The velvetleaf plant, a highly invasive weed, has been found on two farms in the Waikato region. This weed, which originates from China and India, can grow up to 2.5 meters tall and has large, heart-shaped leaves. It has been a problem in New Zealand’s crops because it quickly takes up water and nutrients, which can harm crop yields.
The mature velvetleaf plant can produce up to 15,000 seeds that can stay viable in the soil for about 50 years. These recent findings are the first new detections in the region since the last outbreak in 2019.
Darion Embling, the leader of the Waikato Regional Council’s biosecurity pest plants team, said these new outbreaks are a wake-up call for the agricultural sector. He said that despite efforts to control the weed since it was first discovered in the region in 2011, it’s disappointing to see these new outbreaks.
The last national outbreak in 2016 was caused by imported fodder beet. However, the weed can also spread through harvesting machinery and infested feed. The team is now focusing on tracing machinery and crop movement to manage the risk of further spread.
Most infested properties are in north Waikato, Matamata-Piako, and south Waikato. The staff is working with landowners to create farm management plans, as landowners are technically responsible for destroying the pest.
Donald Stobie, the Federated Farmers’ arable chairman for Waikato, said the weed is quite invasive and can be hard to find. He said it can spread quickly, take over fields, and suppress other plants. If the weed is found in a field, that field should be quarantined for several years and not used for crops again.
Farmers and growers are advised to be vigilant and keep their machinery clean to prevent the weed from spreading. Reports of velvetleaf can be made to the Foundation for Arable Research and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
