Promising results of Glyceria maxima ring-test

The EU regulation for herbicidal compounds requires in some cases the assessment of a monocot plant species. Due to the lack of a suitable guideline, the development of a test method was necessary and Glyceria maxima was selected as appropriate species.

ibacon and 10 other laboratories contributed to a second ring-test in 2018. The aim of the ring-test was to improve the test protocol concerning root endpoints, growth rates and control coefficients of variation.

The ring-test demonstrated that shoot endpoints were less variable than root endpoints. Due to the improvement of the environmental conditions, sufficient control growth rates were achieved.

In a third ring-test planned for 2019/2020 the intra-laboratory variability should be reduced with the introduction of more standardised plant material. Furthermore replication and test design might be adapted to reduce the control coefficients of variation. A three days establishment phase should insure healthy test plants.

ibacon welcomes the third ring-test and would like to contribute to the further development of Glyceria maxima testing.

Please find more information about Glyceria testing here.