Weed Management in New Zealand Pastures

In New Zealand, pastoral farming for dairy and meat production is the major land use. As with any agricultural production system, weeds are a threat to efficient pasture production in New Zealand. In this review, we outline the problems caused by weeds in New Zealand pastures, and the management strategies being used to control them. There are currently 245 plant species from 40 plant families that are considered to be troublesome weeds in New Zealand pastures. The application of herbicides is an important approach to manage weeds in New Zealand pastures; however, a key to the success of these pastures is the use of clovers in combination with the grasses, so the challenge is to find herbicides that selectively control weeds without damaging these legumes. The use of spot spraying and weed wiping are often required to ensure selective control of some weed species in these pastures. Non-chemical agronomic approaches such as grazing management and using competitive pasture species often play a more important role than herbicides for weed management in many New Zealand pastures. Thus, integrated weed management using a combination of herbicides and good pasture management strategies leads to the most cost-effective and efficient control of pasture weeds in New Zealand.