The use of sulfosulfuron in Conservation Headlands to support farmland biodiversity.

Abstract

In trials conducted in Leicestershire in 2003 and 2004, the spectrum of activity of sulfosulfuron was shown to give it the properties regarded as appropriate for use in Conservation Headlands, the management option in the UK's Environmental Stewardship Scheme that allows problem weeds to be removed from cereal crop edges whilst leaving species of value to wildlife. At the correct application timing, sulfosulfuron gave good levels of control of cleavers (Galium aparine), mayweed (Matricaria spp.) and rough-stalked meadow grass (Poa trivialis), species of little conservation value but that are detrimental to good farming practice.