Sterile brome is the most challenging weed to control in tillage fields in Ireland, according to a survey of agronomists carried out by Bayer Crop Science.

Annual meadow grass has the most impact on yield, but was reported to respond best to herbicides.

In total, 18% of agronomists said sterile brome was the weed they found most challenging to control, followed by wild oats at 15%, ryegrass at 12%, Italian ryegrass at 12%, annual meadow grass at 9%, blackgrass at 9% and canary grass at 6%.

It should be noted that wild oats were found most difficult to control by agronomists in the southeast of the country.

Some other weeds were also mentioned, including groundsel, chickweed, poppy, willow herb and mayweed.

It should be noted that the data from the survey is limited, but does give a good insight into what's happening on tillage farms.

What most affected yield?

When asked what weed most affected yield, 50% of agronomists said annual meadow grass, followed by sterile brome at 28% and ryegrass at 11%.

Interestingly, the weed voted to have the most impact on yield was also the weed that agronomists said they got the best control of. When asked for the level of annual meadow grass control expected from an autumn herbicide, 83% of agronomists expected full control and 17% expected partial control.

Partial control was expected by 89% of agronomists with sterile brome and 11% full control.

With ryegrass, 83% of agronomists expect partial control of the weed, 6% expected no control of the weed and full control in 11% of cases.

A herbicide is expected to have no control on 20% of blackgrass, partial control is expected on 75% of blackgrass and full control in 7% of cases.

New herbicide

The survey was carried out by Bayer Crop Science as part of the launch of its new herbicide Mateno Duo.