BRACKEN: EXPERIMENTS INTO USE OR ERADICATION

HL Deb 25 February 1981 vol 417 c1144WA

Lord Kilmany

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made during the last twelve months, to the latest convenient date, with experiments into the eradication of bracken or into finding some worthwhile use to which bracken can be put.

Lord Sandys

In 1980 ADAS completed studies undertaken in northern England on the degree and duration of bracken suppression by asulam treatment, and in Wales on the effect of varying rates of application of asulam and glyphosate, the efficacy of aerial spraying and post-spraying management. The Weed Research Organisation is at present engaged in work commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on the significance of bracken and other weeds in grass/legume swards. We are aware of no recent work on uses to which bracken might be put.