The use of selective herbicides to control weed grasses in heather moorland.

Abstract

The overgrazing of heather moorlands, by sheep and to a lesser extent red deer, has reduced the coverage of Calluna vulgaris leading to an increase of coverage of Molinia caerulea and other grazing resistant species, reducing the productivity of the moorland. In order to promote the heather regeneration the use of selective herbicides to control the grass species has been considered.
In this paper the preliminary results of field and laboratory studies using carbetamide, diuron and sethoxydim, for the control of grass species present on heather moorland are presented. Of the three compounds sethoxydim appears to be the most appropriate in selectivity and mode of action. In addition the effectiveness of the compounds at a range of soil organic contents will be discussed.