Eco Turf Project

Over 800 grasses from across Australia have been collected for DNA mapping as part of the Council of Mayors (SEQ)sponsored Eco Turf Project.

The project will identify the methodology to produce grasses that are more water and nutrient efficient, and also commercially viable.

With severe water restrictions in many local government areas within SEQ, it is important that the value of developing more drought tolerant and water efficient turf is recognised.

ARC-funded researchers at The University of Queensland are studying native and naturalised Australian couch grasses with the intention of developing new domestic, sports ground and amenity lawns.

In collaboration with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Jimboomba Turf and the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, the researchers plan to create new ecologically sustainable turf grasses that maintain quality with reduced water and nutrients.

The project could play an important part in the overall strategy to conserve water resources. The University of Queensland is currently in the second fiscal year of funding, with the project due for completion in 2011.

Contact: Associate Professor Ian Godwin, The University of Queensland

Management of native grass trials – a burning issue

Rural Solutions SA has reintroduced native grasses along the South Eastern Freeway to enhance biodiversity, minimise management costs, reduce exotic grass fuel loads and improve overall aesthetics.

The business manages a number of native grass trial sites along the South Eastern Freeway at Bridgewater and Verdun.

The challenge at these sites is to maintain healthy stands of summer-active native grasses that will provide a green sward over the summer months without the need for watering.

To achieve these objectives, a controlled management burn was undertaken by Rural Solutions SA consultants on the South Eastern Freeway in Winter 2008.
Fire is one method used to promote the growth of Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis) by replenishing soil nutrients and suppressing competition from introduced weed species.

The response of Kangaroo Grass and other exotic species following the burn will be closely monitored and this information will be used to guide the future management of this native grass species.

Kangaroo grass has sprouted vigorously following the 2008 burn and stands out as one of the few green grass patches along the freeway during the Summer months.
This observation may indicate an opportunity to use native grasses as fire breaks instead of the commonly used scorched earth approach.

Follow-up management such as slashing and spot-spraying of invasive grasses (e.g. Phalaris and Cocksfoot) will ensure that the kangaroo grass has a competitive advantage over the weeds during the summer growing season.

A range of other management techniques is also used by Rural Solutions SA at these grass trial sites. In particular, sculpture mowing is a novel approach used to suppress weeds and enhance native grasses (see video).

As well as its practical advantages, this technique gives the sites an attractive appearance of evenly-spaced parallel rows.
For further information contact Dr Stuart Collard.

Growth Regulation and Seed Suppression on Bahia Grass

As a result of our collaboration with industry supporter Syngenta in Australia, commercial demonstrations are underway with Project Partners Brisbane City Council and Gold Coast City Council to evaluate new options for growth regulation and seed suppression on Bahia grass.

Borne from the IVMP concept, Syngenta will soon offer managers of mown vegetation a new option in the management of Bahia grass. The commercial demonstrations will evaluate the effectiveness of the new management tool, taking into consideration the cost of mowing the area under management versus the implementation of the growth regulation / seed suppression strategy.

A range of intervention levels and situations will be evaluated, with roadside vegetation maintained under MUTCD guidelines, included in the demonstrations.

Keep an eye on the IVMP website for detail on the results of this innovation from Syngenta.