Hilltops Council Biosecurity Officers Tom Pickering and Ben Mott are urging farmers and landholders to be on the lookout for the toxic and noxious weed.

"After the recent summer showers Silverleaf Nighshade will be on the move," Ben said.

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) is a weed that reduces production in crop and pasture enterprises throughout the Australian wheat-sheep zone.

"It is a long-lived perennial plant with very deep, resilient roots," Tom said.

"It grows during spring and summer and uses valuable moisture and nutrients needed for following crops and pastures."

According to the pair crop yields can be reduced by 50 to 70 percent by dense infestations.

"Spread is relatively slow but once established it is extremely difficult to eradicate.

"Established dense infestations are an ongoing annual burden on productivity and costs, and there are no suitable effective herbicide treatments that will kill dense infestations quickly."

According to the Department of Primary Industry Silverleaf nightshade though uncommon is also very toxic to livestock as it contains alkaloids which are most concentrated in the ripe fruit of the plant.

Symptoms of Silverleaf Nightshade poisoning includes diarrhoea, head held low or pressing the head against solid objects, weight loss and/or death after 1 - 2 weeks.

For more information contact the Hilltops Council Biosecurity Weeds Office on 1300 445 586.