
Australian agriculture could lose $5 billion from the colourful flower you might be growing
Originally introduced for its beauty and ease of care, Gazania is now a highly invasive species in Australia, posing a significant ecological and economic threat. Its resilience allows it to thrive in harsh conditions, overtaking farmland and impacting the agricultural sector. Calls for a nationwide ban are growing as experts warn of its devastating consequences.
Scientists are warning Australians against buying Gazania, an ornamental plant from southern Africa that is rapidly invading local ecosystems. Its aggressive spread threatens farmland and natural habitats across Western and Southern Australia.
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Once valued for its vibrant flowers and easy maintenance, Gazania was first introduced to Australia between the 1950s and 1970s. Today, it is considered a highly invasive species with a serious ecological and economic threat. The plant is sold in major retail outlets such as Bunnings Amazon , and various online garden stores.Scientists have urged Australians to reconsider purchasing this popular ornamental plant and raised concerns about its rapidly growing threat to the environment and agriculture.According to researchers, Gazania has its roots in southern Africa and has aggressively spread across Western and Southern Australia, taking over grasslands, dunes, stream banks, roadsides, wastelands, and farmland.Its rapid growth and resistance to standard herbicides have made it especially problematic in low-rainfall grain-producing regions of South Australia.A study by Muhammad Adnan, a PhD student at the La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food (LISAF), found that Gazania seeds are highly resilient.The research, which collected thousands of seeds from across Australia, revealed that they can survive and germinate under extreme environmental conditions, be it salinity, moisture stress, varying light levels, heat, or even burial depths.'Gazania may appear colourful and harmless, but its ability to thrive in harsh conditions suggests it could become a year-round weed in many parts of Australia,' Adnan said.The plant's resilience is already translating into real consequences. Researchers from La Trobe University warn that Gazania is overtaking productive farmland, leaving crops unable to compete.The estimated economic impact could reach up to $5 billion annually, particularly affecting Australia's agricultural sector.The Invasive Species Council is now calling for a nationwide ban on the sale of Gazania. 'These plants are overrunning native grasslands and entering grain production zones,' said Imogen Ebsworth, Advocacy Manager at the council. 'They're choking out crops and burdening farmers heavily.'With the growing concerns, Bunnings stated that it complies with all local regulations. 'We sell a wide range of locally sourced plants based on customer demand, and we follow all relevant biosecurity guidelines,' a spokesperson said.While some states have already taken action, South Australia banned Gazania in March 2021, and Victoria listed it as a highly invasive species, experts believe a coordinated national approach is necessary.
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Australian agriculture could lose $5 billion from the colourful flower you might be growing
Originally introduced for its beauty and ease of care, Gazania is now a highly invasive species in Australia, posing a significant ecological and economic threat. Its resilience allows it to thrive in harsh conditions, overtaking farmland and impacting the agricultural sector. Calls for a nationwide ban are growing as experts warn of its devastating consequences. Scientists are warning Australians against buying Gazania, an ornamental plant from southern Africa that is rapidly invading local ecosystems. Its aggressive spread threatens farmland and natural habitats across Western and Southern Australia. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Once valued for its vibrant flowers and easy maintenance, Gazania was first introduced to Australia between the 1950s and 1970s. Today, it is considered a highly invasive species with a serious ecological and economic threat. The plant is sold in major retail outlets such as Bunnings Amazon , and various online garden have urged Australians to reconsider purchasing this popular ornamental plant and raised concerns about its rapidly growing threat to the environment and to researchers, Gazania has its roots in southern Africa and has aggressively spread across Western and Southern Australia, taking over grasslands, dunes, stream banks, roadsides, wastelands, and rapid growth and resistance to standard herbicides have made it especially problematic in low-rainfall grain-producing regions of South Australia.A study by Muhammad Adnan, a PhD student at the La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food (LISAF), found that Gazania seeds are highly research, which collected thousands of seeds from across Australia, revealed that they can survive and germinate under extreme environmental conditions, be it salinity, moisture stress, varying light levels, heat, or even burial depths.'Gazania may appear colourful and harmless, but its ability to thrive in harsh conditions suggests it could become a year-round weed in many parts of Australia,' Adnan plant's resilience is already translating into real consequences. Researchers from La Trobe University warn that Gazania is overtaking productive farmland, leaving crops unable to estimated economic impact could reach up to $5 billion annually, particularly affecting Australia's agricultural Invasive Species Council is now calling for a nationwide ban on the sale of Gazania. 'These plants are overrunning native grasslands and entering grain production zones,' said Imogen Ebsworth, Advocacy Manager at the council. 'They're choking out crops and burdening farmers heavily.'With the growing concerns, Bunnings stated that it complies with all local regulations. 'We sell a wide range of locally sourced plants based on customer demand, and we follow all relevant biosecurity guidelines,' a spokesperson some states have already taken action, South Australia banned Gazania in March 2021, and Victoria listed it as a highly invasive species, experts believe a coordinated national approach is necessary.


News18
5 days ago
- News18
Adnan Sami's Doctor Told His Parents They'd Find Him Dead In 6 Months: 'It Was A Shock'
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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Adnan Sami was told he could die in six months at 230 kg: ‘Went straight to a bakery and ate half of their goods'
Singer Adnan Sami was 230kg when his doctors gave him the warning that if he kept up with his lifestyle, he would die in six months. Following that, he went straight to a bakery and ate half of their goods. Also read: The biggest 'loser': Didn't undergo weight-loss surgery, says Adnan Sami In an interview with India TV, Adnan looked back at his weight journey and the emotional conversation with his father. Adnan said, 'Doctors told me that my results are on the borderline. They said, 'If you continue this lifestyle, I will not be surprised that your parents will find you dead in a hotel room six months from now'. It was a shock for me, but I was angry because he said this in front of my father. I told my father to ignore the doctor as they tend to be melodramatic.' The singer revealed that his lifestyle at that time didn't help him lose the weight. He added, 'After visiting the doctor, I went straight to a bakery and ate half of their goods. My father was looking at me with anger, and he asked, 'Aren't you scared of God?' He rebuked me for ignoring what the doctor said, and I told him, 'Doctors keep saying things. '' He shared that he was so overweight he couldn't sleep lying down and had to sleep sitting up for many years. Adnan had an emotional conversation with his father where he told him that he doesn't want to bury his own child, sharing he 'saw tears in his eyes'. That's when he promised his father that he would lose weight and then lost 120kg. There were people who claimed that Adnan lost weight through surgeries. He has refuted such claims and shared that his nutritionist gave him a high-protein diet, excluding sugar, alcohol, rice, bread, alcohol, and oil. Adnan, who shot to fame in India with his song Lift Karadey in 2000, underwent a massive weight loss transformation. In 2022, Adnan shared a few pictures from his family vacation in the Maldives, and his 'new look' had people raving with fans wondering: 'How can someone turn that hot?' At that time, he told Hindustan Times, "I have, for the longest period, had issues with my weight, and it has been a lifelong struggle. I keep, for lack of a better word, yo-yoing, going up on the scales. The first time I lost a tremendous amount of weight was around 2007-2008. Then, I kept putting on and losing weight. It's a part of life. This time, too, it was a typical occasion when I had lost some weight,' says the singer, who weighed 230kg before he transformed the first time around.