§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what research her Department has carried out into methods of controlling the large narcissus fly; [24740]
(2) what research her Department has carried out into the effect of the large narcissus fly on daffodil crops; [24741]
(3) how much money has been spent on research into methods of controlling the large narcissus fly in each year for the last five years; [24742]
(4) what plans her Department has to fund research into alternative methods of controlling the large narcissus fly. [24743]
§ Mr. JackThe large narcissus fly is widely recognised as representing a serious problem for commercial bulb production. Consequently, our research has focused on methods of control. This has included studies of the efficacy of insecticides; the susceptibility of narcissus varieties to the fly; and the effects of a range of growing practices. The Department's spend on this strategic research, on behalf of the industry, since 1991 was as follows:
- 1991–92: £32,000
- 1992–93: £34,000
- 1993–94: £35,000
- 1994–95: £36,000
In April 1995, the Department established a new, four-year project estimated to cost £40,000 in 1995–96, investigating the relationship between the large narcissus fly and the chemicals emitted by narcissus plants. The identification of such chemicals may offer some opportunity for attracting flies to decoy plants and then destroying them, repelling flies from narcissus crops or for breeding varieties resistant to attack by the fly.