One of the country's worst pasture pests, the clover root weevil, has been confirmed at several sites in the Gore area.
One of the country's worst pasture pests, the clover root weevil, has been confirmed at several sites in the Gore area.
Southland Regional Council is keen to draw up battle plans to prevent the pest from becoming too firmly established.
Biosecurity manager Richard Bowman says even a moderate infestation can reduce annual clover production by 1000 kilograms of dry matter per hectare.
The consequent loss of nitrogen fixing from clover will mean an increased used of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, which will have an environmental impact.
Mr Bowman says the regional council is keen to team up with the Landcare Trust and farming interests to organise a biological control programme as speedily as possible, using a small parasitic wasp that's been released in some other parts of the country.
Federated Farmers Southland president Rod Pemberton thinks farmers will be keen to co-operate because of the losses that the weevil can cause.
The clover root weevil, first seen in Waikato in the 1990s, was also confirmed in Otago earlier this year, on the Taieri Plain.
