Pesticide usage in Scotland: Grassland and Fodder Crops 2025

Estimated pesticide usage

Direct sown grass

• An estimated 20,930 hectares of direct sown grass were grown in Scotland in 2025, a 17% decrease since 2021
• 25% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 6,980 treated hectares with 7,336 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Over 99% of pesticides applied by area were herbicides and less than 1% were molluscicides
• Direct sown grass received on average 1.1 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These applications included 1.1 herbicides applied to 25% of the crop area
• Herbicides were predominately applied in April and June and all molluscicide applications applied in June (Figure 19)
• Reasons for herbicide applications were specified for 90% of total use, 25% for general weed control, 18% for grass destruction,15% for the control of thistles, 11% for docks, 9% for chickweed, 3% for annual broad-leaved weeds, 3% for crop destruction, 2% each for nettles and buttercups and 1% for ragwort. The remaining 2% was for control of day-nettle, as a stubble clean up and charlock

For details of all pesticide use on direct sown grass, please refer to the supporting document.

Figure 19 footnote: Herbicide use was 5% in August 2024 and less than 1% in October 2024 and have been excluded from the figure.

Undersown grass

• An estimated 6,739 hectares of undersown grass was grown in Scotland in 2025, a decrease of 27% from 2021
• 37% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 5,703 treated hectares with 1,605 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Undersown grass received on average 1.1 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These applications included 1.3 fungicide and 1.0 herbicide applications (applied to 18% and 32% of the crop area respectively)
• The majority of herbicides were applied in May, the majority of fungicides and all growth regulator applications were applied in June (Figure 21)
• Reasons for fungicide applications were supplied for 53% of total use; 33% was for rhynchosporium, 14% was for general disease control and 6% for disease precaution
• Reasons for herbicide applications were supplied for 98% of total use; 26% was for broad-leaved weeds, 24% for docks, 18% for general weed control,16% for thistles,10% for nettles and 3% for chickweed

For details of all pesticide use on undersown grass, please refer to the supporting document.

Grassland one to four years old

• An estimated 134,784 hectares of grassland between one and four years old were grown in Scotland in 2025, a decrease of 5% since 2021
• 6% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 8,848 treated hectares with 5,126 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• 100% of the total area of pesticides applied by area were herbicides
• Herbicide applications were predominately applied in May (Figure 22)
• Reasons were supplied for 82% of herbicide use, 41% was for the control of docks, 16% for thistle control (including creeping thistle), 14% for general weed control, 3% was for the control of nettles and 2% each for ragwort, broad-leaved weeds, chickweed and grass destruction

For details of all pesticide use on grass one to four years old, please refer to the supporting document.

Figure 22 footnote: Herbicide use was less than 1% in September and has been excluded from the figure.

Grass over five years old

• An estimated 1,156,032 hectares of grass over five years old were grown in Scotland in 2025, an increase of 2% since 2021
• 4% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 49,733 treated hectares with 42,178 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• 100% of the total area of pesticides applied by area were herbicides
• Herbicide applications were predominately applied in May (Figure 23)
• Reasons were supplied for 97% of herbicide use, 35% was for the control of docks, 22% for thistle control (including creeping thistle), 11% was for rushes, 10% for ragwort, 5% each for general weed control and nettles, 3% for buttercups, 2% each for chickweed and broad-leaved weeds and 1% for grass destruction. The remaining 2% was for the control of dandelions, horsetails, bracken, volunteer kale, reeds and daisies

For details of all pesticide use on grass over five years old, please refer to the supporting document.

Figure 23 footnote: Herbicide use was less than 1% in August 2024 and March 2025 and have been excluded from the figure.

Rough grazing

• An estimated 2,681,176 hectares of rough grazing were grown in Scotland in 2025, a decrease of 13% since 2021
• Less than 0.05% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 834 treated hectares with 923 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• 100% of the total area of pesticides applied by area were herbicides
• Herbicide applications were predominately applied in June (Figure 24)
• Reasons were supplied for 100% of herbicide use, 40% was for the control of rushes, 25% for nettles, 21% for the control of ragwort, 13% for gorse and 2% for creeping thistle

For details of all pesticide use on rough grazing, please refer to the supporting document.

Arable silage

• An estimated 5,056 hectares of arable silage were grown in Scotland in 2025, a decrease of 7% since 2021
• Arable silage is recorded in the other crops for stockfeeding category of the Agricultural Census
• Crops grown for arable silage included barley, oats, peas, vetch, bere barley, buckwheat, ryegrass and wheat, some of which were undersown
• 26% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 4,004 treated hectares with 1,352 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Arable silage received an average of 1.1 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These included 1.0 herbicide application applied to 24% of the crop area
• The majority of fungicides, growth regulators, herbicides and insecticides were applied in May (Figure 26)
• Reasons were supplied for 16% of fungicide use, 14% was for general disease control and 2% for disease precaution
• Reasons were supplied for 73% of herbicide use, 34% was for general weed control, 12% for chickweed, 11% for docks, 7% for thistles, 6% for day-nettle, 4% for annual broad-leaved weeds, 2% each for nettles and grass destruction prior to sowing and less than 1% for control of redshank
• Reasons were supplied for 34% of insecticide use, all for the control of aphids
• The most common variety encountered, when specified, was Laureate (spring barley), accounting for 11% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on arable silage, please refer to the supporting document.

Fodder beet

• An estimated 1,143 hectares of fodder beet were grown in Scotland in 2025, a decrease of 4% since 2021
• 60% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 5,094 treated hectares with 2,099 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Fodder beet received an average 3.2 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These applications included 2.8 herbicides and 1.0 insecticide (applied to 59% and 29% of the crop area respectively)
• Herbicides were predominately applied in June. The majority of insecticides were applied in June and all fungicide applications were in August (Figure 28)
• Reasons were supplied for 82% of herbicide use, 42% was for general weed control, 33% for annual broad-leaved weeds, 6% for control of annual meadow grass and less than 1% for volunteer rape
• No reasons were supplied for fungicide use
• Reasons were supplied for 81% of insecticide use, 76% was for mangold fly and 5% for flea beetle control
• The most common variety encountered when specified, was Monro, accounting for 15% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on fodder beet, please refer to the supporting document

Figure 27 footnote: Fungicides were applied to less than 1% and were excluded from the figure

Fodder rape

• An estimated 1,881 hectares of fodder rape were grown in Scotland in 2025, a decrease of 16% since 2021
• It is estimated that 43 per cent of the fodder rape encountered was mixed with another crop such as kale or stubble turnips
• A further 385 hectares of fodder rape were recorded in fodder crop mixes in the other fodder category (see the other fodder section for details)
• 58% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 1,176 treated hectares with 1,719 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Fodder rape received an average 1.0 pesticide application (supporting document Table 1). This included 1.0 herbicide application applied to 54% of the crop area
• The majority of herbicides were applied in June and the majority of insecticide applications occurred in August (Figure 30)
• Reasons were supplied for 93% of herbicide use, 46% was for grass destruction, 31% for general weed control and 15% for crop destruction
• Reasons were supplied for 100% of insecticide use, all for the control of flea beetle
• The most common variety encountered when specified, was Redstart, accounting for 24% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on fodder rape, please refer to the supporting document

Kale and cabbage

• 2,016 hectares of kale and cabbage were grown in 2025, a 3% decrease since 2021
• No cabbage was encountered during this survey
• It is estimated that 43% of the kale encountered was mixed with another crop such as fodder rape or turnips
• A further 375 hectares of kale, kale hybrid and kale mixes were recorded in the other fodder category (see the other fodder section for details)
• 44% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 1,449 treated hectares with 818 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Kale received an average 1.3 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These applications included 1.3 insecticides and 1.0 herbicides (applied to 15% and 39% of the crop area respectively)
• The majority of herbicides were applied in May and insecticides were predominately applied in August (Figure 32)
• Reasons were supplied for 59% of herbicide use, 43% was for general weed control, 9% for grass destruction, 5% for annual broad-leaved weeds and 2% for couch
• Reasons were supplied for 94% of insecticide use, 77% for the control of flea beetle and 17% for caterpillar control
• The most common variety of kale encountered when specified, was Maris Kestrel, accounting for 15% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on kale and cabbage, please refer to the supporting document

Maize

• 2,583 hectares of maize were grown in 2025, an 110% increase since 2021
• 87% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 8,659 treated hectares with 3,914 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Maize only received herbicide applications (excluding seed treatments), receiving an average 1.7 herbicide applications (supporting document Table 1)
• Herbicides were predominately applied in June (Figure 34)
• Reasons were supplied for 70% of herbicide use, 39% was for general weed control, 22% for annual broad-leaved weeds, 4% for annual meadow grass, 3% for grass destruction, 2% for grass weeds and 1% for couch grass
• The most common variety encountered when specified, was KWS Cito, accounting for 24% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on maize, please refer to the supporting document. Please note ziram and metalaxyl/prothioconazole have no authorisation in the UK, however, these are approved for use in several EU countries and was recorded on imported maize seed. Imported seed treated with a plant protection product authorised for that use in EU countries were allowed at the time of use.

Stubble turnips

• 643 hectares of stubble turnips were grown in 2025, a 34% increase since 2021
• A further 163 hectares of stubble turnips and stubble turnip mixes were recorded in the other fodder category (see the other fodder section for details)
• Stubble turnips are often a constituent of other fodder mixes and therefore it is likely that the estimated area grown is under-estimated
• 5% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 36 treated hectares with 43 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• 100% of herbicides and molluscicides were applied in June and 100% of insecticide applications occurred in July (Figure 36)
• Reasons were supplied for 100% of herbicide use, all for grass destruction prior to sowing
• No reasons were supplied for insecticide use
• The most common variety encountered was Rondo, accounting for 37% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on stubble turnips, please refer to the supporting document

Turnips and swedes

• 3,227 hectares of turnips and swedes were grown in 2025, an 8% decrease since 2021
• It is estimated that 77% of the turnips and swedes encountered were mixed with another crop such as fodder rape, kale or stubble turnips
• A further 114 hectares of turnip mixes were recorded in the other fodder category (see the other fodder section for details)
• 54% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 2,886 treated hectares with 1,510 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Turnips and swedes received an average of 1.4 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These applications included 1.2 insecticide and 1.1 herbicides (applied to 16% and 52% of the crop area respectively)
• The majority of herbicides were applied in May. Half of insecticide and all of molluscicide applications were applied in June (Figure 38)
• Reasons were supplied for 74% of herbicide use, 50% was for general weed control, 13% for grass destruction, 4% for fumitory, 3% for fat hen, 2% for annual broad-leaved weeds and 1% for couch
• Reasons were supplied for 59% of insecticide use, 45% for the control of flea beetle, 8% for turnip sawfly and 6% for general insect pest control
• The most common variety encountered was Invitation (swede), accounting for 24% of the sampled area

For details of all pesticide use on turnips and swedes, please refer to the supporting document

Figure 37 footnote: Molluscicides have been excluded from the figure as the percentage use was less than 1%.

Other fodder crops

• 1,127 hectares of other fodder crops were grown in 2025, a 10% increase since 2021
• Other fodder consists of any crops other than arable silage reported in the other crops for stockfeeding category in the Agricultural Census
• In 2025 this consisted of kale, rye, rape, stubble turnip and fodder crop mixes
• 19% of the crop was treated with a pesticide
• Pesticides were applied to 312 treated hectares with 396 kilograms of pesticide applied in total
• Other fodder crops received an average of 1.5 pesticide applications (supporting document Table 1). These applications included 1.0 herbicide applied to 19% of the crop area respectively
• The majority of herbicides and molluscicides were applied in July (Figure 40)
• Reasons were supplied for 100% of herbicide, all use was for grass destruction

Other fodder crops include kale, rye, rape, stubble turnip and fodder crop mixes.

Figure 39 footnote: Other fodder includes kale, rye, rape, stubble turnip and fodder crop mixes.