QUEENSLAND farmers, gardeners and horticulturists are being called on to help find the devastating pest weed Mexican feather grass which has recently invaded the state.
Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin an off duty Biosecurity Queensland Officer discovered the exotic weed in landscaping on a Brisbane street earlier this month.
"Since then Biosecurity Queensland has been working hard with the nursery industry to track down other plants," Mr Mulherin said.
"This highly dangerous weed has the potential to cost Australian agriculture and the environment many millions of dollars if not stopped in its tracks now."
"Biosecurity Queensland's investigations have discovered Queensland landscapers and retail nursery outlets have innocently purchased the Mexican feather grass plant for use in landscaping or sale to the general public," Mr Mulherin said.
"The weed plants were mistakenly labelled as Stipa capillata and Stipa capriccio by an interstate supplier who sold the stocks to a Queensland production nursery - who then sold the plants to retail outlets."
He said the plants had been distributed to locations throughout Queensland including Algester, Aspley, Kenmore, Springfield, Redlands, Noosaville, Kawana, Sippy Downs, Gympie, Biloela, Emerald, Goondiwindi, Kingaroy, Longreach, Mackay, Monto, Pialba, Surat, Urangan, Warana, and Yeppoon.
"Gardeners who have recently bought plants as grass feature plants need to check if they have in fact, purchased Mexican feather grass," Mr Mulherin said.
AgForce president John Cotter said Mexican feather grass was a prolific seed producer that had no grazing value as it was low in protein and high in fibre, but could cause severe environmental damage to native grasslands and make pasture lands virtually worthless.
He said the latest incursion highlighted the importance of all landholders, including the Crown, having programs in place to minimise the spread of invasive plants.
“Our industries have a culture of quarantine and we will do what we can to assist but this incursion again highlights the importance of having a well-resourced and expert quarantine regulator in Biosecurity Queensland to respond to pest and disease incursions.”
Biosecurity Queensland General Manager Dr Bruce Wilson said Biosecurity Officers had tracked the weed to a range of locations across Queensland and called on the public to help..
"We need help from the general public to report any suspicious looking plants so we can trace and eradicate all existing specimens before the weed has a chance to establish in Queensland," he said.
John McDonald from Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland said the Mexican feather grass was a wiry green tussock grass up to 70cm in height with pale coloured feathery seed heads.
"This is a very unfortunate event and I strongly urge industry representatives and the general public to assist in the recovery of the mislabelled plants," Mr McDonald said.
"Mexican feather grass is a Class 1 declared weed under the Land Protection Regulation 2003. It is an offence to introduce, sell, or keep this weed without a permit," Dr Wilson said.
"If Mexican feather grass replaces other grasses on a large scale, the impact on the Queensland environment, lifestyle and economy could be significant."
Sightings of Mexican feather grass can be reported to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
