The use of quinmerac to control Galium aparine in field boundaries.

Abstract

Quinmerac applied at 500 or 750 g ai/ha gave good control of Galium aparine in field margins and cereal headlands. Some difficulty was experienced when using rear-mounted booms on tractors because of boom snagging on undergrowth and consequent uneven application. All-Terrain Vehicles fitted with 4rn booms and treating only field margins achieved consistently good control.
The benefit of using quinmerac compared with many other herbicides for control of G. aparine is its specificity. It only kills G. aparine and Veronica spp. By leaving other species such as Polygonums, the insect food of some birds and the diversity of the whole hedgerow habitat are maintained.