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Weeds are a persistent problem for many vegetable producers in Australia. The common features of vegetable cropping systems, including frequent cultivation, irrigation, and the addition of large quantities of nutritional inputs, mean that the potential for weed growth is high. Weeds have a significant impact on crop profitability, yield and quality, and crop management. In consultation with the Australian industry we sought to identify the most important weed species in Australian vegetable production and the methods currently used to control them, gaps in current knowledge of weed control, potential lessons from other industries, and the most important research, development and extension (RD&E) issues. The project involved a review of the literature, a national survey of vegetable farmers, focus groups and farm visits in major vegetable producing regions across Australia, and key informant interviews. ... The primary output of this project was a series of recommendations for weed control RD&E, to guide future investment. |
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