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Research | Manager's Fact Pack | National Management | Upcoming Events | Feedback & Comments About Chilean needle grassChilean needle grass in a nutshell As its name suggests, Chilean needle grass is a native of South America that was first recorded in Australia about 70 years ago. It is threatening endangered indigenous grassland communities and productive pastures throughout significant regions of south-eastern Australia. Currently, little is known on the effective long-term management of Chilean needle grass infestations. Name The botanical name for Chilean needle grass is Nassella neesiana (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth, synonymous with Stipa neesiana Trin. & Rupr. Biology Seed longevity: The persistence of Chilean needle grass is aided by a large, long-lived seedbank. Even without the input of additional seed, the seedbank declines very slowly over many years. Seed set: Chilean needle grass can produce large numbers of panicle seed between spring and early summer. In a dense, ungrazed infestation, panicle seed production ranges from 1,600 to 22,000 seeds per square metre. As well as the panicle seed, the stem nodes and base of the plant bear cleistogenes, which also account for a considerable amount of the total seed production (Gardener et al. 1999). Ecology Chilean needle grass is becoming a highly invasive weed in pastures and indigenous grassland ecosystems of temperate south-eastern Australia. It is also a weed of roadsides, which form highly effective corridors for it dispersal. It's resilience to drought and heavy grazing, along with its rapid rate of growth, allows it to effectively outcompete preferred species. In Australia, Chilean needle grass generally occurs on more fertile soils. Distribution Introduced from South America, it was first recorded in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote in 1934. It now occurs extensively throughout Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and has recently been recorded just over the New South Wales border into Queensland. Isolated infestations occur in South Australia. The potential distribution of Chilean needle grass in Australia has been estimated to be more than 41 million ha. Impact The impacts of Chilean needle grass are, indeed, very high. It can dominate indigenous grasslands and other natural ecosystems that are amongst the most threatened in Australia. In agricultural systems, pasture productivity is reduced by displacement of more desirable species, seeds cause injury to stock, produce may be downgraded and management cost rise. Control options Currently, little is known about appropriate management practices for the control of Chilean needle grass in Australia. Investigations are currently focussing on a range of techniques including grazing management, herbicide technologies, fire, revegetation and biological control. Page Top
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