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CACTUS QUARTERLY Latest news Hudson Pear Biocontrol Release Workshops The Lightning Ridge, Cumborah and Grawin towns hosted a work-shop each in February where the community were invited to learn about releasing the biocontrol for Hudson pear. They also learnt about the research project.
With 33 people attending the workshops it was fantastic to see com-munity members from National Parks, mining, property, representa-tion from the Dharriwaa Elders Group and Hudson Pear Spray Group.
The workshops provided information about what Hudson pear is and its history, what Hudson pear biocontrol is, how to spread it, when to spread it, integrated control, an update on the poly-tunnel, why and how drone technology has been utilised in mapping the spread of Hudson pear and its biocontrol agent.
If you would like to be involved with releasing biocontrol on your prop-erty or site contact Jo Skewes on 0402 014 769 or [email protected] or Mat Savage on 0427 253 463 or [email protected]
In This Issue
Latest News
• Hudson pear biocontrol release work-
shops
• Harrisia cactus trials in Goondiwindi
• Mealy bug nursery, Lightning Ridge
Hudson Pear - C. tunicate
What to do now it’s rained
What’s the difference?
Cacti Resources
Events
• AQF3 accreditation course
• Expressions of Interest
Networks
Know your local Weeds Officer
Further Information
Funded through the NW Cacti Coordinator Program
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0402 014 769
NSW, North West Region Autumn 2020
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 1
Photo: Site visit after the Grawin workshop.
Photo: Vanessa Hickey, Dharriwaa Elders Group.
Photo: Poly-tunnel site visit after the Lightning Ridge workshop.
2
Mealy bug nursery
Royce Holtkamp from Horizon Ecological Consulting has been engaged to set up field trials in NSW to monitor the
Hypogeococcus festerianus commonly known as Mealy bug on Harrisia cactus.
Most recently Royce was in Lightning Ridge presenting on Hudson pear at the Bio-
control Workshops and was able to put Harrisia cladodes that are infected with
Mealy bug in the biocontrol
nursery. The Mealy bugs have
been cleaned and cleared of
any parasitoids and predators.
At the release sites Royce will
observe the climate, predators,
parasitoids, the spread and the
impact Mealy bug has on Har-
risia cactus. This information
will then help inform future and
on-going control projects in-
cluding funding applications
moving forward. Photo: Mealy bug in the field,
observed north of Goondiwindi.
Harrisia cactus trials in Goondiwindi
University of Queensland (UQ) PhD student Angela Ezeh is working with the Queensland Department of Agriculture
and Fisheries (QDAF), Goondiwindi Regional Council (GRC) and the Harrisia Cactus Taskforce, to gain an under-
standing of the development and efficacy of the mealy bug biological control agent on Harrisia martinii in southern
QLD.
The overall aim of the study is to examine why biocontrol of Harrisia cactus around Goondiwindi is considered not as
successful as in central QLD. Field monitoring plots were set up at Deaths Reserve in March 2020. Quantification of
plant and insect density, as well as environmental data will be collected over the next 12 months, to examine season-
al variation in biocontrol density and impact on the cactus.
This information, along with temperature controlled laboratory studies and DNA analysis are an important step in
planning future management of the invasive species.
Photo: GRC staff work with DAF’s Jason Callander and UQ PhD student Angela Ezeh to measure Harrisia cac-tus in Goondiwindi. (image: QDAF)
Photo: Mealy bug in the biocontrol nursery, Lightning Ridge.
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 2
Photo: Deaths Reserve March 2020. (image: QDAF)
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Hudson Pear (Brown-spined) Cylindropuntia tunicata
Where did it come from and where is it now?
Cylindropuntia tunicata, native to the Cihuahuan Desert
of North America and parts of South America. The plant
has been found in areas of QLD, NSW, VIC, SA and
WA.
Source: Atlas of Living Australia, 2020
What does it look like?
Low, densely branched shrub 0.3-0.6 m tall.
Cladodes
• Pale grey-green
• 10-20 cm long
• 1.5-3 cm diameter
• Easily detached an prominent
tubercles
Spines
• 4-7 spines per areole
• 3-7 cm long
• Red-brown to pale brown
• Brownish sheath loosely at-
tached
Flowers
• Yellowish-brown
Fruit
• Club to top shape
• Greenish yellow to red &
• Spineless
• Usually sterile
Source: Field Identification Guide 2nd Edition
How does it spread?
Like most cactus species the cladodes can be dispersed
through human and animal movement, as well as vehi-
cles and other machinery. The fruit is consumed by both
native wild life and pest animals which then help disperse
the seeds. It has the ability to form impenetrable clumps
and reduce stock carrying capacity. Segments easily
break off and can spread to new sites via flood waters.
Source: NSW WeedWise and Field Identification Guide 2nd Edition
General Biosecurity Duty
All plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or mini-mised, so far as is reasonably practicable. All of NSW Prohibition on dealings Must not be imported into the State or sold North West Biosecurity Act requirements & Strategic Response in the region Mandatory Measure (Division 8, Clause 33, Biosecurity Regulation 2017): A person must not import into the State or sell. Source: North West Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan Executive Summary
How do you control it?
Biocontrol
Place infected cladodes on the top of the shrub to en-
courage the cochineal to transfer onto the healthy plant. It
also aids in protection of the cochineal until the conditions
are right for the cochineal to move around.
Cochineal Dactylopius tomentosus ‘imbricata’
Scientific name
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Dactylopiidae
Genus: Dactylopius
Species: tomentosus
Lineage: acanthocarpa x echinocarpa
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 3
Figure: C. tunicata distribution, Atlas of Living Australia 2020.
Figure: C. tunicata, J. Skewes
4
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 4
Chemical Control - Hudson pear (Brown-spined)
WARNING—Always read the label
Source: NSW Weed Control Handbook – A guide to weed control in non-crop, aquatic and bushland situation
Control Calendar
Source: NW Regional Weeds Officer Best Practises Guides
For information on how to control Cylindropuntia tunicata please search APVMA https://portal.apvma.gov.au/home to
find the correct permit and instructions for use.
Alternatively, please contact your local Weeds Officer for further advise on identification and control (see page 5 for
contact details).
What to do...now its rained?
It’s great to see that most of the North West region of New South Wales has received some much-needed rain. With
this rain we are now starting to see lovely green pastures in some paddocks and thick lush ground cover in others.
Some are lucky enough to be enjoying both.
But, let’s not forget those weeds hiding in amongst it all!
Cacti are blooming, spreading their cladodes and sending out healthy new green shoots. Opuntia cacti species can
be found in a variety of different habitats, including growing both under as well as up trees in woodlands, in grass-
lands and even in bare dirt. It is however, the perfect time to start patrolling your roadsides, tracks, fence lines and
boundaries armed with the necessary equipment to control and contain cacti (and any other weeds you might have)
on your property.
If you’re not too sure what cacti
or weed species you have give
your local Weed Officer or NW
Cacti Control Coordinator a call.
Your local Landcare Coordinator
is also willing to help out. To find
out who to contact check out
page 7 or for some great re-
sources on identification turn to
page 8. Photo: Harrisia cactus, J. Skewes
5
What’s the difference?
White-spined verse Brown-spined
Source: Invasive cacti field guide - Identification and control of invasive cacti in North West NSW, pages 42, 43 and 48, 49.
Key main differences the Brown-
spined Hudson pear has...
• browner spines
• brown sheath loosely attached
• shorter cladodes
• fewer spines
• yellowish-brown flowers
Overall, a smaller adult plant!
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 5
6
Invasive cacti in North West NSW
Identification and biological control
options
Available at Northern Slopes Landcare website
Cacti → Resources
https://www.northernslopeslandcare.com.
au/images/Cacti/5537_Cacti_Booklet_Ver
yFINAL_WEB.pdf
NW Local Land Services website
Resource hub → Publications
https://northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au/__data/
assets/df_file/0004/1192396/5537_Cacti-
Booklet_VeryFINAL_WEB.pdf
Events
Available at Northern Slopes Landcare website
Cacti → Resources
https://www.northernslopeslandcare.com.a
u/ima ges/pdf/acti/5533_WONS_Poster_1
810_Web.pdf
Cacti Resources
Invasive cacti field guide
Identification and control of invasive cacti in North West NSW
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 6
Check out the latest news from the NSW Weed Biocontrol Taskforce at
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/weed-control/biological
-control/nsw-weed-biocontrol-taskforce OR if you’re a weeds professional in NSW, sign up to the Weeds
Extranet provided by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) at https://extranet.dpi.nsw.go
v.au/weeds
WANTED dedicated commu-
nity members to be apart of a
Coordinated Biocontrol Re-
lease Program for Hudson
pear.
For more information contact
NW Cacti Control Coordinator
0402 014 769
Walgett Shire Council Weed of-ficer
0427 253 463
This FREE course will ac-
credit you in many areas of
chemical safety, application,
transport, handling and stor-
age of chemical.
Grawin - Friday 8 May 2020
RSVP before 1 May 2020
Call Jo Skewes 0402 014 769
Email [email protected]
AQF3 Chemical Accreditation
Keep in touch with the latest news, events
and funding across the North West - whether it’s news on
local farmer groups, available funding to improve your
farm business or field days and events happening in your
local area, ‘Across the Paddock’ has you covered.
Subscribe now and email [email protected]
Across the Paddock is a bi-monthly newsletter brought to
you by your North West Regional Agriculture Landcare
Facilitators (NW RALF) and supported by Tamworth Re-
gional Landcare Association (TRLA) and Northern
Slopes Landcare Association (NSLA) through North
West Local Land Services (NW LLS) and the National
Landcare Program (NLP).
Networks
Expression Of Interest
7
Gunnedah Shire Council
Senior Weeds Officer
Lee Amidy 0427 254 188
Neil Worboys 0436 950 781
63 Elgin Street Gunnedah NSW 2380
Phone 02 6740 2100
Postal Address
PO Box 63
Gunnedah NSW 2380
Email [email protected]
Gwydir Shire Council
Weeds Officer Warialda
Scott McLachlan 0428 305 364
Weeds Officer Bingara
Stephen Kneller 0427 240 061
Postal Address
Locked Bag 5
Bingara NSW 2404
Email [email protected]
Bingara Office
33 Maitland Street
Bingara NSW 2404
Phone 02 6724 2000
Warialda Office
52 Hope Street
Warialda NSW 2402
Phone 02 6729 3000
Liverpool Plains Shire
Council
Authorised Officer - Weeds
Mike Whitney 0427 961 980
60 Station Street
Quirindi NSW 2343
Phone 02 6746 1755
Postal Address
PO Box 152
Quirindi NSW 2343
Email [email protected]
Moree Plains Shire Council
Senor Biosecurity Officer
Ian Schwartz 0427 044 521
Biosecurity Officer
Lachlan Biddle 0408 204 577
Moree Office
Level 2, Max Centre
30 Heber Street
Moree NSW 2400
Phone 02 6757 3222
Postal Address
PO Box 420
Moree NSW 2400
Email [email protected]
Narrabri Shire Council
Senior Authorised Officer - Weeds
Clare Felton-Taylor 0427 294 771
Authorised Officer - Weeds
Chris Watkins 0429 202 205
46-48 Maitland Street
Narrabri NSW 2390
Phone 02 6799 6866
Postal Address
PO Box 261
Narrabri NSW 2390
Email [email protected]
Tamworth Regional Council
Senior Weeds Officer
Mal Stein 0429 821 579
Weeds Officer
Robert Burr 0419 271 593
Ray Walsh House
437 Peel Street
Tamworth NSW 2340
Phone 02 6767 5555
Postal Address
PO Box 555
Tamworth NSW 2340
Email [email protected]
Walgett Shire Council
Castlereagh Macquarie Weeds
County Council
Senior Weeds Officer
Andrea Fletcher 0428 462 060
Weeds Officer
Mat Savage 0427 253 463
77 Fox Street Walgett NSW 2832
Phone 02 6828 6100
Postal Address
PO Box 31
Walgett NSW 2832
E-mail [email protected]
NW Local Land Services
Moree Office 02 6750 9000
Warialda Office 02 6729 1529
Narrabri Office 1300 795 299
Tamworth Office 02 6764 5900
Walgett Office 02 6828 6400
Gunnedah Office 02 6742 9220
Goondiwindi Office 0428 432 784
Department of Primary Industries
Biosecurity Help Line 1800 680 244
North West Regional Weeds Officers If you find any suspicious weeds please call your local council so their response team can work with you on
identifying and controlling any State or Regional Priority Weeds you might find on your property.
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 7
8
Websites
Atlas of Living Australia - https://www.ala.org.au/
Australian Invasive Cacti Network (AICN) - http://www.aicn.org.au/
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicinal Authority (APVMA) - https://portal.apvma.gov.au
Biological Control DPI - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/projects/biological-control
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/
DPI Weeds - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds
NSW Biocontrol Weeds Taskforce - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/weed-control/biological-control/
nsw-weed-biocontrol-taskforce
NSW WeedWise - http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/
North West Local Land Services (NW LLS) - https://northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au/
North West Weeds - http://www.northwestweeds.com.au/
PlantNET - http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/
Weed Control and Identification - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/weed-control
Weeds of National Significance - http://weeds.ala.org.au/WoNS/
North West Landcare
North West Plains Sustainability Group - https://www.facebook.com/northwestplainsgroup/
Northern Slopes Landcare Association - http://www.northernslopeslandcare.com.au/
Tamworth Regional Landcare Association - http://www.trla.org.au/
Resources
Australian Weed Strategy - http://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/pest-animals-
and-weeds/review-aus-pest-animal-weed-strategy/aus-weeds-strategy
New South Wales Weed Control Handbook - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/weed-control/
management-guides/noxious-enviro-weed-control
Invasive Cacti Field Guide: Identification and control of invasive cacti, North West NSW - https://
www.northernslopeslandcare.com.au/images/Cacti/5537_Cacti_Booklet_VeryFINAL_WEB.pdf
Opuntiod Cacti Best Practice Control Manual - https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/invasive-species/opuntioid-cacti-best-
practice-control-manual
NSW Acts and Regulations
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 - https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/2016/63
Biosecurity Act 2015 - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/about-us/legislation/list/biosecurity-act-2015
EPA Pesticide Act 1999 - https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/licensing-and-regulation/legislation-and-compliance/acts-
administered-by-the-epa/act-summaries#pa
EPA Pesticide Regulation 2017 - https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/licensing-and-regulation/legislation-and-compliance/
acts-administered-by-the-epa/regulation-summaries#PestReg
Local Land Services Act 2013 - https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/2013/51
Further Information
NW Local Land Services - Feedback Online: rateitnow.com/
northwestllsregion
Cactus Quarterly - Sign Up
Online: http://eepurl.com/dH1wAv
QR Reader App
Cactus Quarterly - Contact
NW Cacti Control Coordinator
Northern Slopes Landcare Association
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0402 014 769
How invasive is YOUR cactus? Page 8
