Evaluation of quinmerac and fluroxypyr against hedgerow flora and uncommon arable weeds.

Abstract

Reducing herbicide usage at field margins benefits many forms of wildlife. If sufficiently selective herbicides are available, these can be used to control pernicious weed species without negating the advantages. However, a few annual weeds can persist in field boundary vegetation, thus forming a reservoir for future infestations. The most serious of these is cleavers (Galium aparine L.). Fluroxypyr and quinmerac are both effective against this species, but the activity of quinmerac against other common weeds appears to be limited to Veronica spp., Papaver rhoeas and Lamium purpureum (2, 3, 5). In 1989, a simple pot screen was carried out to test the activity of quinmerac, in comparison with fluroxypyr, against 15 'non-target' species, either commonly occurring in field boundary vegetation or uncommon/rare plants of arable land (1). Results for a further 14 species screened in 1990 are reported here.