To develop effective herbicidal weed control practices for Australian tea tree oil plantations and ensure new herbicide recommendations do not affect oil quality. Background Tea tree oil is extracted from an Australian native species Melaleuca alternifolia .
Weed control is considered the major problem by growers.
In 1990, there were only four legalised herbicide treatments available and subsequently left growers with very expensive and limited weed control options. In addition, there is a need to maintain high production and quality of tea tree oil. Clearly there will be a need to guarantee that any new recommended treatments do not contaminate the oil with herbicide residues. Research A survey was conducted to determine the major weed species and the techniques used to control these weeds. It was shown that the majority of competition from weeds occurred in the first month after planting.