Selectivity of tralkoxydim and its potential for use in conservation management.

Abstract

The use of conservation headlands around cereal fields has been shown by the Game Conservancy to enhance wild plant populations, particularly those beneficial to wildlife. Farmers, while generally supportive of this practice, are concerned that in some instances these areas may form reservoirs for invasive grass weeds. Data on the graminicide tralkoxydim, in routine screening programmes and specific studies on non-target plant species, have therefore been used, in combination with the results of Game Conservancy field studies, to investigate the potential for this herbicide to be used in the selective control of unwanted grass species in cereal field headlands. A range of grass weeds including wild oat and blackgrass were effectively controlled, while thirteen important broad-leaved species from ten families such as knotgrass and mayweed and two graminaceous crop species were relatively unaffected. Tralkoxydim was therefore considered to be appropriate for use in cereal conservation headlands.