Alert on as lesser canary grass scourge threatens to create crop havoc

TILLAGE farmers have been put on alert to watch for lesser canary grass and to eliminate this troublesome weed before it becomes established.

Serious harvesting delays were caused on a Co Wicklow farm in 2002 when the strong stems of a lesser canary grass infestation in spring barley wrapped around the intake auger of the combine harvester.

Teagasc advisers have also identified it in barley in Tipperary and beet in Cork.

There have been problems in parts of the UK with the similar awned canary grass, the arrival of which has been traced to bird seed fed to pheasants.

It is planned to test various agro-chemicals in Wicklow for efficacy against this new weed problem.

According to Martin Bourke of Teagasc, Wicklow, Puma and Topic offer satisfactory control in wheat.

Monitor also has some activity against the weed.

Lesser canary grass is a quick growing annual plant with a tufted root and a tough erect stem, which grows 50 to 120cm tall.

The head resembles a fox tail.