New practical guidance to help the professional amenity
sector manage the risk of glyphosate resistance has been published by the UK
Weed Resistance Action Group (WRAG) in partnership with the Amenity Forum.
Launched at the Amenity Forum Annual Conference on 8 October, the guidance brings together current technical knowledge on resistance management and translates it into practical steps for those responsible for vegetation management in amenity settings.
Glyphosate remains an important tool for many professional amenity managers, but its continued effectiveness depends on responsible use and good stewardship. The guidance highlights the importance of avoiding over-reliance on a single approach, maximising the effectiveness of applications, monitoring treatment outcomes and responding appropriately where plants survive treatment.
It focuses on practical principles including preventing survivors, maximising efficacy, using alternative approaches as part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and monitoring success. The guidance also helps practitioners understand when resistance should be suspected, how surviving weeds should be managed and the role of resistance testing where appropriate.
Ian Graham, Chair of the Amenity Forum, said: “Glyphosate remains an important tool for many parts of professional amenity, and protecting its continued effectiveness depends on responsible use and good stewardship.
“This guidance is a great example of what can be achieved by bringing together specialist technical expertise and practical experience from across our sector. The partnership with WRAG has enabled us to translate the principles of resistance management into practical guidance that amenity professionals can use when making day-to-day vegetation management decisions.”
James Clarke, Chair of the UK Weed Resistance Action Group (WRAG), said: “Managing the risk of resistance is about good stewardship: maximising the effectiveness of treatments, monitoring the results and taking action when weeds survive rather than repeatedly relying on the same approach.
“By working with the Amenity Forum, we can help ensure that the principles of resistance management are understood and applied in amenity situations as well as agriculture. We hope this guidance will encourage practitioners to consider resistance risk as part of their wider IPM decision-making. The document also includes guidance on monitoring and investigating control failure to understand if it might be caused by resistance.”
The guidance considers a range of approaches that can form part of an integrated vegetation management programme alongside responsible herbicide use, helping practitioners select methods appropriate to the site, weed challenge and management objectives.
The partnership between WRAG and the Amenity Forum reflects a shared commitment to evidence-based best practice and ensuring that current technical expertise is accessible to those responsible for professional amenity management.
