The Irish Seed Trade Association (ISTA) has formally requested that blackgrass be added to Ireland’s register of ‘noxious weeds’.
The issue was first raised by ISTA at a meeting with agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue last autumn.
By taking this approach, it is hoped that the issue of blackgrass resistance will be more widely profiled.
In addition, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) inspectors have the power to inspect land that is heavily infested with noxious weeds and enforce their destruction.
Blackgrass
ISTA represents multipliers and assemblers of Irish certified seed. A spokesperson for the association told Agriland:
“We work with growers under contract to submit crops for certification by the seed certification division of the Department of Agriculture.
“Irish cereal seed adheres to a higher voluntary standard than current EU legislation requires and has a zero tolerance to blackgrass.
“This highlights the threat that blackgrass poses to the seed and, of course, wider tillage industry.”
According to ISTA, a total of eight incidences of blackgrass occurred in crops submitted for certification in 2022.
All of these crops were rejected outright, as per the ISTA voluntary standard. There were no incidences in 2021 and only two in 2020.
The ISTA representative continued: “The 2022 increase merited immediate action by all involved. These crops have been lost to the industry from grower right up the line and will require a commitment, investment and change of cropping and practice to get the weed under control on these lands.
“Blackgrass cannot currently be effectively controlled by plant protection products in a crop.”
Several incidences of blackgrass in commercial crops have been identified this year by agronomists.
Noxious weed
Making blackgrass a noxious weed will serve to increase much needed awareness among tillage farmers and others.
It will also give power to DAFM officials to enter land to confirm the presence of, or order destruction of, the plants or sections of affected crops, should it be necessary.
As a further measure, ISTA members have committed to a higher voluntary standard (HVS) with regard to the assembling and certification or importing of straights and mixes for cover crops, wild bird measures and arable margins.
The vast majority of seeds (straights) for cover crops, wild bird measures and other arable margins are imported. Where possible, ISTA members will use Irish certified seed.
ISTA members assembling or importing cover crop mixes or straights will now have each seed lot tested.
This is an internationally-recognised ‘Orange Certificate’ for presentation to department officials, ahead of sale or certification in the Republic of Ireland.
The official search will include blackgrass, wild oats and sterile brome.
Only ingredient lots with zero blackgrass test results assembled or imported by ISTA members will be used in mixtures for sale to Irish farmers.
The ISTA spokesperson concluded: “Farmers and amenity users of these mixes should be aware of the availability of this HVS seed.
“They should also check the label of any products they are considering purchasing, so that they have undergone testing for blackgrass, wild oats and sterile brome.”