing Degree Model” to predict Spray Window

Each year the Branched Broomrape Eradication Program's Growing Degree Day (GDD) Model monitors the expected development of broomrape plants once the season breaks in Autumn. After the break, the rate of broomrape development depends on soil temperatures – a warmer winter gives quicker development, while a colder winter gives slower development. The GDD Model predicts how broomrape plants are acting underground so that we know when it is the best time to spray and when to expect plants to emerge out of the ground to set new seed. This information is important when trying to prevent broomrape plants from setting new, viable seed each year.

IMPORTANT  POINTS ON THE GDD TIME-LINE
500 GDD - we can expect to find the first “spiders” attached to host roots.
1,000 GDD - most of the “spiders” that are going to attach should have done so.
1,500 GDD - the first emerged broomrape plants can be expected.
700 to 1,300 GDD - optimum spray timing depending on the type of herbicide

The Program monitors six weather stations and these will once again be used to calculate the “spray window'' for broomrape control in the coming 2011 season.   Figure 1 below shows broomrape attachments forming underground during autumn-winter which if left uncontrolled, will develop and emerge in late winter to early spring. 

In the 2011 season, as has been the case in previous years, the Program will be arranging for boom-spray and aerial contractors to be applying herbicide to infested paddocks at the correct timing according to the GDD model. 

Hay – two changes to the “Code”

Transport of level 4 hay without tarping
During 2009 Program staff and the Community Focus Group worked with local growers to develop protocols for the transportation of hay grown in level 4 paddocks.  
As with the previous protocols, hay grown in level 4 (infested) paddocks can only be moved to other level 4 paddocks/sites.

The review resulted in an addition to the Code (.pdf) which requires landholders to:-

1) EITHER securely cover loads of hay before they are moved from a Level 4 paddock (as in the past)

2) OR develop a special “approved paddock management plan” that describes the measures that will be undertaken in order to reduce the risk of spread during transport to an acceptable level.  In summary, the entire paddock must have excellent weed/host control, the cutting height must be above 100mm, there must have been no emerged broomrape for the last three years, and the transport route must be specified.  With these conditions met tarping is not required. 

For more information regarding the change or to obtain a pro-forma (.pdf) for a special “approved paddock management plan” please contact the Broomrape Control Centre on 1800 245 704.

Level 1 pea hay can leave the Quarantine Area
It has become apparent that field peas are poor hosts of branched broomrape in the Mallee environment.  Pea hay may now be moved from an approved, non-infested (level 1) paddock to outside the quarantine area provided it meets a new two survey standard and a more stringent limit on host plants in the pea crop.  Pea hay grown in level 4 paddocks can only move to other level 4 paddocks within the quarantine area.

Pasture Spraying

This year the Broomrape Eradication Program will continue to assist landholders to control host plants of branched broomrape. The Program will organise a spray plane and helicopter to control broomrape in inaccessible areas and boom-spray contractors to spray arable areas.

In 2011, early registrations of interest for spraying arable pasture, received on/by 15 May 2011, will have the price of $6.00 per ha.  After this date, the cost to landholders for spraying of arable pasture areas will be $7.00 / hectare. Scrub and inaccessible areas will remain free. Crops can be sprayed at the cost recovery rate of $12/hectare (contact made on/by 15 May  2011) or $13 / hectare (contact made after 15 May 2011). Chemical used by contractors on infested paddocks will be supplied by the Program and the cost will be covered by the Program under the Herbicide Grants Scheme.

Pasture Spraying 2011 Registration of Interest (PDF 47 KB)

Cost Recovery

In an effort to increase compliance with the “Code - Control of Branched Broomrape’ we are introducing cost recovery.

Cost recovery uses the powers of inspectors under the Plant Health Act 2009 to seize items moving in contravention of the Fruit and Plant protection Act.

In these cases, the item can be seized by the inspector, subjected to any required treatments (eg decontamination), and returned to the owner with an approval certificate. The person committing the act will then be invoiced for all costs associated with the decontamination.

These provisions will only be used for people who are not complying with the “Code”.