Biological Control

In the Meander Valley a biological control agent slender thistle rust was released by the CSIRO at two sites in 1994. A further two sites were innoculated by the Meander Valley Weed Strategy in July 1997. Monitoring of these release sites during the summer of 1998 indicated that the rust had resulted in a marked reduction in viable seeds, at one site, the slender thistles had been completely eliminated over an area of about one hectare around the release site .