Tiger pear cactus targeted in biological control operation

The three-day operation involved local landholders who lease WaterNSW land, along with weed control staff from neighbouring local councils.

Local landholder Dugald Campbell welcomed the WaterNSW initiative: “Hopefully what WaterNSW is doing now will reduce the spread of it. That’s what we’re pretty excited by.

“It’s starting to take country over that we cannot run any more. We can’t put sheep or cattle on. Cattle will kick it like a football, and then is starts to spread, and then we’ve basically lost that country.

“If we had to run our dogs through this country here, they’d stop. We wouldn’t be able to muster the sheep. It’s impossible to work,” Mr Campbell said.

The release of the tiger pear cochineal involves introducing tiger pear cladodes, or plant segments,  infected with cochineal into affected areas to manage the cactus infestation in an environmentally-friendly and self-sustaining manner, without using herbicides.

“As responsible land managers and good neighbours, WaterNSW is using biocontrol as an effective, low-cost environmentally-friendly tactic for weed control measures,” Mr Magaharan said.

“By using cochineal, we are not only reducing chemical use, but also working towards a long-term solution that benefits both the environment and the communities that rely on these landscapes.

“Biocontrol ensures sustainable management of tiger pear, allowing landholders to focus on other aspects of land productivity and reducing herbicide treatments to manage tiger pear.

“This collaboration with DPIRD’s Weeds Research Unit, and their biocontrol rearing facilities in Orange, demonstrates WaterNSW’s ongoing commitment to adopting research-backed, innovative solutions for weed control, working in conjunction with state partners to deliver results.”