AGRONOMISTS and growers in Queensland and NSW are being encouraged to collect Australian bindweed (Convolvulus erubescens) seeds as part of vital work investigating emerging weed threats in eastern Australia.

Bindweed seedling.

Research is being conducted by the University of Queensland (UQ) with support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) focused on the biology of emerging weeds in the region.

Researcher Sudheesh Manalil from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) said a minimum of 2000 seeds were required from grain paddocks or crop fallows.

Dr Manalil said researchers needed to know where bindweeds were being found and were available to collect seeds depending on the location. The study will look at the emergence patterns and competitiveness of this weed and the seeds will not be screened for herbicide resistance.

Mature bindweed plant.

Australian bindweed is a prostrate plant and seed leaves are nearly square with a rounded base and a deeply notched tip.

The first three or four true leaves are oblong with rounded or bluntly pointed tips.

Mature plants are hairy, have a thick taproot and light green creeping or twining stems.

Leaf shape is variable, often arrowhead-shaped with divided basal lobes.

Flowers are trumpet-shaped and white or pink.

For more information contact Dr Sudheesh Manalil, 0409 319 852 or [email protected]

For assistance identifying Australian bindweed go to https://grdc.com.au/Resources/Ute-Guides/Weeds/Prostrate-or-erect/North/Australian-Bindweed

Source: GRDC