Medics

Medicago spp.

There are a number of naturalised medics (i.e. burr medic) as well as varieties which are sown in a cropping rotation, such as snail and barrel medics. Barrel medics are more suited to permanent pastures than snail medics. Medics prefer neutral to alkaline soils rather than the more acidic soils that clover is more suited to. Like clover, medics are a good quality forage and have the added benefit of increasing soil nitrogen levels. Burr medic is an environmental weed in some States.

Description

While similar looking to clovers with three leaflets, medics have yellow pea-like flowers whereas clovers have white or pink flowers.

Burr medic is low-growing, almost hairless with leaves divided into three heart shaped leaflets each 4-35 mm long. It has small clusters of 2-7, small yellow, pea-type flowers with petals that are only 3-5 mm long. Burr medic gets its name from its fruit which is a small, greenish-brown burr with 1-6 tight coils that are often spiny.

Control

As burr medics are readily spread by the transport of burrs on animals, restricting stock access will limit the spread. Much of the seed set by medics is hard seeded, meaning it can take a number of years for the seed coat to break down enough to allow water to enter the seed and start the germination process.

Once germinated, for best control of medics apply herbicides when they are small, actively growing plants.

Velocity^® is registered for the suppression of 2-6 leaf volunteer medic at 500 mL/ha and control of medics at 670 mL - 1.0 L/ha in wheat, barley, cereal rye and triticale. Hussar^® is registered to control cotyledon to 4 leaf medics in wheat. Roundup Ready^® with Plantshield^® and Roundup Ready PL and are also registered for the control of up to 8 leaf annual medics in Roundup Ready and Truflex^® canola crops. In chickpeas, Balance® is registered for the pre-emergent control of medics. Precept^® is registered for the control of 2-4 leaf volunteer medic when used in a tank mix with Lontrel^® in wheat, barley, cereal rye, triticale and oats.

Eclipse^® is registered for the suppression of up to 5 leaf volunteer medics in wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale.