Delegates attending a specialised conference dedicated to the subject of non-native invasive plants will be able to see first-hand pioneering field trials where control methods for Japanese knotweed are being researched.
National trade body The Property Care Association (PCA) is holding its inaugural conference on the subject ‘Understanding Invasive Weeds: Japanese knotweed, Fact and Fiction’ on 23 September at The Vale Resort, Hensol, Cardiff.
As part of the event, the Association, with help from Complete Weed Control, has joined forces with researchers from Swansea University to organise site visits before and after the conference to large-scale field trials, being conducted in South Wales.
Academics from Swansea University state that in order to minimise the social and economic impacts of Japanese knotweed, control is undertaken across the UK at a cost of £165.6 million annually. Their research is looking to find the best means of controlling the invasive weed and is being conducted in a major programme using 64 15m x 15m field trial plots located across three sites.
The programme is utilising innovative and novel methods of control and the PCA conference offering will include Daniel Jones, who is leading the study, escorting delegates on organised tours to the field trials on 22 September and the morning of the 24 September.
Stephen Hodgson, chief executive of the PCA, said: “This is a superb opportunity for conference delegates to see first-hand how pioneering research is being undertaken using a series of field trials to determine the most effective, and ineffective, of Japanese knotweed control methods.
“These field trial sites are being used to compare combinations of both physical control methods and herbicide based methods.
“The research is also looking at the timing of application for control methods and will include associated economic and environmental costs.
“Ultimately the research aims to provide long-term evidence based assessment of Japanese Knotweed control method effectiveness and we are very pleased to be able to introduce these sites visits and offer this insight as part of the conference programme.”
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