Mosquitoes, Stormwater and Infrastructure - A Primer

Mosquitoes and other biting insects are a bit of a pest.  If living in the tropics they are a nuisance, as well as a vector of some serious diseases.  Zika virus is the newest one to hit the headlines, but there are plenty more.......and more serious too.

Locally in north Australia the more notable issues relate to Ross River Fever, Barmah Forest virus, Murray Valley Encephalitis as well as Dengue Fever and possibly Chikungunya Virus in some areas, Overseas in Asia, Dengue and Malaria can be of major concern.

Often the pesky biting is enough to cause problems, even without disease issues.

Standing shallow and still water can be a major haven for harbouring mosquitoes.

An article prepared for Stormwater magazine way back in 2002 is still relevant in providing ideas, guidelines and a reality check about water and mosquitoes.

It was prepared with the US situation first and centre of mind,  but is a relevant readable article for use in Australia too.  Information on insecticides is a bit dated but the concepts are useful to understand.

The link is here :

http://foresternetwork.com/weekly/stormwater-weekly/the-dark-side-of-stormwater-runoff-management-disease-vectors-associated-with-structural-bmps/ 

The other link below  refers to Zika virus details based on US data - although the primary carrier mosquito is not nominally present in Australia.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/health/zika-virus/?hpid=hp_no-name_graphic-story-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Zenith Zoysia Seed to Develop a New Oval in the Tropics - Part 4 - Maturing the Grass

It always take some time to develop an oval to the stage where it is getting ready to use.

Plants need to thicken and develop a dense sward above the ground surface while also developing their roots so they can effectively resist all the pressures on the grass that occurs during the playing of ball games or anything else planned for the oval  - it has to mature.

There will need to be regular mowing at about a 7-10 day interval - even more frequent in some cases - to help thicken the sward as lateral growth is encouraged, to fill any thin or bare spots.  Fertiliser is applied - normally at about 4 week intervals [ that is about how long normal agricultural type fertiliser can supply nutrients, particularly nitrogen, although other types [ phosphorus, potassium, trace elements] may be available for longer] for about 12 weeks,

Weed control is vital during this phase, to ensure the favoured grass is encouraged and impediments to growth removed.  Disease management and control may also be an issue in some cases.

In the period from around 45 days through to around 95 days after sowing the Zenith Zoysia area had a second application of fertiliser at about 8 -9 weeks [ 56+ days from sowing] and will be due for another at 12 -14 weeks, except this time it will be a slow release fertiliser, better suited to ongoing turf growth and with an availability period of 12 -16 weeks, thus preventing rapid growth, yet continuing to provide adequate nutrition for the turf for many weeks.

Weed control was instituted with several applications of herbicide.  The earlier applied residual herbicide continued to provide annual grass and some broadleaved weed control, but was boosted with two applications of a product that gives excellent knock down, but not very much residual weed control of broad leaved weeds - Kamba -M, applied at around 70 days after sowing and more recently at approximately 95 days from sowing.  Ideally the latter one would have been sooner, but a 48 hour dry period after application is needed for best results - and it continued to rain every few days!  Makes that a bit tricky.  The second application seems to have been very effective.

However, there have been issues with grass weeds.  While some grass weeds can be controlled with selective herbicides, the real culprit has been Bothriochloa spp plants - a particularly hard to control grass weed, and with few options for herbicide use.  The area did have a lot of these plants initially and were controlled with glyphosate before seed sowing, but the residual seed in the ground has germinated around the same time as the zoysia seed and slowly developed into a problem that requires hand removal.  The dense turf as it develops will eventually prevent most, if not all, future germination from the residual seeds, as well as the seed in the ground dying.  But in the meantime seedlings of it have to go...........  Resorting to hand weeding is almost inevitable in fine turf development, but it is labour and time intensive.  And requires many revisits to the same area to ensure it is all gone, as you can often miss small plants.

By mowing at 7-10 day intervals the weedy grass has time to put up a seed head between mowing periods, allowing easy identification, yet if removed in that 6-10 day time frame it is short enough to prevent any more seed development as full flowering has not started.  A real problem also exists in that the same species is all around the outside of the oval, and could easily re reintroduced to the oval area through mowing, especially if careless mowing of the oval surrounds is carried out.  Not an easy situation to rectify.  Although low levels are present initially, good progress in eliminating the Bothriochloa spp on the oval is progressing okay, but may require a few more weeding / mowing cycles, and ongoing vigilance.

Before mowing - 90 days from sowing

Before mowing - 90 days from sowing

Before mowing - 90 days from sowing

Before mowing at 90 days from sowing

before mowing - 90 days from sowing

After broad leaved weed control 98 days from sowing

Very effective broad leaved weed control at 98 days from sowing

At 98 days - Bothriochloa spp - grass weed in dense Zenith zoysia turf - note emerged seed head 7 days after mowing

Weed Control in Zoysia Turf - Seed Sown or Sod

Weeds in zoysia are mostly fixable.  

We suggest mowing followed by even more mowing as an option, allowing the strong density of zoysia to eventually win out.  There are two classic You Tube videos from the USA showing Compadre  zoysia in two successive years - year one is awful [ and I thought - what a disaster], but in year two it is a magnificent Compadre zoysia lawn.  Mowing and a strong zoysia species - Compadre zoysia - helped fix that problem.

Most broadleaved weeds in Compadre or Zenith seed sown zoysias are controllable with Kamba - M,  a commercially available dicamba / MCPA mix.  Approx price $30 for 1L.  A small quantity will last several years and is NOT residual.  Several repeat sprays may be needed. Use at recommended rates, and small areas can be sprayed with small hand spray bottles.  A few drops of detergent in the mix [ just a few drops!!] may help hold spray on plant leaves.

Or use one of the slow release fertilisers with pendimethalin in the blend as a seedling grass control - while it will not control emerged seedlings it will stop more summer growing grass weeds establishing for up to 10 - 12 weeks.  You must use at the recommended rate, which is on the bag.

You can also wick wipe weeds with glyphosate - BUT you must avoid the zoysia seedlings as they can be easily damaged if herbicide gets onto their leaves.  This can be useful if weeds are taller than the seedlings, as is often the situation.  Multiple applications may be needed. Commercial outlets sell wick wipers or see www.sherwoodmachinery.com.au  who make excellent small units [ any of the 4 smaller rope wick units] and supply by post.

Sedges may also be a problem.  First issue with sedges if they appear usually means overwatering.  Use less applications and make each one longer, if that much water is really needed.  If the soil dries out between waterings, sedges are less of an issue. Or reduce overall watering - the lawn is likely to be okay with less water  Small 25g packs of Sempra are now available through commercial outlets - this is a very specific sedge herbicide [halosulfuron].  Use as directed, and we suggest also continuing to use as a spot spray where needed, after that.  One or two applications usually removes well over 90% of the sedges, but often a few odd plants reappear - so spot spray them as needed.

There are other possible herbicides but some are not available to home owners, and cannot be recommended for use except by commercial operators.

A Ten Point WeedSmart Management Plan

The 10 Point Plan helps you win the battle against crop weeds. Follow the links below for practical tips and tricks to implement these strategies on-farm, and further information on the research to back up these steps.

1. Act now to stop weed seed set

• Research and plan your WeedSmart strategy
• Understand the biology of your weeds
• Be strategic and committed

 read more...

2. Capture weed seeds at harvest

• Consider your options – chaff cart, narrow windrow burning, baling, Harrington Seed Destructor
• Compare the financial cost per hectare
• more difficult on livestock farms but it can be better managed eg move animals carefully from weedy paddocks, allowing time for seeds to exit the gut.

3. Rotate crops and herbicide modes of action

• Protect the existing herbicide resource
• Repeated application of effective herbicides with the same MOA is the single greatest risk factor for herbicide resistance evolution

read more...

4. Test for resistance to establish a clear picture of paddock-by-paddock farm status

• Resistance continues to evolve
• Sample weed seeds prior to harvest for resistance testing

read more...

5. Never cut the rate

• Always use the label rate
• Weeds resistant to multiple herbicides can result from below the rate sprays

read more...

6. Don’t automatically reach for glyphosate

• Diversity, diversity, diversity
• Consider post-emergent herbicides where suitable
• Consider strategic tillage

read more...

7. Carefully manage spray events

• Use best management practice in spray application
• Patch spray area of resistant weeds if appropriate
• No escapes

read more...

8. Plant clean seed into clean paddocks with clean borders

• Plant weed-free crop seed
• The density, diversity and fecundity of weeds is generally greatest along paddock borders and  areas such as roadsides, channel banks and fencelines

read more...

9. Use the double knock technique

• Any combination of weed control that involves two sequential strategies
• A second application to control survivors from the first

read more...

10. Employ crop competitiveness to combat weeds

• Increase your crop’s competitiveness to win the war against weeds
• Row spacing, seeding rate and crop orientation can all be tactics to help crops fight

read more...

This was unashamedly pinched from the Weed Smart web site, part of the Australian GRDC area.

Weeds cost agriculture and horticulture big bucks every year.  Money that is a monster loss to growers.

Be smart  and realise how much weeds cost your property.  It does not matter whether a pastoral property, a small horticultural grower, or a mixed cropping and livestock site........have a weed management plan.

For more information visit - http://www.weedsmart.org.au/10-point-plan/  where there are further links to relevant material.

Overcoming Herbicide Resistant Weeds

This issue is an important one in Australian agriculture especially in areas with annual ryegrass as a weed.  While there are also some areas with herbicide resistance in summer grass and some other weedy species, it is the annual ryegrass issue now more regularly occurring in much of the temperate grain production areas.

Worryingly, a recent survey has highlighted the poor knowledge that farmers have about the issue in general.  Alternately though, it seems consultants and advisors are quite knowledgeable about management of problems.  But it is imperative that the issue is addressed through management on farm.  This work was done by Monsanto on glyphosate and reported here - http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/general-news/glypho-knowledge-gap/2660339.aspx?storypage=0

Loss of major herbicides would be a disaster, at least in the short term.

A recent innovation in WA by one farmer has been work on developing an amended chaff collection system, which allows in paddock burning of the collected weed seeds. More here -
 http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/general-news/chaff-cart-hits-weeds/2663626.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

and a video here - http://www.grdc.com.au/Media-Centre/Over-the-Fence/Over-The-Fence-Videos/Over-the-Fence-Western-Region/xZkRlAf-KCk

But this farmer also uses standard recommended practices of rotating herbicides, crops and managing the weedy species to prevent seeding [ through hay production prior to seeding]. 

There is also a new seed destructor system now appearing in some areas, which destroys the seeds after harvest.

Harrington Seed Destructor - tow behind model
 

http://www.grdc.com.au/Media-Centre/Ground-Cover/Ground-Cover-Issue-104-May-June-2013/Harrington-seed-destructor-development-continues and there are a few more articles on this system on the GRDC web site - www.grdc.com.au and search.

Managing herbicide resistance is not an easy task but a necessary one, and using low doses inadequate to kill all the target weeds is not a sensible option, and false economy.

What is at stake is the continued use and development of minimum tillage, seen as a great advance in cropping over the past 40 years, and certainly contributing to lowered costs and greater efficiencies in grain production systems, generally world wide, not just Australia.

UAVs Already Operational in Agriculture in Australia

Like I said a few weeks back - UAVs , or drones, are coming soon to a place near you.  And agriculture is the lead area where they will be used.

Read this article [ ABC today, 10 May 2013] - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/yamaha-uav/4681552

With a great shot of the helicopter - an unmanned Yamaha 4m long fitted with controlled droplet low volume spray rig for weed spraying serious woody weeds, in remote parts of Western Queensland.

The most interesting part is the expected usage rate of their equipment - and they are not the only supplier remember - in coming years.

They really do fill a niche in agriculture and land management.
[photo from ABC web site]

near Camooweal, near NT / Qld border spraying prickly acacia

 

Giving Weeds a Nuke - with Microwaves

There have been some applications of microwaves in agriculture with insect control in grain storage, hard seed breakdown [and that was an area we did R and D on as well], product drying and similar issues having been areas of some success.

Recently some funded research by RIRDC has been targeted at weed control, through desiccation as well as aiming to control and kill seeds in the shallow surface layers of soil.

A recent press release has indicated this might be delivering some promising results at least at a modest scale. Getting it upsized to field use will be an issue, as the "device" will need to allow modest travel speeds while delivering adequate rates of energy to kill weeds and soil borne seeds.

But.........it does provide a new option in thinking. While steam is used as a non herbicide option, it is slow to use. And there is some pressure to develop new options because of developing concern over glyphosate resistant annual summer weeds in many cereal growing regions.

Read more here -
http://qcl.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/grains-and-cropping/general/giving-weeds-a-nuke/2431010.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

Fixing Salvinia Issues at Gunn, Palmerston, NT

Salvinia is a nasty, super spreading – even choking – weed.

Over the past few years an infestation has been developing at the lakes at Gunn, in Palmerston, and is now quite significant, covering the lakes [ see lowest lake below]. The lakes are designed as a stormwater buffer, so water levels can rise and fall quite a lot in the wet season.

Late last year Palmerston City Council instigated using their aquatic weed muncher to remove much of the debris across these lakes. Unfortunately, some salvinia remained.

A program which we ran, was used to spray and mop up the balance. That was the theory...... but then it rained and rained, with last wet season being extraordinarily wet, and consistently wet. Too wet for regular satisfactory spraying.

So the salvinia regrew.......and once again dominated the three lakes.

The weed eater is back in action , and the upper lake is now quite clear of salvinia, with the two lower ones likely to be cleaned up this week.

But there is a new activity........the salvinia weevil, a very potent biocontrol agent has today been released into the bottom lake with additional material to be added over the next few weeks in both the lowest and middle lakes, with some destined for the top lake as needed. Biocontrol of salvinia has been very successful at a number of locations around both Australia and in the Northern Territory.

To aid establishment a small amount of salvinia plants will be left behind during the weed munching, to provide a focus for the spread of the biocontrol agent, and these plants will be held in place with a floating boom. Over time, assuming the biocontrol agent establishes successfully, this plant mat will also disappear, and the weevil will spread out onto any remnant salvinia around the lakes.

The biocontrol agent will not necessarily totally eliminate the salvinia, but it will normally, over some time, reduce the salvinia to a small, almost negligible amount.

A monitoring, spray and clean up / collection program will also continue, but concentrating on the smaller scattered fronds that seem to congregate around the edges, readily blown by wind.

This combined program is hopeful of eliminating the salvinia over the next 12 months, and at worse, at least reducing the salvinia to a very minor issue.

The lakes may then bloom again with the stylish water lilies that are quite common, and salvinia will not be very noticeable.

Farm Biosecurity - Have YOU Got a Plan?

Producers are advised to follow good on-farm biosecurity measures to protect their livestock and crops from the constant threat of pests and diseases.

Being aware of biosecurity means keeping animals safe from disease and ensuring continued market access for produce.

Straightforward measures built into everyday practice will go a long way toward protecting your farm and your future, and animal owners should assess the risks to their animals and act to reduce the risks as much as possible.

Five main risks identified for livestock are:
1. Purchased livestock brought onto the property

The movement of new animals onto your property represents the highest risk of introducing disease into your herd or flock. Inspect the animals carefully for disease before buying them.

Always request the history and supporting paperwork, such as the vendor declaration or national health statement, before you buy the animals. Isolate new animals to make sure they are disease and weed free before mixing with your stock.

2. Stray animals
Poor fencing can allow stray livestock, and wild or feral animals to mix with your stock and introduce disease. Keep all gates shut and check fences regularly.

3. People
People can carry animal pests and diseases. Ask all visitors where they have been previously; whether they've had contact with other animals, or been abroad and possibly brought diseases home. Keep a register of all visitors.

Restrict visitor access to your property and make sure they don't go near animals unless they have clean clothes and have disinfected hands and footwear.

4. Vehicles and equipment
Vehicles and equipment can carry pests and diseases. Control the entry of vehicles onto the property and ensure they stay in a designated vehicle area. Use your own vehicles to transport visitors or material around the farm. Clean and thoroughly disinfect any second hand equipment purchased and brought onto the farm.

Maintain clean and disinfected equipment and do not share with other animal owners.

5. Feed and water
Feed and water can contain pests and diseases. Always request some form of commodity vendor declaration with purchased feed. Keep feed in a clean dry storage area and ensure it does not become mouldy. Make sure that water sources are not contaminated by wild or feral animals or birds.

Major outcomes of having farm biosecurity plans in place include:

improved profitability through the reduction of diseases,
less need for expensive chemical treatments or vaccinations and
improved animal production.

Farm biosecurity plans can reduce the risk of introducing pests and diseases onto a property that are already present on your neighbours farm or elsewhere

Good planning now will also reduce the impact of the next disease emergency.

There is absolutely no doubt that the rapid and wide geographical spread of emergency diseases can be controlled more easily if all livestock owners or farmers begin to practice farm biosecurity.........NOW.

Most of the practices are simple and easily implemented on any farm, and are applicable to both livestock and plant based operations.

GM Crops Part of the System But NOT the Only Part

Using GM crops is a decision, just like any other farming decision. What to plant and how and when, what to use in a rotation.

Farmers are now advised to mix use of glyphosate and other products especially diquat / paraquat to ensure complete annual grass controls and minimise development of glyphosate resistance. Tillage might be part of the equation too.

GM crops are not a panacea..............with decisions about use considered in relation to many factors.

The recent article in an online version of the Queensland rural press covers these issues well. It is worth reading by both pro and anti GM camps to highlight decision making processes. Most are not so blind, that they cannot see................

http://sj.farmonline.com.au/news/state/grains-and-cropping/general/seeds-of-gm-discontent/1827512.aspx?storypage=0

An Environmental Duty of Care?

Australian landholders are possibly going to have imposed on them an environmental duty of care, in relation to land. It is not spelt out in any real detail, nor does it imply which groups will be affected- all or some landholders, nor whether the Crown itself would be bound by such a duty of care.

The Henry Tax review seems to have strayed a little in delving into this subject. Maybe landholders can claim significantly more as a deduction for doing this work?

Given that the Crown in almost any jurisdiction cannot adequately manage NOW the land it controls this could soon descend into serious farce. If you look at weeds, feral animals, and similar problems it is usually the Crown that has the worst records of adequate management of the land it controls. Most if not all other landholders do take some measures to use suitable environmental management practices.

Would this new approach mandate using conservation tillage? Doing do would mean more soil carbon stored, but that may also interfere with adequate soil disease control and / or in some cases aid disease control. Who gets to decide on the appropriate action? And if you used the most cost effective herbicide to control weeds but which only offered 90% control versus some new patented product at 10 times the price which gave 95% control [ rarely get 100% in real conditions] are you carrying out your environmental duty of care?

This could be a lawyers picnic!

Almost all landholders exercise a fair and reasonable approach to the management of the land and imposing these extra conditions seem silly. Who will pay?

Why not use a similar approach with urban land holders? Should they be forced to compost all their organic waste and use on site to minimise use of landfill or other disposal methods? Is that part of their environmental duty of care?

As I said..............a lawyers picnic is coming if this proceeds! Yes.....it sounds good, but could be fraught with bureaucratic nonsense especially over any competing choices - cuddly animals or weed control might be choices that would be needed. Who wins? Who decides?

Other commentators seem to have similar issues.

See - http://qcl.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/landholders-face-environmental-duty-of-care/1821135.aspx?page=2

Weed Management the BIG Cost to Farmers in Australia

The management of weeds was the major natural resource management activity for Australian farmers, according to figures released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

During the 2006-07 financial year, farmers spent $1.57 billion controlling weeds, which is more than pests ($768 million) and land and soil problems ($649 million) combined, with the total cost of managing these problems $2.99B , or an average of $21,094 per business, ABS reports.

Nationally, nearly two-thirds of farmers reported that they had improved their natural resource management practices. Of these, 89pc reported doing so to increase productivity, 88pc for farm sustainability, and 75pc to improve environmental protection.

Other findings from the ABS include:
* farmers in Australia managed 425 million hectares of land, or just over half (55pc) of Australia's land mass;
* of all expenditure on weed management, nearly two-thirds ($982m) was spent on herbicides;
* of all expenditure on pest management, over half ($430m) was spent on pesticides; and
* erosion was the most common land and soil problem, reported by 48pc of the farmers, followed by soil compaction (43pc) and soil acidity (42pc).

The findings are based on the second Natural Resource Management survey conducted by the ABS.

These findings are an important snapshot of resource management issues in a practical sense. What is not indicated is why the weeds had so much expenditure and does not separate weed control for directly improving production of the land, eg weed control in crops, or is it expenditure on environmental weed control. It does reinforce however, the critical issue of weeds in Australian land management. This is a very significant change in comparison to the older view that insects were the big issue in "land management", including agriculture and natural resource management. It also reinforces the dominant role of herbicides.......but they can also be part of any integrated management system too.

Floren Bluegrass Comes of Age

Floren bluegrass was registered as a cultiver in 1995 in Australia through Plant Breeders Rights, and the IP in the variety is owned by Progressive Seeds.

This year it really seems to have made the big time with reports of the variety outyielding a number of species and varieties on the alkaline black clay soils around central Queensland. Reported yields of 25 large round hay

bales per hectare, outyielding a number of other species.

The exceptional performance of Floren bluegrass on Queensland's Isaac River frontage country inundated by the damaging January 2008 floods, has impressed a gathering of the Marlborough region's cattle producers.

Large tracts of highly productive river country throughout Central Queensland were impacted by the 2008 floods, resulting in prolonged inundation and water-logging that effectively killed off productive grasses.

Experience with Floren bluegrass, a Dicanthium aristatum cultivar first planted in April 2007 as a 25pc component of a shotgun mix of pasture seed sown under a centre pivot encouraged the opportunity for a field day and the 25 neighbouring landholders from along the Isaac and Mackenzie River systems were invited to inspect the resultant Floren bluegrass stand that has dominated and out-competed the post-flood flush of parthenium weed, a very serious weed in the region.

Floren bluegrass is now the dominant pasture species ahead of buffel and bambatsi panic, and despite some obvious denitrification of the grass following the flooding, the owner cut 200 round bales/ha from an 8ha stand in early April. A 24ha stand of forage sorghum baled at the same time after the flood inundation also cut 200 bales, an indication of the superior yield of the bluegrass. There is a bit of perennial v annual yield arguments in that equation too!

DPI&F principal experimentalist Maurie Conway said landholders who were considering introducing Floren bluegrass into non-irrigated river country should be looking at planting rates of 0.5kg/ha.
"The secret of good pasture establishment is to eliminate or reduce the competition and spraying is often the best option," Mr Conway said. "If the job is done right, then half as much seed will do the job but if it is not done properly, twice as much seed will not be enough. "Be sure to use good quality seed, plant when soil moisture is good and ensure good soil to seed contact by using a roller. Because it is highly palatable, stocking rates should be managed to allow the plants to flower and seed in autumn.

"Even with limited plant numbers, once this grass is established, it will seed prolifically and make a valuable contribution to livestock productivity," Mr Conway said.

Have a look at a few additional on line resources as listed below. It might be suitable for some areas in the NT and the NW as well.

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/pastures/18121.html

http://www.progressiveseeds.com.au/floren.html

http://www.tropicalgrasslands.asn.au/Newsletter_archive/TGS%20NL%20june01no%20pix%20.pdf

Jatropha - a Better Biofuel Option?

While many write of doom and gloom about biofuel crops, and that they are actually negative in terms of carbon balance [ see post below], interest is growing [pardon the pun] in jatropha, as a oil source and biofuel.

Jatropha is NOT a food crop, so it is somewhat different to many other options. In fact more of a weed and potential medicinal species in many tropical countries.

The Indian government has been pushing to increase the area of this species, with a focus on small, village level developments, and local processing using modest presssing or extraction equipment. That is probably a great thing, eliminating the need for cash outlays to purchase expensive imported diesel. The jatropha oil, often with minimum further processing can be used in small diesel engines, for lighting, electricity, small workshop and industrial power and machinery operation.

Others are pushing the use on better land, mainly in Africa, and to a lesser extent in India. Sometimes this land is currently idle or damaged in some way eg landmines and in these cases a larger agro-industrial approach is being developed. In Africa, in Mali, a project has been in various phases since around 1993, with generally good results. And the Indian scientists have been developing superior genetic materials with superior establishment and performance.

In Australia jatropha has a stigma as a weed, and development will be, and is, quite muted. Are we missing out on this apparent growth and development? Maybe not, as the Australian owned biofuels plant in Singapore has signed up to buy jatropha oil as a biofuel feedstock.

Will we see weed fueled buses in Darwin?

There are some excellent online resources.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatropha_oil - a bit dated but ok for a start point

http://www.jatrophabiodiesel.org/aboutJatrophaPlant.php

http://cals.arizona.edu/OALS/ALN/aln40/jatropha.html

http://www.jatrophaworld.org/

Like all energy crop projects over the past 25 - 30 years there is a lot of hype with some substance. But with oil now hovering around $100 US per barrel, has the time come to seriously push harder for use of biofuel options, especially those capable of being grown in marginal areas where food crops are not possible?

BUT....jatropha seems to have a significant drawback that is rarely discussed. Seed harvest currently seems to rely on cheap highly intensive labour. Hardly a good option for the industrialised countries. However, one item in abundance in many developing regions IS the supply of labour. Maybe, just maybe, it will be hand harvested while superior semi- mechanised options are developed. They will be needed if it is to expand.

Scientists Call For Urgent Research Into 'Real' Impacts Of Invasive Species

As well as drawing attention to the rising cost of invasive species on a global scale —estimated at US$1.4 trillion in damage — GISP stresses that too much emphasis has been placed on the problems faced by the agricultural sector in developed countries rather than in developing countries and on the “full range of environmental, social and economic costs.” The report also emphasises that due to the lack of knowledge and research available on the severity of individual pests and the options for best controlling them, policy makers are being left in the dark.

Dennis Rangi, Chair of GISP says: “With the increase in global trade, invasive species are gaining more and more prominence around the world. However the level of awareness amongst decision-makers, and in particular those in developing countries is still relatively low.“

He goes on to say that to enable informed policy making on the prevention, eradication and control of invasive species, it is critical that studies are expanded to show the extent of the problem and in particular the impact that these weeds, pests and diseases have on people’s lives. He says “numbers are not enough; decision makers need to know the tangible effects invasive species are having on the individual farmers and their crops.”

To help address the issues, GISP and one of its lead organisations, CABI, has undertaken a number of case studies of problem invasive species in Africa — a country with a current lack of analysis. As well as highlighting the overall economic damage to the affected countries, the studies show the estimated monetary loss to farmers, the cost of prevention and control and the potential consequences if action is not taken.

CABI is world-renowned for its extensive work in working with countries to help prevent and control invasive species. As well as advising on how to control invasive weeds and pests using a complementary array of pest management approaches, CABI specialises in natural control methods. This focuses on finding and developing natural enemies from the species’ country of origin and introducing them to the environment where it has invaded. One example is the Rastrococcus mealybug which devastated mangoes in West Africa. CABI introduced a highly specific wasp from Asia, which proved extremely effective in controlling the mealybug. Natural control methods for other weed species such as Mikania micrantha and Water Hyacinth have also been successfully used.
Among GISP’s case studies is the Triffid weed (Chromolaena odorata), a plant native to the Americas which has severely impacted natural areas in Africa and reduces crop productivity in agriculture and grazing. In Ghana the study showed that the weed occupies 59% of all arable lands, and in Ubombo, South Africa it greatly reduces the grazing capacity of animals. Effective control would see an increase in production by 34% and a gain of US$25.6 per hectare for each farmer.

Another example is the Larger Grain Borer which has been recorded in over 18 African countries. The Borer is a major pest of staple food in Africa, especially farm-stored maize and cassava. By studying the Borer, GISP reported that “its impact is greatest in rural, small-holder farming systems where yield losses range from 23-60%.”

Sarah Simons, Global Director of Invasives Species at CABI concludes: “By concentrating on a number of specific problem weeds in Africa, we are able to identify the effects they have on a country’s overall economy and also on the farmers and their families. This sort of information is essential if governments are to understand the extent of the problem and develop effective strategies to tackle them.
The report ”Economic Impacts of Invasive Alien Species: A Global Problem with Local Consequences" is authored by the Global Invasives Species Programme. To read the report in full please go to http://www.cabi.org/files/EZines/E%20Shots/gispeconomicstudies071607.pdf

CABI works with other GISP partners (IUCN and TNC) to extend this research from impacts on agricultural systems to invasions of natural and wild ecosystems and the effects they have on conservation and peoples’ livelihoods – especially in developing countries.

Australia has its share of invasive species - insects, weeds, fish and so on. But at least we have the resources and mostly the finances to attack the problems.

[partially sourced from CABI media report]

'White Gold" Raises Rural Fortunes in India

India overtook the United States in 2007 as the second largest producer of cotton in the world, thanks to a bumper 2007/2008 harvest.

According to general manager of India's Vardhman Group, IJ Duhria, the sub-continent is on the cusp of a "white gold revolution", with 70 million people there engaged in cotton production.

"Slowly but continuously a quiet revolution is taking place," Mr Duhria said. "In India, cotton is sown over 9.5 million hectares, which is significantly larger than any other country - accounting around 27pc of the total world cotton area. "Production has grown significantly since mid 1980s due to improvement in both area and yield, but major impetus in cotton cultivation has come in after the introduction of Bt Cotton in India in 2002-03. "Since 2003-04 the area under Biotech Cotton has increased from mere 86,000ha to 5.5m ha in 2007-08 and production of cotton in country has increased by more than 72pc from 17.9 million bales in 2003-04 to projected 31 million bales in 2007-08, which makes India the second largest producer of Cotton in the world after China.

"The productivity of cotton in the country has rallied to a higher level despite the fact that the major area is still grown under rain-fed conditions, making the farmer dependent on monsoons."

The dramatic turn-around of the country's cotton fortunes means that from being an importer of about 2.5 million bales, India is now the second-largest exporter of cotton, with around six to seven million bales. This in itself is very interesting in that most areas are NOT irrigated. True, India has some great vertisol soils, typically used for cotton as well as other crops. And most cotton is grown by smaller producers.

Once again the role of biotechnology in improving cotton prospects offers a stark contrast and reminder of the situation in north Australia where opposition by vocal environmental groups has effectively prevented development of a northern Australia cotton industry.

Agricultural research has taken place, environmental work has shown biotech cotton will not be a weed, other work has also shown that pesticide use will be low........but POLITICS is stopping the developmental progress to a potential cotton growing industry in the north.

Whitefly Management - An online tool

While the following material has been developed for US use, it has considerable relevance for all of the tropics, including Australia.

On line tools provide a FREE and well documented information source, so get good use from it!

Whiteflies have become a significant pest in north Australia, in recent years, and are difficult to manage.

New Online Help for Managing Whiteflies

USDA-ARS. Washington, D.C. (August 22, 2007)

Tiny, sap-sucking whiteflies--and the diseases they often spread--cause some of the world's worst crop problems and are responsible for enormous losses every year. Now an online resource has been developed to help growers afflicted by the pests.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in the agency's Subtropical Insects Research Unit (SIRU), including entomologist Cindy McKenzie--in collaboration with the University of Florida, the University of California, the University of Georgia, Texas A & M University and Cornell University, and endorsed by industry groups such as the Society of American Florists, American Nursery & Landscape Association and the IR-4 Project--have developed a website with extensive information about whitefly management. SIRU is part of ARS' U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Fla.

Whiteflies are found throughout the tropics and subtropics, but can be troublesome in greenhouses and other growing environments as well. Both immature and adult stages ingest plant sap and cause damage directly, by feeding and transmitting plant viruses, or indirectly, by excreting a sticky substance called honeydew onto leaves and fruit. Sooty mold fungi colonize the contaminated surfaces, further interfering with photosynthesis and ultimately resulting in reduced quality of fruit and fiber. In addition to ornamentals, whiteflies attack cassava, cotton, sweet potato, legumes and many other vegetables grown in mixed or annual cropping systems.

Called “Management Program for Whiteflies on Propagated Ornamentals With an Emphasis on the Q-biotype," the comprehensive online resource can be accessed at www.mrec.ifas.ufl.edu

Among the many topics covered at the website are the importance of crop hygiene, pre- and post-planting practices and insecticide recommendations. Also stressed is the need to control whiteflies early, before they spread to neighbouring fields.

Proper use of insecticides is important for whitefly management, particularly with respect to avoiding development of insecticide resistance in whiteflies. The online guide recommends that insecticides be rotated between chemical classes and should be applied a minimum of two times, at a five- to seven-day interval, to allow for egg hatch between applications and ensure that adults, nymphs and newly hatched individuals are all killed.

Great Turf - Great Frontage .........Great Business!

Appearances do count but water is precious………..do YOUR bit for the environment!

Peter Harrison –office@abovecapricorn.com.au

Many businesses want their premises to look smart, neat and tidy, both inside and out. The old adage of “initial impressions count” might have been said with business in mind.

Effort and money goes into a neat, turfed street frontage at a business. In the NT, watering of the area is vital to maintain appearances, with most having some form of pop-up sprinklers. But they are often a cause of frustration.

In numerous areas, vandals or other incidents damage the sprinkler, they commonly over spray on to hard surfaces and with our intermittent power supply , suddenly the timer operates in the middle of the day, spraying customers. As well, many, if not all over irrigate or supply water in a fashion that does not provide a suitable soil moisture regime, which should be deeper watering, less frequently.

The modern solution is the Kapillary Irrigation Sub Surface System, or KISSS. Already widely used in eastern states to improve water efficiency it can be a great option here too. More information at www.kisss.net.au. This system is usually cost comparable with sprinklers, but with superior operational benefits.

· “Anytime” watering when plants need it most without interfering with business operations
· Wide area underground watering
· Extremely high water use efficiency – commonly save 50% over sprinkler use
· NO over spray on hard surfaces or roadways
· Reduced cost of irrigation, due to reduced water use and low pressure systems
· Lowered maintenance

Even without improved water use efficiencies, addressing issues of suitable species choice, adequate plant nutrition, weed management, thatch and mowing height and frequency can save you many dollars. Consider revisiting what you do in these areas; seek professional advice, do not rely on your mowing contractor – they make money by cutting more grass and selling more services. You want to reduce their costs, while maintaining or improving aesthetics.

As well as improved water use efficiency, many premises may wish to consider rainwater capture off the roof. This is a very practical option for business, as large roof areas of shed facilities used in conjunction with, for example 30 - 60KL of tank storage [above or below ground in many different forms] can provide adequate water for many on site uses, for around $5 - 7000. This water use includes toilet flushing, vehicle washdown and some irrigation. It reduces polluted stormwater flows, and improves the harbour water quality by reducing these inflows, for most stormwater ends up there. Yes…….there is a cost, but green businesses are often perceived as “good” businesses by customers.

With all of us needing to do more environmentally, these options are technically and financially feasible for the NT.

Proposed New Biofuel Crops in Australia - Is Jatropha a Weed?

New biofuel crops or just more bloody weeds? [reprinted from Rural press sources]
Australia Wednesday, 30 May 2007


With climate change so much in the news, new biofuel crops are attracting interest but initial investigations by the Invasive Species Council (ISC) have found that many of these are potential major weeds- putting the economy and the environment at risk.

An ISC spokesmand, Tim Low, said they have found that some of the plants being promoted by biofuel organisations in Australia to be serious weeds. "For example, a biodiesel company in Queensland has called on farmers to grow jatropha (also called physic nut), an Indian plant that is banned in Western Australia and the Northern Territory because of its weediness. "Jatropha is also closely related to bellyache bush - one of the worst weeds of grazing lands in northern Australia - and like bellyache bush it is poisonous to livestock. It could be a disaster if this plant was deliberately put in the ground as a crop in Australia," Mr Low said.

The ISC has found that other known major weeds touted as biofuel crops include Chinese tallow tree, castor oil plant, reed canary grass, giant reed and Chinee apple. For example Chinese tallow tree is one of America's worst weeds, and it was recently declared a noxious weed in northern NSW because it was invading land so rapidly.


In September last year six scientists published an article in the journal, Science, warning about the weed risk posed by biofuel crops.

In the US, corn is grown as a biofuel, but the costs of cultivation are so high that without subsidies it is not a viable alternative to petroleum.


The search is on for hardy low-maintenance biofuel crops, but unfortunately some of those proposed are well known weeds. This poses a potential major risk to Australian agriculture and the Australian environment. Due to the risk the Invasive Species Council is preparing a comprehensive report on the weed risk posed by some biofuel plants.



BUT...........the following article appeared in Scientific American May 2007.



Green Gold in a Shrub
Entrepreneurs target the jatropha plant as the next big biofuel
By Rebecca Renner


Image from D1 OILS PLC
Jatropha seedlings JATROPHA SEEDLINGS are planted in Zambia for U.K. biodiesel firm D1 Oils--part of an increasing effort to harvest the shrub, which favors hot, dry climates, as a source of biofuel.



A woody shrub with big oily seeds could be the ideal source for biofuel. For hundreds of years, Africans in places such as Tanzania and Mali have used Jatropha curcas (jatropha) as a living fence. Now biodiesel entrepreneurs in tropical zones in Africa and India are buying up land, starting plantations and looking forward to making fuel from the seeds, which, they argue, will be better for the global environment and economy than conventional biofuel crops grown in temperate climates.

Ethanol from corn or sugarcane and biodiesel from canola, soy or palm oil have become major players in renewable energy. In principle, biofuels do not increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, because as the plants grow they trap the CO2 that is released when the biofuels are burned.

Still, biofuels face a great deal of criticism. Food commodities such as corn, canola and soy all yield oil, but they are expensive, require intensive agricultural practices and threaten food supplies. Jatropha seems to offer the benefits of biofuels without the pitfalls. The plants favour hot, dry conditions and hence are unlikely to threaten rain forests. There is no trade-off between food and fuel either, because the oil is poisonous.

John Mathews, a professor of strategic management at Macquarie University in Australia, notes that many tropical developing countries have huge swaths of degraded and semiarid land that can be utilized for fuel crops. The cost of labor there is cheap, too. Biofuels made from plants such as jatropha, he argues, "represent the best bet for a last-ditch effort to industrialize the poor south and end poverty." He advocates large-scale plantings to aid energy independence in expanding economies such as China and India and to boost exports in the less developed countries of Africa.

Mathews's vision may be coming true. U.K. biodiesel company D1 Oils has planted 150,000 hectares of jatropha in Swaziland, Zambia and South Africa, as well as in India, where it is part of a joint venture. The firm plans to double its crop sizes this year. Dutch biodiesel equipment manufacturer BioKing is developing plantings in Senegal, and the government of China has embarked on a massive project. "People aren't making much jatropha oil right now, because everyone wants seeds for planting," says Reinhard Henning, a German technology transfer consultant and expert in jatropha.

In addition to establishing plantations, jatropha boosters are starting to identify, select and propagate the best varieties for biodiesel production. Henning has found Brazilian jatropha seeds that contain 40 percent oil--about the same as canola and more than twice the 18 percent contained in soybeans. Indonesia has a dwarf variety that is especially easy to harvest.


Finding the variety best suited to particular growing conditions is crucial, explains D1 Oils agronomy director Henk Joos, because right now not much hard scientific information exists about jatropha--just lots of stories. "We know that this plant is environmentally elastic and drought-tolerant. But the aura that this is a wonder crop that you can plant in the desert and harvest gold" is a dangerous notion that threatens social and economic sustainability, Joos says, adding that jatropha needs to be managed like any other crop. He notes that at D1 Oils plantations, farmers plant in land that is as good as possible without replacing food crops, then apply first-rate farming practices: prune branches, apply manure and provide water.

But the realization that successful large-scale operations have to function like well-run farms raises the issue of competition with food crops for water and land, says agronomist Raymond Jongschaap of Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Jongschaap is spearheading one of the research projects looking for different types of jatropha with the goal of matching plants to growing conditions and maximizing oil yields. He has the most faith in small-scale efforts based on hedges or intercropping jatropha with other plants-- a method used in projects in Kenya and Madagascar, where jatropha is planted alongside vanilla.


Henning agrees that it is smart for jatropha growers to start small. Biodiesel cannot compete with current petroleum prices, which are relatively low, so jatropha would be better suited for local projects that improve rural livelihoods and basic energy services. These small projects have already started to build a framework of familiarity and expertise--in parts of Tanzania, kids learn about jatropha in school. Then, as fuel prices increase, jatropha cultivation can go to a larger scale. The wild shrub could then become a "sustainable cash crop," Joos believes, and a fuel for the future.

----------------

There is a definite sense of deja vu about these proposals. As an agronomist that has seen all this before in two earlier oil shocks, there is a VERY large distance between concept and actual sustainable production with plant biofuels. The idea of "livelihood" production is especially useful, with biofuels able to replace expensive and often difficult to obtain petroleum products in rural communities across Africa and even India. That may have merit and fits with the ideas in the recent UN document on biofuels. Developing the agronomic systems for large scale is more difficult.


I have no doubt we will hear more about several other species, most of whom have had considerable work done on oily / gum / latex constituents that might be suitable for fuel or fuel conversion. Many of these are semi arid or arid zone plants eg Euphorbia tirucalli . But the agronomy required to develop them to meet the requirments of modern agricultural practice in western countries and their labour costs AND yield enough is a very tough call, especially in the short to medium term - say 7-10 years.


BUT.......for Australia the case being developed by the Invasive Species Council against jatropha should be carefully examined. It is weedy........and can be very weedy!


All the promoters wish to do is make a lot of $$, and they are all commercial firms without a lot of "public good' among them. Cynic I may be, but experience does lead one to that conclusion.