The Environmental Risk Management Authority has approved the release of an Argentinian fungus to control a nasty pasture weed.
The authority says the rust fungus will be used as a biological control agent to attack the weed, Chilean needlegrass, without adversely affecting the environment.
Chilean needlegrass is a threat to livestock, as well as people. It produces barbed seeds that can penetrate animal hides and corkscrew their way into flesh and bone.
Crown research institute Landcare Research hopes to release the fungus in Marlborough as early as next year. It is still waiting for permission from Argentinian authorities to export the rust fungus.
Marlborough has the worst needlegrass problem, with 3000ha infested with the pasture weed.
