Precision pasture management: impacts on weed control and implications for biodiversity

Project information
Grassland renovation is the basis for the generation of improved grassland for Irish livestock farmers. To date the extent of reseeding within region, farm enterprise or stocking rate is unknown. However in the future it’s likely that grazed grass will play a pivotal role in underpinning the profitability of livestock enterprises. This project will provide excellent guideline data on the impacts of weed control with plant ID technology in both high/low input and organic grassland systems by quantifying the extent of reseeding, methods used, input usage and success on grassland farms. Experiments will be undertaken to investigate the effects of using automated systems to recognise specific weeds and spot-apply herbicide, such methods will be compared against blanket application techniques and manual spot spraying (as used in low N systems). The impact of plant machine technology to identify weeds and weed grasses to spray will also be tested in a minimal cultivation reseeding experiment against sward renovation controls. With minimal herbicide application technologies major additional benefits are anticipated for biodiversity: a large reduction in herbicide damage to non-target species through the much greater precision in herbicide application and the elimination in spray drifting.
Project partners: 
Teagasc
University College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin
Project dates: 
October 2007 to September 2010
Contact
Contact person: 
Michael O'Donovan
Contact email: 
Contact organisation: 
Teagasc
Funding
Funding agency: 
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
Grant: 
k€342