Black grass is a constant talking point in tillage and with good reason – it’s a plant that is getting out of control and can render fields and farms unviable.
In case farmers are becoming fatigued by black grass talk here is an example of how quickly it can get out of control.
At the Irish Seed Trade Association’s Seminars this week John Mahon described a quick example.
He noted that a field with one black grass plant per metre squared has the potential to become infested with the weed rapidly and this is why one plant cannot be left uncontrolled.
One plant can produce 10 plants, so one plant/m² results in 10 heads/m² – those heads are of course made up of seeds.
Some of the attendance at the Irish Seed Trade Association Seminar “Securing Future Standard and Supply for Arable Farming” in Mount Wolseley Hotel, Tullow, Co Carlow.
Those 10 heads produce 1,000 seeds/m² at 60% viability. This equates to approximately 6m seeds/ha of black grass.
Walk crops
Remember there is no herbicide which can fully control black grass. John added that incidences of black grass on farms continued to rise in 2022. He urged farmers to walk crops regularly for grass weeds and seek advice on identification of different species.
Research at Teagasc Oak Park showed that 56% of black grass samples tested in Oak Park showed resistance to one or more herbicides.
Black grass is a constant talking point in tillage and with good reason – it’s a plant that is getting out of control and can render fields and farms unviable.
In case farmers are becoming fatigued by black grass talk here is an example of how quickly it can get out of control.
At the Irish Seed Trade Association’s Seminars this week John Mahon described a quick example.
He noted that a field with one black grass plant per metre squared has the potential to become infested with the weed rapidly and this is why one plant cannot be left uncontrolled.
One plant can produce 10 plants, so one plant/m² results in 10 heads/m² – those heads are of course made up of seeds.
Some of the attendance at the Irish Seed Trade Association Seminar “Securing Future Standard and Supply for Arable Farming” in Mount Wolseley Hotel, Tullow, Co Carlow.
Those 10 heads produce 1,000 seeds/m² at 60% viability. This equates to approximately 6m seeds/ha of black grass.
Walk crops
Remember there is no herbicide which can fully control black grass. John added that incidences of black grass on farms continued to rise in 2022. He urged farmers to walk crops regularly for grass weeds and seek advice on identification of different species.
Research at Teagasc Oak Park showed that 56% of black grass samples tested in Oak Park showed resistance to one or more herbicides.
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