Mimosa in Australia

Mimosa pigra invades sedgeland and grassland communities on open floodplains, particularly in areas where feral buffalo have removed the vegetation.

[1][4] Mimosa pigra was probably introduced into Australia at the Darwin Botanic Gardens in the 20 years prior to 1891, either accidentally in seed samples or as a curiosity, because of its sensitive leaves.

Being low in palatability, it was assisted in establishment by high densities of feral water buffalo, which were heavily overgrazing the floodplains.

[6] In the late 1960s, small infestations of Mimosa pigra were identified along the banks of the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory, Australia.

Mimosa pigra is a noxious weed, which has received international recognition because of its existing and potential impact on biological diversity.

[3] Furthermore, it is also probable that the magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata (Latham)) is endangered by the spread of this weed, since it needs dense stands of native sedges for nesting and food.

[1][9] Hence, Mimosa pigra affects the pastoral industry through reduced grazing and water resources and increased difficulties in stock management, infrastructure maintenance and feral animal control.

The harvest of Mimosa to extract vegetable tannins and to provide biomass to generate electricity has been proposed under controlled conditions.

[1][13] Hence, Miller[1][14] has argued that by using herbicides to open the canopy and allow herbaceous vegetation to regrow, fire can then be employed to clear infested areas, with subsequent sowing of competitive pasture species to suppress regeneration from seed.

Chlamisus mimosae Karren, a leaf-feeding chrysomelid that was released in 1985 only established on the Finniss River catchment where it inflicts minor damage.

[15] Four species have apparently failed to establish and/or persist: both pathogens, Phloeospora mimosae-pigrae Evans and Carion and Diabole cubensis (Arthur & J.R.

[15] In the long term biocontrol on its own offers the only cost-effective control option for treating very large infestations of mimosa because of the high costs of chemicals, machinery and labour.

If more rapid treatment is required, biocontrol should be used in conjunction with mechanical and chemical methods as part of an integrated management plan.