Most farmers have grass weed problems – big or small – on their farms and need to be proactive in controlling these weeds.

The Teagasc Enable Conservation Tillage (ECT) project is looking for grass weed samples to test for herbicide resistance.

In 2019, 25% of all wild oat samples sent to the ECT project had confirmed resistance to herbicides.

Preliminary tests on black-grass plants also suggest that there is a range of resistance to ACCase and ALS herbicides in the black-grass populations in Ireland.

Farmers who think they have resistant grass-weed populations here in Ireland should act quickly and test plants as soon as possible.

Finding out if plants are resistant and to which chemistry they are resistant to allows farmers to form a plan.

A good integrated pest management (IPM) strategy is key to grass weed control. The chemical is really the last form of defence when it comes to grass weeds.

If you think you have resistant grass weeds on your farm you can send samples to Jimmy Staples at the ECT project at Teagasc Oak Park, Co. Carlow.

Samples should be sealed securely and sent quickly.

The sender must also fill out a grass weed collection survey on the Teagasc website to provide information and a background to the samples.

Farmers are also invited to take part in a national grass weed survey. This can be done by contacting their local Teagasc advisor or by contacting Jimmy Staples at the ECT project.