Pasture productivity can be severely impacted by weed invasion and pests that consume pasture and damage the plants. AWI invests in a range of projects aimed to combat the impact of weeds and pests on pastures including Timerite which allows wool growers to control red legged earth mites in pastures using an annual spray.

Redlegged earth mite and Timerite^®

Redlegged earth mites (RLEM) are a major pest of pastures and crops in Australia. During autumn they can have a major impact on seedling establishment. This impact flows through into pasture productivity and seed set the following spring. Using Timerite^® woogrowers can increase their level of control of RLEM and reduce the quantity and frequency of chemical sprays that must be applied to pasture.

Redlegged earth mite has been identified as the priority pasture pest for research and control by AWI. Redlegged earth mites (RLEM) are destructive pasture pests estimated to cost Australian farmers around $200 million per year in lost production.

They are found throughout areas of southern Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania with winter dormant rainfall and a dry summer.

RLEM damage plants by piercing holes in the leaf cells and sucking out the sap. This causes a silvering of the leaves. RLEM can damage pasture plants throughout all stages of growth. Seedlings are particularly vulnerable and can be killed by RLEM. However feeding on older plants can also substantially reduce dry matter production and seed yield.

Timerite^®

Timerite^® is an online tool developed by AWI and CSIRO that provides the optimal spray date for the effective control of RLEM for your local area. By spraying on your Timerite^® date in spring, optimal control is achieved in the following Autumn when annual legumes are most susceptible.

Timerite^® has been tested over a period of seven years on 60 farms across southern Australia. On average a single spray at the Timerite^® date in spring resulted in a 93% RLEM control in autumn eight months later.

Get your property’s Timerite^® date and further information on RLEM and Timerite^®.

Pasture weeds

Weeds are estimated to cost the livestock industries $2.1 billion per annum in control costs and lost production. Australian Wool Innovation invests in a range of projects which focus on improving control of the major weeds affecting pasture productivity and wool quality.

AWI has developed a weed strategy in order to combat and control this threat to productivity. In this strategy a list of priority weeds and the research approach has been identified.

The priority weeds are: (click on links to find out more about the weed)