What is Paramatta Grass & Why is it so prolific?
Giant Parramatta grass is a coarse tussocky grass, 70-160 cm in height. The seed head is up to 40 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Stems grow in a fan-like arrangement and the leaf-sheaths are folded. Leaf blades are up to 50 cm long and 1.5–5 mm wide. Its flower head is a dark, slaty green, dense, spike-like panicle 25-45 cm long, with branches usually lax at maturity, and sometimes diverging slightly. The spikelets are 1.5-2 mm long.
Why is it worth removing Paramatta Grass?
Parramatta grass can dramatically decrease economic viability of grazing land and lower land values, by reducing viable carrying capacity and decreased production by up to 80%.
It invades pastures and replaces more productive types of grass, especially after overgrazing or soil disturbance.
Mature leaf blades are tough and difficult for cattle to graze, and may cause loose teeth of grazing cattle and horses.
How to Get On Top of Paramatta Grass
So our number recommended herbicide is TASK FORCE.
TASKFORCE® is unique as it will selectively kill the above weed species without devastating many other desirable pasture species. TASKFORCE® is a systemic herbicide with low contact activity as it is mainly taken up by the roots where it is translocated to other parts of the plant.
This process begins after a minimum of 5 mm of rain. The herbicide acts very slowly and the first signs of the weeds dying may take up to 3 months – just dependent on factors such as soil type, rainfall etc. A major benefit of this herbicide is its ability to keep killing germinating seedlings for 3-4 years after initial treatment.
See the results for yourself…
Photo taken in late Feb 2013 of a paddock in Bungonia, Australia after spraying with TASKFORCE in early Dec 2012 at the rate of 2L per hectare and a water volume of 80L per hectare. Note the CNG is dying but the cocksfoot, fescue etc is powering ahead. The paddock had a fairly extensive infestation of CNG but after good rain in Jan and Feb the selective nature of TASKFORCE is well illustrated. The rain has accelerated both the kill and the recovery of the grasses but this is not an uncommon result in areas where summer rainfall or storms occur.
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