Western Treatment Plant artichoke thistle control
We collaborated with Melbourne Water, using cutting-edge drone technology to create high-resolution maps, enabling precise herbicide application, and achieving effective thistle eradication without harm to pasture grasses or damage to the environment.
Customer
Melbourne Water
Location
Western Treatment Plant, Cocoroc
Equipment Used
- DJI Phantom 4 RTK
- DJI Agras T10
Licences and approvals
- Agricultural Aircraft Operator Licence (AAOL)
- Agricultural Chemical User Permit (ACUP)
Problem
Melbourne Water leases out some of the land within the Western Treatment Plant (WTP) for grazing. These paddocks contain significant artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus L.) infestations that outcompete pasture species and reduce productivity. These affected areas are inaccessible by ground-based vehicles throughout wet periods, which rules out ground based control methods.
Solution
FMS first created a high resolution map of the affected paddock. This served two purposes:
- To gain an accurate area measurement of the artichoke affected areas.
- To map out potential obstacles for the spray drone such as poles, fences and powerlines.
By consulting an agronomist, the appropriate herbicide and application rate were selected to avoid chemical resistance, minimise damage to non-target species and achieve maximum efficiency. This resulted in an effective kill of the artichoke thistles within the treatment area, with no damage to the pasture grasses.
