THERE ARE alternative weed control solutions to linuron are in the pipeline, following its loss, according to the AHDB.

The decision not to renew authorisation of pre-emergence herbicide linuron could leave growers without an alternative chemical option from June of this year, but AHDB's trials have shown that the EU-approved herbicide metobromuron has given good results. Though UK authorisations for use of the product on horticultural crops are not expected until at least 2018, its potato and veg specialists are working to obtain earlier authorisations in key crops.

Angus farmer, Martin Cessford, said a solution must be found swiftly. He sits on the NFU Scotland's field vegetable committee and his family has farmed at Whanland for 70 years, growing 500 ha of combinable crops and field veg.

He said: “We are seeing the net drawn ever tighter on chemical use and it is a real worry. We find mayweed a major problem on our farm and I’m not sure how we’ll be able to control it without linuron.

"There are some potential replacements, but they don’t offer as broad a spectrum of control as linuron had, especially with the synergy effect it had with the other chemicals. We use linuron on the carrot crop as soon as sown, as well as on potatoes, parsnips and bulbs.

"Fortunately, its loss won’t be a problem until next year but by then we really need to have identified another chemical or method for protecting our crops.”

AHDB’s SCEPTREplus, a new four-year programme of crop protection product trials, is to be launched this month. It aims to deliver applied research on high priority disease, pest and weed problems in fresh produce and ornamental crops in order to support approval of products and devise and develop IPM programmes.

Non-chemical solutions are also being sought by AHDB through investment in innovative technology, including ‘Eyespot’, an automated system for applying herbicide droplets to individual leaves of weeds in row crops.

The decision not to renew linuron was announced in January and the Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) has confirmed the final sale and distribution date as June 3, 2017, and June 3, 2018, for the disposal, storage and use of existing stocks.

Joe Martin, the crop protection senior scientist at AHDB, said: “We know from our crop protection gap analysis work in 2016 that weed control is a high priority in 38 crops or crop groups and one of the biggest challenges growers face is overcoming their reliance on chemical herbicides as the number of products available continues to decline.”

Manufacturers are to offer herbicides for testing within SCEPTREplus trials to address some of the key industry priorities, he revealed. “The future for weed control may look uncertain but by researching new technologies and working closely with manufacturers and growers, AHDB is at the forefront of developing solutions for growers,” added Mr Martin.