Letter: Greens should tackle rape

In his article "Winnowing out the yellow peril" (Sunday Review, 12 May) Oliver Tickell quotes an impressive list of volatile irritants produced by the rape plant. Like many other hay-fever sufferers, in recent years my condition begins or worsens at precisely the time the rape flowers appear.

It is strange that so much fuss is made about vehicle exhaust emissions, and so little is made about the emissions of this toxic weed. One could argue that modern life would be very difficult without the car, but there are plenty of alternatives to the rape plant which are non-polluting (eg olives, sunflowers).

So come on Friends of the Earth et al, start a really popular campaign and get rid of this noxious weed.

Dr A McAllister

Hertford, Herts