Abstract

The banning of oil-based dinoseb formulations has posed a major problem to growers of the cultivar Glen Clova in Scotland, who relied on this desiccant to regulate cane vigour. An enhanced screening programme to find alternative techniques began in 1987 at SCRI. Treatments which have proved unsuitable for one reason or another include paraquat, diquat, tar oil, sodium hydroxide, freezing and mechanical removal. Propane gas and sulphuric acid treatments are worth further consideration, but have a number of important drawbacks. Promising results have been obtained to date with fomesafen and sodium monochloroacetate.