Introduction

Welcome to this course - the first and possibly the only one of its kind in Australia. The course was developed from written contributions by experts in weed management from around the country.An initiative of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Weed Management Systems (now CRC for Australian Weed Management), and was developed as an initiative of the CRC for Tropical Plant Protection in conjunction with the Tropical and Subtropical Weeds Research Unit (TSWRU).

Weeds impose a considerable cost to the Australian community, both in agricultural and non-agricultural systems, and so it is imperative to be able to manage them effectively. In many ways, the management of weeds is becoming more complex as we confront the increasing evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds and pressure to reduce the deleterious environmental effects of weed management methods. This course will help you to understand how weeds function so so that you can better exploit their weaknesses. It includes the latest techniques and ideas on weed management as applied to Australian ecosystems, whether cropping, pasture or the natural environment.

Weeds are any plants that interfere with human activity. They may affect agricultural production, by reducing crop yields, reducing product quality, damaging stock, or otherwise affecting normal agricultural practices. Equally, weeds may interfere with recreational pursuits on golf courses, ovals, parks, or by restricting access to or reducing the aesthetic quality of national parks, conservation reserves and other natural areas. Weeds can also affect Australia's unique flora and fauna by smothering vegetation and reducing the availability of food and habitat. It has been estimated that weeds cost Australian agriculture more than $4 billion per year along with similar figures for insects and diseases. However, when the effects of environmental weeds are included, the true cost of weeds to the Australian economy would be considerably greater.

On completion of this course we hope you will have a better appreciate of weeds, the problems they cause and the means to manage them.

Objectives

The overall aim of this course is for you to develop knowledge of the principles underlying integrated weed management and how these principles can be put into practice.

The overall aim of this course is for you to develop knowledge of the principles underlying integrated weed management and how these principles can be put into practice.

By the completion of the course you should be able to:

• outline the nature of weeds
• identify a wide range of important weed species
• describe how weeds affect different types of ecosystems
• discuss the range of management options available for weed control
• put weed management into an economic context; and
• integrate this information so as to critically explore integrated weed management systems

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The course at a glance

This course consists of 5 sections (General concepts, Weed systems, Weed management, Integrated weed management and Weed examples) and 18 modules. Module 17 is a compulsory elective. In Module 17 you choose ONE from the 4 elective study areas.

Modules are:

General Concepts

• Module 1: An introduction to weeds
• Module 2: Legislation and weeds
• Module 3: Economics and decision making in weed management
• Module 4: Weeds in the news

Weed systems

• Module 5: Weed invasions
• Module 6: Environmental weeds
• Module 7: Aquatic weeds
• Module 8: Rangelands weeds
• Module 9: Cropping weeds

Weed management

• Module 10: Physical management
• Module 11: Grazing management
• Module 12: Cropping management
• Module 13: Biological control
• Module 14: Herbicide mode of action
• Module 15: Herbicide application and fate in the environment
• Module 16: Herbicide resistance in weeds

Integrated weed management

• Module 17: Integrated weed management (select from one of the following)
  • IWM in a crop system
  • IWM in a pasture system
  • IWM in a natural ecosystem
  • IWM in a horticulture and viticulture system

The notes for all electives are included to help you select the module you are most interested in. However, You will only need to study ONE of the electives.

Weed examples

• Module 18: Important weeds of Australian and Southern Asia

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Learning guide

The Learning Guide (hardcopy and interactive CD-ROM) is the central learning resource for this course. It provides all the content and includes a number of activities to assist you to understand what is quite often complex information. You are strongly encouraged to complete these activities because doing so should make learning easier and more effective.

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  Learning activities

  Different kinds of learning activities have been integrated into the content to assist your learning. You are strongly encouraged to complete these.

  Answers for the learning activities are provided in two ways. Usually, they can be accessed via a link on the CD-ROM. Sometimes, however, the answer will be contained in the text itself - for instance, you will occasionally be asked to think about a module before you read the text and then to check the text to see if you were correct. In these cases, the answers will not be repeated in the ‘Answers’ section in the Learning guide.

  Crosswords (and similar activities) are included as a lighter way of revising some aspects of the module.

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  Answers for the activities

  Indicates link to the answers for the activity
  

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  Return to Module

  Indicates link to return to the modules

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  Software

  Indicates the relevant interactive identification and information system software appropriate for the section

   

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  Video/DVD

  Indicates the video segment appropriate to this section.  The videos can be viewed at the UQ Gatton library.  The content of the videos is not examinable but will add to your understanding of the subject under study.

   

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  Glossary

  New words that are introduced in the module are are linked to a glossary where you can find an explanation. Hopefully, this will assist you with the large number of difficult plant protection terms that cannot be avoided in a course like this.

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  Module Review

  Some modules include review questions designed to test your understanding of key information in the module.