According to Meat and Livestock Australia, a new interactive CD, A practical guide to biological control of Paterson’s curse, provides information on how to use insects as part of the integrated management of Paterson’s curse (also known as Salvation Jane).

Biological control of Paterson’s curse involves the release of insects, such as the crown weevil, the root weevil, the flea beetle, the flower beetle and stem-boring beetle, which can destroy the weed.

Paterson’s curse infests over 30 million hectares in southern Australia, costing the wool and meat industries over $125 million each year.

The CD is a collation of all information from the research into the biocontrol of Paterson’s curse which was funded by Meat & Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation and developed over the past decade by the Weeds CRC, NSW DPI, Victorian DPI, SARDI, the Department of Agriculture WA and the CSIRO.

The CD details opportunities for the biological control of Paterson’s curse, including:

* how to identify sites suitable for biological control;

* information on how to source, collect and redistribute biological control agents;

* how to maintain biological control sites, including managing agent populations through wet and dry periods;

* guidelines on how to monitor biological control agent progress; and

* information on Paterson’s curse, the general principles of biological control and integrated weed management, and relevant brochures and publications relating to the weed and agents.

The CD also includes maps of where biocontrol agent releases have been conducted across temperate Australia, indicating the likely distribution of each agent.

The maps offer a ‘drill down’ function allowing further details to be viewed regarding agents that work in a particular region.

* To order a copy of the free CD contact 1800 675 717, email publications@mla.com.au or visit www.mla.com.au and click on ‘publications’ in the information centre to download a fax publication order form.