Flaxleaf fleabane rust fungus

For the first time in Australia, there is a biocontrol option to help tackle flaxleaf fleabane.

A rust fungus from fleabane’s country of origin, Colombia, has been rigorously tested by a research team at the CSIRO and approved for release by the Australian regulator. This new tool will be available to help growers bolster their integrated weed management strategy.

This research is part of a project called Underpinning agricultural productivity and biosecurity by weed biological control, led by AgriFutures Australia and funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program, with co-investment from CSIRO, GRDC and NSW Biocontrol Taskforce.

Contact

Ben Gooden
CSIRO
ben.gooden@csiro.au

More information

• Flaxleaf fleabane rust fungus video
• GRDC/AgriFutures media release