Rothamsted Research, in collaboration with the University of Greenwich, wants to hear from growers and agronomists on their experiences with blackgrass.
The weed already costs UK farmers an estimated £400 million a year, and with drier seasons becoming more common, the pressure on wheat yields is only growing.
Led by PhD researcher Tala Chouman, the 15-minute online survey aims to gather information on how drought affects crops, how blackgrass behaves under dry conditions, and what management approaches are being used in practice. “Even if your experience is ‘it hasn’t been too bad here’, that’s just as valuable, we need the full picture,” said Tala.
The results will feed directly into ongoing scientific work comparing how wheat and blackgrass respond to drought, helping researchers identify traits and strategies that could improve crop resilience in the future. The research forms part of a wider programme combining farmer insights with laboratory, glasshouse, and climate analysis to better understand how wheat and blackgrass respond differently to stress.
Dr Dana MacGregor, Molecular Weed Biologist at Rothamsted Research and project supervisor, said, “Blackgrass is highly adaptable and we know it is excellent at surviving challenges. Farmer knowledge is as essential to us as the physiological and molecular research in identifying more robust, long-term solutions
The survey is completely anonymous, with no identifiable farm data collected. To take part, please visit: https://gre.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6YDfIax1GVJ5Kui
