Latest news with #RickLlewellyn
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
How Aussie farmers are turning the tide on $4.43 billion weed problem
Determined Aussie farmers are turning the tide on a pesky problem that is plaguing their crops and costing growers an estimated $4.43 billion every year. From council reserves to backyard gardens, weeds have received a lot of attention in recent years due to their ability to spread rapidly, strangle native plants and harm wildlife. Now, grain and cotton growers across the country are fighting back — and winning. According to a new report released by the CSIRO on Monday night, on average, weeds cost grain producers $4.3 billion a year — a seven per cent increase in costs compared to 10 years ago — but they are reaping the rewards of their investment. Grain producers drastically reduce impact of weeds on crop yield By focusing on 'smarter, long-term management strategies', farmers have been able to drastically reduce the impact of weeds on crop yield from 2.8 million tonnes in 2016 to 1.2 million tonnes in 2025. Their efforts, including harvest weed seed control, crop rotation and using new technologies such as camera-guided herbicide spraying, have led to higher production and therefore a higher income. 'Weed control remains one of the biggest annual costs for growers, but the investment is paying off,' said Dr Rick Llewellyn, a CSIRO research scientist who co-authored the report led by Jackie Ouzman. 'By staying ahead of the weed seed bank, resistance and adopting smarter, more targeted practices, growers are protecting long-term profitability and enabling flexibility in their system.' Improved summer fallow weed control — the removal of weeds that grow when a field is intentionally left uncultivated between cropping seasons — has helped tremendously, CSIRO reports. The method conserves moisture in the soil to better support crops in the drier seasons, and is a 'critical part of climate adaption', Dr Llewellyn said. 'With increasingly variable rainfall and larger cropping programs, growers need to sow crops when conditions are right without delays for weed control,' he said. 🌸 Warning not to touch invasive weed 'growing everywhere' in Aussie suburb 🚙 Alert issued to residents, travellers after dangerous find on side of roads 🌱 Common roadside plant wreaking havoc in Australia: 'Shocking way to die' Cotton industry forks out $145 million annually on weeds The cotton industry is also forking out $145 million annually on weeds, with growers shown to invest heavily in keeping densities exceptionally low, the study, which was funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), states. While new threats continue to emerge locally, across the country the most costly weeds remain the same: ryegrass, brome grass, sow thistle, wild radish and wild oats. The costliest weeds that emerge between cropping seasons are melons, heliotrope and fleabane. Dr Llewellyn said while Aussie farmers are leading the way for weed management globally, there needs to be continued research into how to 'stay ahead' while also reducing the costs for both industries. 'The only reason we're not seeing widespread yield losses from weeds today is because of years of sustained research and grower innovation,' he said. 'This is a quiet success story, but it's a battle where you can't pause — the weed challenge keeps evolving and demanding new solutions.' To do so, the GRDC is reinvesting in a five-year, $47 million Weed Management Initiative, which will support more than 20 weed research scientists, as well as 12 new PhD student scholarships. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Science
- Perth Now
Farmers get on front foot in evolving war against weeds
Australian grain and cotton growers are proving weeds can be beaten, investing significantly in strategies to help improve their control. Managing weeds costs the grain and cotton industries an estimated $4.4 billion per year, a report from Australia's national science agency CSIRO has found. Despite the large expenditure, growers are reaping the rewards. The impact of crop yield has fallen from 2.8 million tonnes in 2016 to 1.2 million tonnes in 2025, which translates into higher production and income. "Weed control remains one of the biggest annual costs for growers, but the investment is paying off," CSIRO research scientist Rick Llewellyn said. "By staying ahead of the weed seed bank, resistance and adopting smarter, more targeted practices, growers are protecting long-term profitability and enabling flexibility in their system." Weed management demands being on the front foot and strategic planning, central west NSW fifth-generation farmer Richie Quigley said. "We spend a huge amount of time and money combating weeds and there is a lot of strategy behind it to make sure we are using all the tools in the toolbox," he told AAP. "They are becoming much harder to kill and control and we have to be at the top of our game to be able to manage them." Growers are combining pre-emergent herbicides, harvest weed seed control, crop rotation and new precision spraying technologies in their management strategy. Effective weed control was critical in adapting to climate change, CSIRO technical officer Jackie Ouzman said. "Climate variability does pose significant challenges to growers but they are responding really positively to these challenges," she said. "Growers are well positioned to cope with more variable climate, with the practises they're currently doing." The most costly weeds to manage are ryegrass, brome grass, sow thistle, wild radish and wild oats, while the costliest fallow weeds in grain production at a national level are melons, heliotrope and fleabane. The CSIRO study shows the need for continued investment in weed management research to unlock productivity, climate resilience and sustainable land use. "The only reason we're not seeing widespread yield losses from weeds today is because of years of sustained research and grower innovation," Dr Llewellyn said. "This is a quiet success story, but it's a battle where you can't pause - the weed challenge keeps evolving and demanding new solutions."
