Asulox

Over many years Asulox® has established itself as the UK’s market leading product for bracken control. The active ingredient, asulam, targets bracken infestations and is translocated throughout the plant to provide effective control. Herbicidal symptoms following application of Asulox® do not show in the year of spraying but in the following season there is little or no bracken re-growth. Completing a programme of follow up sprays with Asulox can greatly extend the bracken free period for land that has been treated.

Asulox®, along with all pesticides within Europe, has been subject to the EU Plant Protection Products Directive 91 / 414 which meant that all pesticide products in Europe had to undergo a rigorous re-examination of all the supporting data. Asulox® failed to gain approval (after appeal) by 20th September 2011. Because of industry wide support for the product, including organisations such as Butterfly Conservation and Environment Agencies there is an aim to obtain re-registration of the product by 2017. However in the intervening time it is hoped that it will be approved for Emergency Authorisation whereby it can be used annually for 120 days. Whilst there is no immediate sign of herbicidal symptoms in the year of spraying the following season there will be virtually no bracken re-growth.

Asulam has only been available under the terms of annual Emergency Authorisations, which have been granted for the whole of the UK by the Chemicals Regulation Division of the Health & Safety Executive (CRD) in response to an application submitted by the BCG (Bracken Control Group).

An approval for restricted use of Asulam has been granted for the 2022 control season.  This allows application from 1st July until 12th September, and to allow time for the disposal of stocks, the approval to store and transfer the product does not expire until 31st October.  

The BCG submitted a further application to challenge the restrictions that were included in this year’s approval. The revised restrictions on the use of Asulam for bracken control during the 2022 season will be:

•    Aerial application of Asulam from a helicopter will be permitted subject to observing a buffer zone to protect surface water bodies that is 90m wide.  This has been increased from 50m in previous years.

•    Ground-based application of Asulam will be allowed on land designated for conservation or that is covered by an agri-environment scheme.  This is a change: under the earlier approval, no ground-based application was permitted.

Our Recommendation:

• Always read the product label before use.
• Complete a program of Asulox® re-spraying to increase the product's effectiveness and keep bracken at bay.
• Ensure grass is not stressed and is growing well.
• Do not cut bracken for at least 4 weeks after treatment to permit movement of Asulox® to rhizome buds; preferably leave undisturbed until late autumn.
• Always wear protective clothing, such as chemical resistant gloves, when handling Asulox®.