A survey of Bladder Saltbush (Atriplex vesicaria Heward ex Benth) dieback on the Riverine Plain of south-eastern Australia from the late 1970s to 1983.

Abstract

Bladder saltbush (Ahiplex vesicaria Heward ex Benth) is a valuable perennial chenopod shrub of the northem Riverine Plain of south-eastem Australia. From 1977 to 1983, dieback affected stands of this shrub over a wide area, reducing the drought reserves on many pastoral holdings. By early 1983 reports of new outbreaks of dieback had ceased, and by late 1983 regeneration, both vegetatively and from seedlings, was evident in most areas. This study reviews what is known of this dieback event. The extent of healthy bladder saltbush stands, pre-dieback and towards the end of the dieback period was mapped. It was found that the area of leafy bush had declined by 53 per cent, from 1.1 to 0.5 million hectares, by the end of 1983. There was considerable variation in timing, pattern and progress of dieback. The cause was not established.