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Abstract
Herbicide resistance has become a major problem in Australian dryland agriculture.
This situation has resulted from the repeated use of herbicides in place of the traditional
weed control provided by cultivation and grazing. Farmers have addressed the problem
of herbicide resistance by adopting a system of integrated weed management that
allows weed control with a range of different techniques and herbicides. One of the
non-chemical methods being considered by farmers is “green manuring”, which
involves ploughing a healthy growing crop or pasture into the soil in order to prevent
weed seed production and provide other benefits. In this study, the trade-offs between
the effective weed control and biological benefits provided by green manuring and the
large short-term economic losses associated with this practice are investigated for
various rotations and patterns of herbicide use. This analysis is conducted using RIM, a
bio-economic management model for ryegrass (Lolium rigidum).