Long-term silverleaf nightshade control: Updated tips and tactics

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.) is a declared weed in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia & Western Australia and was listed as one of the Weeds of National Significance in 2012.

 

This weed requires the adoption of medium to long term strategies using a range of chemical and non-chemical tactics appropriate to specific situations. SLN propagates not only by seeds, but also by root segments. For effective management, a ‘Dual Action’ approach is proposed. There is an early summer control action to target seedset and to exhaust the food reserves in the roots, through treating the new season stems before they flower and stopping carbohydrate return to the creeping roots. The second control action is in late summer or autumn to specifically target the eye buds on the roots.

 

An effective management plan should address three key steps:

Step 1 - map the infested areas and mark out the boundary of isolated patch infestations.

Step 2 - consider the land use of each area, as this will affect the range of control tactics that can be economically employed.

Step 3 - assess what control options are appropriate for each area to be managed.

 

Previous best management strategies for SLN in Australia have been further refined based on the results from large scale on-farm grower participatory trials, established within a range of production systems and climatic zones across states. The new best management strategies document is now available to download, below.