Review of HGCA-funded weed research (1994–2005)

The 1994 review was written to inform farmers on research findings. This review has been prepared mainly to assist the commissioning of new projects. It does not particularly aim to help farmers, and has not been subjected to widespread scrutiny. It reviews relevant reports published from 1994, as well as ongoing projects. Only projects funded wholly or partly by HGCA are covered, so Defra LINK and commercially co-sponsored projects are included. It does not cover Defra, SEERAD and DARD-funded weed research, although HGCA aims to integrate its R&D with such work. The agro-chemical manufacturers carry mainly-herbicide related work which is also relevant to levy payers.

This review is mainly based on project findings reported in Project Reports and Research Reviews but also summarised in Topic Sheets and HGCA guides. Much valuable information has also been presented at HGCA conferences (for example there are three relevant papers in the 2006 conference at Belton Woods on resistance, rotations and SAFFIE), roadshows and in the press, to which specific reference is not made.

The past decade has been a challenging one for weed control. Farmers have had to cope with many new restrictions on herbicide use, fewer active ingredients and increasing levels of herbicide resistance, whilst profit margins have become ever tighter. Both numbers of farmers and of researchers have probably halved, and Long Ashton Research Station, together with research facilities at ADAS Drayton and Bridgets, which made significant contributions to weed research have closed. The agro-chemical industry has also contracted considerably, with fewer new active ingredients being produced by an industry increasingly based outside the UK and focused on non-UK crops. Some herbicide use on minor crops, including rye, triticale, linseed and soya is now only allowed if SOLAs (Specific Off-Label Approvals) have been granted for the appropriate crop/herbicide combinations.