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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 45(1)

A survey of management and economic impact of weeds in dryland cotton cropping systems of subtropical Australia

S. R. Walker A , I. N. Taylor B , G. Milne C , V. A. Osten D , Z. Hoque E and R. J. Farquharson F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CRC for Australian Weed Management, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 2282, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia. Corresponding author. Email: Steve.R.Walker@dpi.gov.au

B Australian Cotton CRC, Australian Cotton Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, Narrabri, NSW 2390, Australia.

C PO Box 4, Jimbour, Qld 4406, Australia.

D CRC for Australian Weed Management, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, LMB 6, Emerald, Qld 4720, Australia.

E NSW Department of Primary Industries, 161 Kite Street, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.

F Australian Cotton CRC, NSW Department of Primary Industries, RMB 944, Calala Lane, Tamworth, NSW 2340, Australia.

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45(1) 79-91 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03189
Submitted: 19 September 2003  Accepted: 10 May 2004   Published: 21 February 2005

Abstract

In dryland cotton cropping systems, the main weeds and effectiveness of management practices were identified, and the economic impact of weeds was estimated using information collected in a postal and a field survey of Southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Forty-eight completed questionnaires were returned, and 32 paddocks were monitored in early and late summer for weed species and density. The main problem weeds were bladder ketmia (Hibiscus trionum), common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus), barnyard grasses (Echinochloa spp.), liverseed grass (Urochloa panicoides) and black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus), but the relative importance of these differed with crops, fallows and crop rotations. The weed flora was diverse with 54 genera identified in the field survey. Control of weed growth in rotational crops and fallows depended largely on herbicides, particularly glyphosate in fallow and atrazine in sorghum, although effective control was not consistently achieved. Weed control in dryland cotton involved numerous combinations of selective herbicides, several non-selective herbicides, inter-row cultivation and some manual chipping. Despite this, residual weeds were found at 38–59% of initial densities in about 3-quarters of the survey paddocks. The on-farm financial costs of weeds ranged from $148 to 224/ha.year depending on the rotation, resulting in an estimated annual economic cost of $19.6 million. The approach of managing weed populations across the whole cropping system needs wider adoption to reduce the weed pressure in dryland cotton and the economic impact of weeds in the long term. Strategies that optimise herbicide performance and minimise return of weed seed to the soil are needed. Data from the surveys provide direction for research to improve weed management in this cropping system. The economic framework provides a valuable measure of evaluating likely future returns from technologies or weed management improvements.


Acknowledgments

We thank all of the participating growers, especially the 10 who volunteered to be interviewed and have their paddocks closely scrutinised. The professional assistance and technical support from Michael Widderick and Anne Sullivan were greatly appreciated. Assistance in economic analysis from B. McCorkell and Randall Jones is also much appreciated. This research was funded by Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Australian Weed Management and Australian Cotton CRC.


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