New manual helps manage weed threat to northern Australia

A new manual from the Department of Natural Resources and Water highlights a major environmental weed threatening northern Australia - pond apple.

The Pond Apple Management Manual outlines pond apple ecology, the threat it poses, a range of effective control methods and practical case studies.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water Craig Wallace said the manual was written for landholders, local councils and other interested parties to provide a comprehensive guide to the weed and control measures.

“The manual provides the latest information available about this weed,’’ he said.

“Once established pond apple is difficult, and costly, to manage so considerable effort should be given to early detection and immediate control.”

Pond apple is listed as a Weed of National Significance. In Queensland pond apple is declared as a Class 2 pest under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 which means it potentially has serious economic, environmental and social impacts.

Also commonly known as Cherimoya this plant is an invasive semi-deciduous tree that was released in Australia in 1912 as rootstock for custard apples.

Pond apple forms dense stands, particularly in swamp areas. It invades fresh, brackish and saltwater areas and its thickets are capable of replacing whole ecosystems.

Mr Wallace said the best form of weed control was prevention of infestation and early intervention.

New infestations must be identified quickly and controlled before they become widespread. Community awareness of the impact and seriousness of pond apple is essential to increase detection rates of unknown infestations. This manual should help in raising awareness and identification of this weed.

“Always treat infestations when they are small and the best approach is usually to combine different control options,’’ Mr Wallace said.

There is a range of methods that effectively control pond apple including a number of herbicides. The greatest challenges for pond apple management are early detection especially in remote or hard to access areas, stopping the spread of seed by ocean currents and killing plants in remote, hard to access or unsafe working environments.

The Pond Apple Management Manual is available from Natural Resources and Water service centres, which are listed on the Department of Natural Resources and Water’s website at www.nrw.qld.gov.au.

<Photo of pond apple also available upon request>

For further information contact Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654 or NRW North Region media and communications officer Lisa Caffery on (07) 4799 7736 or at lisa.caffery@nrw.qld.gov.au