Changes in the incidence of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.) infestation of grassland over a 4-year period in NE Scotland |
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| Authors: | J C FORBES |
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| Institution: | North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 IUD, U.K. |
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| Abstract: | A roadside survey of 4749 fields in eight areas of NE Scotland was conducted annually from 1979 to 1982. The proportion of grass fields infested with ragwort remained steady at 18–19% from 1979 to 1981 but fell to 13·5% in 1982. This fall resulted from fewer fields becoming newly infested and from more fields that had remained in grass ceasing to be infested. The proportion of infested fields remaining in grass that showed a reduction of two or more points on a 0–5 logarithmic scale of ragwort density (a possible indication of the frequency of control measures) was 24·0% in 1979–1980, 21·7% in 1980–1981 and 36·3% in 1981–1982. The incidence of ragwort infestation was consistently higher in some areas than in others and was not related to the proportion of arable crops. The change in incidence of infestation varied greatly between different areas, as did the proportion of infested fields whose score on the 0–5 scale fell by two or more points. In 1979–1980 and 1980–1981 this proportion had to exceed 22% to effect a net decrease in the incidence of infestation in an area, but in 1981–1982 no relationship was evident between these two measures of change. The incidence of infestation in all areas increased with increasing sward age but one area (Moray and Nairn) had a much higher proportion of young grass infested than any of the others. Over 99% of ragwort infestations consisted of Senecio jacobaea, infestations of S. aquatints Huds. being rare. |
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