Beechwood NSW farmers Cathy Eggert and Jeremy Bradley have established a chemical-free solution to Giant Parramatta Grass. “A widespread native soil fungus, Nigrospora oryzae, causes crown rot disease in these species and has been spread by transplanting diseased plants without off-target impacts for nearly 20 years. An innovative farm-based enterprise has now cultivated the fungus so it can be applied more safely and effectively. The organism has not been modified and is sold as “Parra Trooper”.” Read more at the Beechwood Biological Solutions website.
However, access to this product is now in doubt. An article in The Australian on October 11th illustrates how, “the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has blocked and delayed the sale of this non-toxic biological controls for some of Australia’s worst weeds.
The APVMA’s product registration system is tailored to chemicals and its staff lack experience in assessing biological alternatives, critics say.”
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