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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – National Action Plans in Nordic-Baltic countries NJF seminar 458 7-8 November 2012 Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists Estonia
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Contents Large scale implementation of IPM: lessons from IPM research and extension in the USA .............. 5
IPM in Europe: the policy and what is in progress .............................................................................. 6
How to facilitate farmer's adaption of IPM. Sharing of the experiences from Denmark. .................. 7
IPM seen from the perspective of Sustainable Use Directive Objectives ........................................... 8
Developing IPM of greenhouse vegetables with Change Laboratory ................................................. 9
Thresholds, risks, and imperfect forecasting information: how do we handle it? ........................... 10
A generic Danish decision support system for integrated weed management ................................ 11
VIPS – a tool for Integrated Pest Management in Norway .............................................................. 12
10 years with apple scab decision support system RIMpro in Latvian apple orchards .................... 13
Monitoring, recommendation and signalization as a basis of IPM decision-making system in the
Czech Republic – a private alternative of an information providing system .................................... 14
“Blight Management”, a decision support system for control of potato late blight (Phytophthora
infestans). Experiences from Denmark with reduced fungicide input. ............................................. 15
Increasing the use of biological control agents of plant pests in Norway ........................................ 16
Possibilities of using non-chemical methods for weed control ........................................................ 17
Biological Control Agents at Bayer CropScience ............................................................................... 18
Biological seed treatment for disease control in field crops. ............................................................ 19
Overview of pesticide risk indicators in HAIR2010............................................................................ 20
The Danish pesticide load as a basis for taxation .............................................................................. 22
Norwegian pesticide taxation ........................................................................................................... 23
Environmental risk communication for assessing the requirements in integrated pest management
(IPM) .................................................................................................................................................. 24
How to manage control of diseases in winter wheat using an IPM approach? ................................ 27
IPM-PORTAL information solution for IPM-cultivations ................................................................... 28
Decision algorithms for herbicide resistance management .............................................................. 30
Pest control perspective in Lithuania in the context of sustainable use of pesticides ..................... 31
Use of decision support system and field monitoring network in control of cereal diseases with
lowered doses of fungicides in Estonia ............................................................................................. 32
EuroWheat.ORG – Support for integrated disease management in wheat ...................................... 33
Expert and information system Predictor ......................................................................................... 34
Use of rain protective tree covering to reduce incidence level of sweet cherry fruit decay ............ 35
Yellow sticky traps for decision-making in whitefly management .................................................... 36
Communication and information exchange of integrated pest management (IPM) ........................ 37
Disease resistance of spring cereal varieties for IPM in Latvia ......................................................... 38
The influence of cultivar and stand density of spring barley on weed infestation ........................... 39
Integrated management of apple scab using iMETOS forecasting model ........................................ 40
Management of horticultural insect pests using a forecasting system iMetos ................................ 41
Learning to apply IPM in strawberry demonstration farms .............................................................. 42
Management of strawberry blossom weevil and European tarnished plant bug in organic
strawberry and raspberry using semiochemical traps ...................................................................... 43
Experiences in implementing IPM guidelines on farms producing vegetables for food industry in
Finland ............................................................................................................................................... 44
Sensitivity of Mycosphaerella graminicola isolates, collected in Lithuania, to triazoles
cyproconazole and epoxiconazole .................................................................................................... 45
Biometrical indicators of Chenopodium album plants depending on different plant population
density and sowing time of spring barley ......................................................................................... 46
Detection of Sclerotinia stem rot in oilseed rape using real-time qPCR- a tool for site specific risk
assessment ........................................................................................................................................ 48
Early detection and quantification of Ramularia beticola in sugar beets using spore traps and real-
time PCR ............................................................................................................................................ 49
IPM concept and challenges on Finnish berry farms: an activity theoretical approach to direct
implementation studies .................................................................................................................... 50
Weed control in maize under different tillage methods at the conditions of the Forest-Steppe zone
of Ukraine .......................................................................................................................................... 51
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Large scale implementation of IPM: lessons from IPM research and
extension in the USA
Paul C. Jepson. Integrated Plant Protection Center, Cordley Hall, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon 97330, USA. Tel: 1 541 737 9082, E-mail:
The US Land Grant University system supports IPM Coordinators in each state as the
basis for a responsive research and extension network: they maintain communications
with local extension faculty, consultants, agencies and farmers to ensure rapid responses
to pest management problems when they arise. IPM Coordinators work within regional
networks and in close consultation with one of four Regional IPM Centers that act as the
bridge between states and the federal system that funds a number of basic and applied
grant programs. Guided by a National Roadmap for IPM, that establishes the basis for
cooperation between agencies and various branches of government, this system has a
proven track record in rapid response to IPM needs that arise in agriculture. The success
of the system lies in it's interconnectedness: those applying for grants must demonstrate
that their work is needed and that farmers and other cooperators have been involved in
planning; they must also develop a logic model that connects their proposed program to
the outcomes that are being sought. To attract resources to the solution to a problem,
investigators must show that their project represents the state of the science, and also
that there is an effective partnership between researcher and end user that is cataylzed
by effective extension education and partnership with commodity organizations, crop
consultants and other stakeholders. This presentation will briefly summarize this system
and provide examples of it’s operation from current research and extension programs. It
will outline the strengths and weaknesses of current US IPM and outline opportunities for
advancement and threats to continued functionality. It will make the case that any IPM
support system stands or falls on the quality of the interactions between stakeholders
and on the flexibility to target resources where they are needed and when they are
needed. It will also empasize that success only occurs where farmers are directly
involved and true participants in the program: a bottom-up, not a top-down process.
Achieving this is difficult in practice and requires monitoring and effective feedback.
IPM in Europe: the policy and what is in progress
Marco Barzman, Laure Elliott-Smith and Antoine Messéan, INRA. Avenue Lucien
Brétignières 78850 - Thiverval-Grignon France +33 (0)1.30.81.54.15
Societal demands and expectations led to national and European legislation creating a
policy landscape conducive to the design and implementation of new IPM schemes that
contribute to sustainable development while preserving the competitiveness of European
agriculture. The legislation marks a significant boost for IPM. Concerted efforts in
research and extension are putting IPM firmly back on the map. Europe is set to become
a source of renewed inspiration for IPM applied to conventional agriculture in
industrialized countries and broadened to encompass all pest categories—animal pests,
weeds and diseases.
IPM is a continuum and approaches on how to implement it sometimes overlap and
sometimes differ across Europe. Some countries emphasise reduction of overall use or
dependency while others focus on risk reduction covering impact on the environment, on
water quality, or on human health. The focus of research efforts ranges from increasing
the efficiency of pesticide use and reducing its impact, to substitution strategies or
revisiting the entire cropping systems and, in some case the food system.
This diversity of approaches and experiences across Europe is an asset that can be taken
advantage of to share lessons learned or even to coordinate research and extension
efforts to create synergies. The European network ENDURE and the EC's Directorate
General Health and Consumers facilitate such exchange at the European level and some
regional groupings such as the Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists or the
CEUREG Forum address IPM at the regional level. The future development of an ERA-Net
on IPM will offer an interesting opportunity for more substantial exchange and
collaborations across Europe.
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How to facilitate farmer's adaption of IPM. Sharing of the experiences
from Denmark.
Poul Henning Petersen, Knowledge Centre for Agriculture, Crop Production, Agro Food
Park 15, Skejby, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. Phone +45 8740 5443, mobile +45 2010
2297, e-mail: [email protected].
In Denmark implementation of integrated pest management in arable crops was initiated
in 2010 and will continue until the end of 2015. The Danish Agricultural Advisory Service
(DAAS), which is owned and run by the Danish farmers, is responsible for transferring
the overall IPM principles into concrete tools and best management practices. The Danish
government provides funding via pesticide taxes for a demonstration project with five
demo farms and a project with ‘IPM advisory packages’ for about 1400 farmers.
The objective of the Knowledge Centre for Agriculture in DAAS is to synthesize
knowledge about IPM and formulate tools and best practices which are cost effective and
can easily be implemented by the farmer. For the main crops we have formulated IPM
tool boxes telling what to do, how to do it, and why. This also serves as a list of content
for the advisers involved in advising the farmers three times a year during the two year
advisory programs. Crop rotation, use of warnings and decision support systems,
mechanical weed control, anti-pesticide resistance strategies, monitoring and mapping of
weeds, avoiding spread of noxious weeds, are among the main subjects. Communication
is in focus and we have a journalist included in the project group to ensure clear
information. We use a participatory approach meaning that demofarmers and advisers
are involved as much as possible in a dialog about developing materials and
demonstrations. A web-site is established to publish IPM-materials which can be used by
farmers and advisors. Every year we launch four new IPM-themes, e.g. weed mapping,
monitoring, pesticide resistance, spraying technique, mechanical weed control. To ensure
ownership and engagement in implementing IPM, advisors involved in the project are
trained in a one day course once every year.
An IPM point system has been developed for evaluation of the efficiency of
demonstrations and advice as instruments to enhance the uptake of IPM. The point
system contains questions about IPM awareness and practice on the farm and will be
used at the beginning of the two-year advicory program and again at the end.
IPM seen from the perspective of Sustainable Use Directive Objectives
Marchis A.1, Capri E.2 & Kafka A.1
OPERA Research Cente, Place du Champs de Mars, 2, Brussels, 1050, Belgium; tel.: +32
2 518.76.83; fax: +32 2 518.76.70; e-mail: [email protected]
Univetsità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Via E. Parmense, 84, Piacenza, 29100, Italy
Last century has witnessed the biggest changes agriculture has ever seen. When the first
insecticides came into common use, scientists quickly realized that their great efficacy
against noxious insects was accompanied by a parallel effect on some beneficial non
target organisms. From this first assessment and by realizing that natural enemies were
able to support the fight against crop pests, the concept of Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) started to be developed, leading to the premise that to protect the harvest multiple
tools should be applied in conjunction with the use of chemicals. Its implementation
should concentrate on providing solutions to manage pests in an integrated and
economically efficient way. The requirements of implementing IPM point out the need to
include all the possible available measures to obtain a proper defense for the crop, also
considering health, social, economic and environmental aspects. IPM is a farm-based tool
that is implemented by the farmer based on the specific situation of each field and
cultivation. There is not any single recipe for IPM, while the site, the time of season, the
weather conditions and many other factors affect its implementation and require flexible
management decisions to adapt to the local agronomic, pest and on-farm circumstances.
IPM includes the use of PPP according to the European legislative framework. As a clear
and unique definition of IPM is difficult to develop, given the variability of cropping and
climatic conditions, the EU legislator has decided to include in the Directive 2009/128/EC
(on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, SUD) a list of principles to be followed for an IPM
approach.
We need to stress the importance of considering IPM as a broad ecological approach
utilizing a variety of pest control techniques, targeting the entire pest complex of a crop
ecosystem: an approach therefore, not a specific measure. The principles for IPM
included in SUD need to be mirrored against actions to be taken at policy implementation
level and tools to be provided, while assessing opportunities, constraints, required
support and possible funding for the respective implementation at farm level.
IPM requires certain resources for implementation related to knowledge transfer and to
production methods. Training should not be episodic, but gradual, moving, from a basic
understanding towards higher and more permanent sessions, keeping all the involved
operators up to date with the technical progress. Information is a compulsory
requirement of IPM. Data should be made available on an easy to access web platform,
integrated with a proper local support service for farmers less used to information
technologies. The flow of information should by bidirectional, to verify the correct
implementation of IPM and the actual result of the recommendations.
IPM has to be economically sustainable by the farmers and needs to consider the
economics of pest management versus the economic viability of the crop, since it had to
remain profitable. The major challenge for the decision makers will be to find economic
resources to sustain the knowledge transfer, by directly providing or indirectly
incentivizing the activities of training, information and research.
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Developing IPM of greenhouse vegetables with Change Laboratory
Irene Vänninen1, Marco Pereira-Querol2, Jenny Forsström3; Yrjö Engeström2
1 MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Production Research, FI-31600 Jokioinen; 2 Center of Research on Activity, Development and Learning, Faculty of Behavioural
Sciences, PO Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki; ProAgria ÖSL, Vasavägen 41, FI-
64200 Närpes.
Change Laboratory, a developmental work research method that stands at the crossroads
of education and knowledge management creation, is presented as a metatool for
involving growers in transforming the innovation process of pest management. The tool
was used in Finnish Ostrobothnia greenhouse cluster to develop collective management
strategies against the greenhouse whitefly in the current conditions of systemic whitefly
problems and in anticipation of the potential invasion of Bemisia tabaci. We present how
the whitefly problem was analysed and modelled in the six sessions of the Change
Laboratory process, and introduce the new model of activity that was developed in
collaboration with growers, local advisors and researchers to improve pest management
in the long term. The audiorecorded and transcribed discourse data was used to analyse
how the participants’ transformative agency evolved in the process and revealed the
primary and secondary contradictions of the activity systems (greenhouse companies)
and their network, and how transformative agency contributed to expansion of the
shared object of pest management. The results of the agency analysis were then used to
construct the zone of proximal development that can help to plan the learning of
practitioners in their attempts to implement the new model of activity. The latter consists
of standardized trap-based monitoring and knowledge sharing between growers who
learn from each others’ pest management activities in a learning club that is held
regularly. The challenges of implementing the new model include differential experiencing
of pest risks by seasonal and year-round growers due to differences of pest performance
in the production systems. This results in different motivational levels regarding how the
problem should be solved and by whom. Some practical examples show, however, that it
is possible to overcome this challenge.
Furthermore, the ongoing structural change in the sector is expected to gradually
transform seasonal growing so that it becomes more similar to year-round growing in
terms of production scale and management style. With such change, the new model of
activity is assumed to become attractive to both year-round and seasonal growers.
Thresholds, risks, and imperfect forecasting information: how do we
handle it?
Jonathan Yuen, Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7026, SE 750 07 Uppsala, SWEDEN
In a world where growers act in a totally rational manner and have access to total
information about what will happen in the future, disease control measures would only be
used if the financial benefit from using them is greater than the costs of applying them.
Unfortunately, there is no source of what will actually happen in the future, though
forecasting systems strive to produce this information. There are objective ways in which
the quality of forecasting information can be measured, though it is important to consider
that there are different kinds of mistakes that can occur within these systems. Obviously,
one wants a system that predicts when disease will occur, but this also implies that it
predicts when disease will not occur. Mistakes can arise if disease does not occur
(although it is predicted), but another kind of mistake, perhaps more serious, is that
disease does occur, even though it is not predicted. How a decision maker views the the
relative costs of these two types of mistakes, as well as the relative costs of the different
actions to be taken, affects the final actions that are taken. Different risk attitudes exist
among those that have to make decisions under uncertainty, and these attitudes, along
with how common a disease is and the different kinds of errors in a forecasting sytem, will in turn affect how much such a system is adopted.
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A generic Danish decision support system for integrated weed
management
Per Rydahl, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology, Flakkebjerg, DK-4200 Denmark.
Ole Q. Boejer, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology
Mette Sønderskov, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology
email address: [email protected]. Phone: +45 87158197, mob. +45 22283378
The development of the Danish decision support system (DSS) "Crop Protection Online"
(CPO) has been driven by Danish pesticide action plans since the 1980ies
(www.ipmdss.dk). It consists of a set of dynamic tools, which have been designed to
assist mainly farmers and advisors in management of weeds, pests and diseases. The
conceptual idea behind this system is that weeds, pests and diseases
1) are inhomogeneously distributed in time and space
2) have different needs for control in different cropping systems and
3) differ in susceptibility to different pesticides under different conditions relating to, e.g.
biology and weather.
CPO can combine these relations with local, e.g. field specific conditions, and thereby
make relevant recommendations against severe as well as light infestations. The weeds
module of CPO now includes 32 crops, 105 weeds and >2,1 mio. dose-response
functions. More than 2,000 Danish field tests indicate that the recommendations offers
robust advise and that the use of herbicides have been reduced by 40% in cereals and
about 20% in row crops. CPO-weeds constitute a recognized point of reference regarding
chemical weed control in Denmark.
CPO-weeds has also been customized for- and tested in Norway, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Spain and China. Inspired by Directive 2009/128/EC, which provides a
frame for design and integration of IPM, 'best parts' of CPO-weeds and similar DSSs from
Germany, Italy, France are presently being integrated in a new, generic DSS system
archictecture, including also new features to manage herbicide resistance and mechanical
weed control. Initial field tests of prototypes of these novel and integrated DSSs are in
preparation/progress in Poland, Germany, Italy and Slovenia.
VIPS – a tool for Integrated Pest Management in Norway
Jan Netland, Guro Brodal, Annette Schjøll Folkedal and Halvard Hole
Bioforsk - The Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Plant
Health and Plant Protection Division, Høgskoleveien 7, N-1432 Ås, Norway
Corresponding author: [email protected]
VIPS (Varsling Innen PlanteSkadegjørere) is a web-based forecasting and information
service developed for integrated management of pests and diseases in cereals,
vegetables and fruit crops. It also includes a decision support for management of weeds
in cereals based on the Danish Plant Protection Online. VIPS was established in 2001 as a
collaborative project between Bioforsk and Norwegian Agricultural Extension Service
(NAES) under a government-funded action plan for reduced risk of pesticide use. The
service is open and free of charge at www.vips-landbruk.no.
Forecasting models that predict the likelihood of pest or disease outbreak can assist crop
growers in determining when or if pesticides are needed. Reduced unneccesary fungicide
applications will reduce the monetary and environmental costs asssociated with
traditional spray programs.
Inputs to the forecasting models in VIPS are weather data from the Bioforsk
Agrometeorological Service consisting of a network of 80 automatic weather stations
located across crop production areas, weather forecasts from the Norwegian
Meteorological Institute and biological/field observations collected by NAES. A general
interface is used for all models incorporated in the system, allowing new models to be
implemented. Currently, VIPS includes forecasts and/or monitoring of leaf blotch diseases
(Stagonospora nodorum Septoria tritici, Drechslera tritici-repentis) in wheat, net/spot
blotch (Drechslera teres) and scald (Rhynchosporium secalis) in barley, Fusarium Head
Blight (Fusarium spp) in spring wheat and oats, stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) in oil
seed rape, potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans), cabbage moth (Mamestra
brassicae), cabbage root fly (Delia radicum), turnip root fly (Delia floralis), carrot root fly
(Psila rosae), the tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis) in vegetables, lettuce downy
mildew (Bremia lactucae), celery late blight (Septoria apiicola), onion downy mildew
(Peronospora destructor), apple scab (Venturia inequalis), codling moth (Cydia
pomonella) and apple fruit moth (Argyresthia conjugella). A preliminary model for
calculation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) content in oats at harvest is also
included. Models for additional pests/diseases are under development. During the
growing season the monitoring of several pests and diseases are recorded through a
message system in VIPS. Forecasts are also available as SMS messages. Current
development aiming at transferring the service from weatherstation-based to farm-based
forecasts is presented by Nordskog et al. at this seminar.
The weed management component was developed in Denmark and has been evaluated in
field trials in Norway and adjusted to our conditions. It includes assessment of the need
for control of weeds in cereal fields, e.g. choice of herbicide(s) and calculation of doses.
Both experiments and practical large-scale testing of “VIPS weeds” have demonstrated
the potential of a significant reduction in the use of herbicides in cereals. “VIPS weeds” is
also an important tool in herbicide resistance management.
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10 years with apple scab decision support system RIMpro in Latvian apple
orchards
Regina Rancane
Latvian Plant Protection Research centre, Struktoru 14a, Riga, LV-1039, Latvia;
telephone +371 67553764, fax +371 67551265, e-mail [email protected]
Apple orchards protection against the apple scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Wint.) is
one of the most important problems in the horticulture in Latvia. Minimal use of
chemicals in fruit-growing constantly has been important condition in the integrated fruit
growing. IOBC guidelines for integrated fruit production prescribe use of forecasting
systems in a direct plant protection for a detection of precise terms of pesticide use.
In Latvia, LPPRC, investigations for adaption of the decision support system RIMpro for
apple scab control started in 2003. RIMpro (Relative Infection Measure program) is one
of the most widespread PC-based apple scab management programs in European
countries, originated by Marc Trapman, Bio Fruit Advies, the Netherlands, proved and
introduced in several European countries.
In the first four years (2003 – 2006) the aim of investigations was to verify conformity of
the scab infection risk given by RIMpro to the real scab ascospores discharge intensity by
use of microscope slide spore traps, as well as to determine the risk border value as
signal for necessary fungicide applications. The terms of noteworthy RIMpro infection risk
signals and ascospores discharge coincided in most cases, but an intensity level of both
indices was not comparable. The risk border value 300 RIM, presumed in Central Europe,
was unconformable for Latvian conditions. During trial years the risk value was
decreased until 75 – 100 RIM.
In the next two years (2007 – 2008) the main objective was to reduce the risk of fungus
resistance development in apple orchards. Initially such programs as RIMpro were
elaborated for the use of curative fungicide after the noteworthy primary disease
infection, showed by the program but according to FRAC guidelines curative (Chorus 75
WG, Score 250 SC) and QoI (Candit WG) products are incorporated in the medium and
high risk resistance group. Therefore investigations were carried out to test an efficacy of
fungicide mixtures and alternately use of curative or strobilurine and protective
fungicides to avoid scab resistance development. Fungicides registered in Latvia for apple
scab control were effective now used as a mixture of protective/curative or strobilurine
products, now alternately, in all cases fungicides applications were more effective if used
before an infection according to RIMpro signals.
In 2012 investigations were started to determine precise a date when the first
ascospores are mature, it is called – “biofix” in RIMpro. Usually green tip stage is taken
as the “biofix” but observations show that there could be a shift of several weeks from
the green tip and the first ascopspore maturity.
Last five years (2007 – 2012) RIMpro is available also for the growers. Until now nine
Lufft weather stations are placed in apple orchards across Latvia, weather data via GPRS
are collected in PC with RIMpro, LPPRC. During apple scab critical infection periods
growers receive regular warnings via phone calls, SMS and e-mails. Each of farms using
RIMpro forecast are inspected twice per year during vegetation period to evaluate
efficacy of the application program. In average 6 – 8 applications against apple scab are
necessary according to RIMpro but it always should be a co-decision between a grower,
an adviser and a decision support system because each orchard is individual.
Research was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2002-2012.
Monitoring, recommendation and signalization as a basis of IPM decision-
making system in the Czech Republic – a private alternative of an
information providing system
Tvarůžek Ludvík1, Bernardová Milena2, Spáčilová Václava1, Bílovský Jan1, Matušinsky
Pavel1 1 Agrotest Fyto, Ltd., Havlíčkova 2787, 767 01 Kroměříž, Czech Republic.
+420 573 317 138, [email protected] 2 Experimental Station Kluky Ltd., Kluky 200, 398 19 Kluky u Písku, Czech Republic
Regular monitoring of diseases and pests in stands is a keystone of the whole system of
protection of agricultural crops which is essential for responsible, economically effective
and flexible decisions about treatments against harmful agents. It is often difficult for
growers to cope with methods for predicting and signalling, i.e. terms where and when
and how to monitor the incidence of diseases and pests, to know to define the infection
severity and thresholds (critical numbers). Furthermore, it is not easy to diagnose –
identify correctly the species of diseases and pests (their incidences are often overlapped
and confused in crops). Therefore, a unified information network has been developed in a
private sector in the Czech Republic which provides areal and objective information to the
agricultural public. The data are provided directly to agricultural enterprises – farms. The
service within the monitoring network of diseases and pests on crops had been
developing since 2006 in Bohemia at Experimental Station in Kluky, and since 2010 in
cooperation with the Agrotest Fyto, Ltd. this service has gained a nationwide character.
In 2012, fourty specialists have worked on data collecting, i.e. regular weekly monitoring
of disease and pest occurrence in staple agricultural crops. Two hundred stands were
monitored. The occurrence of diseases and pests is monitored once a week in the spring
and early summer, and in the autumn it depends on the situation and needs, mostly
twice a month. Gathered information is analysed with regard to weather course, growth
stages and results of laboratory analyses, and then summarized in so-called “situation
reports” which are sent to farmers by e-mail the day after stand inspection along with
recommendation for an exact date of treatment or no treatment. Every situation report
also includes characterization of the given period and beside, the growth and
development stage in this period and particular region is added to every crop. In the
Czech Republic, two situation reports in individual terms have shown to be useful to
issue, i.e. a report for Bohemia and the second for Moravia and Silesia.
Main crops – winter wheat, spring barley, winter barley, oilseed rape, poppy, sugar beet,
maize and legumes are monitored with regard not only to main diseases a pests, but as
well as health status of stands. Samples are taken and subject to analysis in a laboratory
(e.g. nitrogen content in cereals in May in order to recommend some subsequent
fertilization, microelements in oilseed rape in the autumn, viral diseases in wheat using
immunological assays, quality parameters in grain and others are determined).
The work was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, Project No.
RO0211.
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“Blight Management”, a decision support system for control of potato late
blight (Phytophthora infestans). Experiences from Denmark with reduced
fungicide input.
Nielsen, Bent J1), Hansen, Jens G1) & Bødker, Lars2) 1)Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, Denmark. E-mail:
[email protected]; 2) Knowledge Centre for Agriculture, Denmark
In potatoes, it is possible to optimise the spray applications against potato late blight
(Phytophthora infestans) according to the weather based risk of infections using reduced
fungicide input while still having an effective disease control. In order to help potato
growers and advisors to assess the level of risk from potato late blight, and to decide
when to spray, a web-based decision support system "Blight Management” has been
developed. The system consists of different applications e.g. registration net monitoring
of the first attacks in the country, weather forecast and a prognosis for potential infection
pressure based on local and regional weather data for the coming four days. These
applications in Blight Management are already available on www.landbrugsinfo.dk. As a
new tool a risk dependent dose sub-model is under development. In the sub-model, the
actual dose and spray interval depends on how close to the potato field late blight has
been observed, the calculated infection pressure and the resistance level of the cultivar.
Field trials 2009-2011 in starch potatoes with the dose model have shown that it is
possible to reduce the application of two of the most effective fungicides Revus and
Ranman by up to 30% by adjusting the dose in relation to the infection pressure of
potato late blight. The model is tested in field trials in the Danish GUDP project and it is
expected that a dose application will be available in Blight Management that gives a
recommended dose level based on the current infection risk.
Increasing the use of biological control agents of plant pests in Norway
Anette Sundbye, Ingeborg Klingen and Nina Svae Johansen,
Bioforsk - Plant Health and Plant Protection Division, Dept. of Entomology,
Høgskoleveien 7, 1432 ÅS, NORWAY.
Tel: +47 92 24 34 16, Email: [email protected]
The agro-ecosystems (e.g. cropping system (tunnel/ greenhouse/ open field, etc.), plant
species, cultivar, soil management (fertilization, pH, soil cover, etc.)) has an impact on
pests (insects, mites, snails, nematodes, plant diseases and weeds) and the control
strategies used. Biological control agents (BCA) can serve as alternatives or as
supplements to chemical pesticides. They can reduce the need for chemical treatments
and thus the risk of non-target effects to humans and the environment from pesticide
use. Further, the use of BCA might help to reduce the risk of pesticide resistance
development. The Regulation and use of BCA differs significantly between different
European countries, especially for the macroorganisms (insects, mites and nematodes).
Norway has its own regulation for macroorganisms, while regulation of microorganisms
(fungi, bacteria, viruses and protozoa) is almost the same as for chemical pesticides, and
is comparable to the EU regulations. There is a wide range of biological control products
available on the international market, and access to these products would benefit
Norwegian growers. Norway has, however, a very limited selection of registered
biological control products. A new Norwegian project titled “Increasing the use of
biological control agents of plant pests” is financed by the Norwegian Ministry of
Agriculture and Food. In this project we try to identify the bottlenecks and propose
solutions to promote the registration and increase the use of BCA in Norway. A survey
has been conducted where experts and agricultural advisors on different cropping
systems were asked to prioritize which BCA (products) on the European market should
be promoted and registered in Norway (initially against pest insects and mites).
Preliminary results from this project will be presented.
17 |
Possibilities of using non-chemical methods for weed control
Bo Melander, Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of
Agroecology, Research Centre Flakkebjerg, DK-4200 Slagelse, Denmark. +45
87158198, [email protected]
Non-chemical weed control methods encompasses preventive, cultural and direct tactics
that can reduce reliance on herbicide use or even replace herbicides. Crop choice and the
sequence in which they are planned to follow one another have great impact on the weed
flora. Diversification of the crop sequence can prevent the buildup of particular
problematic weed species, such as grass weeds and cleavers (Galium aparine), in
cropping systems with high proportions of winter cereals. However, economic aspect are
currently major hindrances for the adoption of more diverse crop sequences. Cultural
tactics, such as fertilizer placement, crop variety choice, manipulation of sowing time,
stale seedbed techniques, crop density and spatial arrangement, can reduce weed
numbers and/or strengthen crop growth relative to weed growth. The need for direct
weed control interventions may be reduced but would probably not be rendered
superfluous. Direct control methods are regarded as those that can be used directly in a
growing crop. Weed harrowing with flex tine harrows can be used in small grain cereals,
maize and pulse. Its weeding effectiveness and impact on crop growth strongly relies on
conditions for selective conduction and operators skills. It may become a feasible
replacement for herbicides in spring barley and oat but only a supplementary tactic in
other broadsown crops. Rotary cultivators have demonstrated high weeding effectiveness
in potatoes with negligible crop injuries and are seen as strong alternatives to chemical
weed control depending on the weed flora. Inter-row cultivation has common
employment in row crops and has been modified to work in winter oil-seed rape grown at
50 cm row spacing. In several cases, inter-row cultivation has been the only weed control
method applied in winter oil-seed rape but effectiveness against weed species with an
erect growth habit growing in the rows are sometimes insufficient. In more typical row
crops, inter-row cultivation can be supplemented with band-spraying technology to
control intra-row weeds. Many mechanical weeding devises and some thermal ones have
application in more speciliased crops, such as vegetables and nurseries, among which
robotic weeders for automatic intra-row weed control are probably the most noteworthy
innovations in recent years.
Biological Control Agents at Bayer CropScience
Bernd Springer
Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Str. 50, 40789 Monheim / Germany
phone: +492173382347
fax: + 492173384876
e-mail: [email protected]
About two decades ago Bayer crop protection was involved in the development and
marketing of Bio Control Agents in selected regions in Europe. Products brought to the
markets were Bio 1020, Metarhizium anisopliae, for control of Black vine weevil,
Otiorhynchus sulculatus, in ornamentals and FZB24, Bacillus subtilis, among others
against Rhizoctonia solani in potatoes. However, sales compared to chemical pesticides
were flat so the decision was taken to give up respective R&D activities including sales.
After an in-depth evaluation process kicked off during the last decade Bayer CropScience
has re-entered the field of BioControl Agents. One of the first products offered to the
markets was VOTiVO®, Bacillus firmus, a bacteria now widely used for nematode
protection via seed treatment application in corn, cotton and soybeans in the United
States. The same active has received French approval for drench application in
vegetables in 2012.
In August 2012 Bayer CropScience announced the acqusition of AgraQuest, a global
supplier of innovative biological pest management solutions . This acquisition significantly
boosts Bayer CropScience´s ability to make available to customers worldwide a
comprehensive range of integrated and sustainable crop solutions based on seeds, traits
and combined chemical and biological crop protection including seed treatment. Biological
pest management solutions, often also referred to as Green Products, will play a
significant role in propelling farming`s future. Bayer CropScience plans to achieve EUR 3
billion in its fruits and vegetables business by 2020 – and AgraQuest will add further to
this goal (1).
Selected details about Bayer Crop Science' BioControl Agents Serenade®, Bacillus
subtilis 713, Sonata®, Bacillus pumilis 2808, Requiem®, an optimized terpenoid blend
of Chenopodium ambrosioides and VOTiVO® is being shared during the presentation.
References
(1) News Release, Bayer CropScience completes acquisition of AgraQuest,
August 16 th, 2012, http://www.bayer.com/en/news-detail.aspx?NewsId=16224
19 |
Biological seed treatment for disease control in field crops.
Margareta Hökeberg Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU
Centre for Biological Control, CBC
Dept. of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology
PO Box 7026
750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Biological control has a great potential to restrict the damages caused by pests and
diseases within agriculture and horticulture. It is expected to gain in importance as a part
of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). However, there is still a lack of biological control
products and methods against important pests and diseases.
Experiences from the development and use of biological seed treatment products in
Sweden will be presented. Biological seed treatment has been used in Sweden in cereals
since 1997 (Cedomon, Cerall). These products are now being used for seeds sown on a
quarter of the Swedish cereal acreage. Through the newly registered product Cedress,
biological seed treatment is also available for control of pre- and post-harvest diseases in
peas and carrots. The main targets are pea leaf blight, caused by Ascochyta spp. in peas
and the storage Rhexo rot, caused by Rhexocercosporidium carotae, in carrots.
SLU has recently started a Centre for Biological Control (CBC), where we conduct
fundamental and applied research on biological control (i.e. the use of living organisms to
control populations of harmful organisms). The aims are to strengthen the knowledge
base and facilitate the development and implementation of new biocontrol products and
approaches. A presentation of the CBC mission and activities will be given.
Overview of pesticide risk indicators in HAIR2010
Kruijne, R. 1, van der Linden, A.M.A. 2
1 Wageningen UR, Alterra, PO BOX 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands. E-mail
[email protected], tel. 0317-481808.
2 RIVM, PO BOX 1, 3720 AA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Introduction
The purpose of the HAIR2010 software instrument is to calculate environmental and
human risk indicators related to the agricultural use of pesticides in member states of the
European Union. The risk indicators were developed by the HAIR consortium in the
framework of the 6th Environmental Action Programme funded by the European
Commission. The intended use is to calculate trends in aggregated risk in order to
evaluate the effectiveness of policies aimed at sustainable agriculture, as depicted in the
Sustainable Use Directive EU 2009/128.
The model instrument
Input data is stored in different types of databases. The usage database contains
pesticide use data, including the regional area treated and (optional) risk mitigation
parameters. The Compound database contains the physico-chemical, fate and
toxicological properties of the active ingredients. The HAIR database contains the crop
maps, soil and climate maps, crop definitions and all other input data required for
calculating the risk indicators. The user is responsible for the usage database and the
compound database, whereas the HAIR database forms part of the software package.
The software has a modular structure and risk indicators can be updated or new risk
indicators may be added when necessary.
Risk indicators
For each application selected in the usage database a crop interception factor is
estimated depending on application time, location and crop characteristics. The
remaining amount deposited may be reduced due to volatilisation from the soil surface.
The model contains a set of risk indicators for different types of protection goals;
Aquatic indicators express the potential risk to the aquatic ecosystem in a standard
volume of surface water in a field ditch. Considering loadings by spray drift, run-off and
erosion, separate risk indicators with different exposure concentration are calculated for
standing water conditions and flowing water conditions, and for acute and chronic
exposure regimes. These exposure concentrations are related to the toxicity data for
algae, daphnia and fish.
The indicator for the risk of leaching towards deep groundwater layers is based on the
long-term average leaching concentration in the soil solution at 1 m depth. For this
particular indicator, exposure is related to the drinking water criterion instead of toxicity.
The terrestrial risk indicator group includes acute- and chronic risk indicators for birds
and for mammals, acute- and chronic risk indicators for earthworms, and the acute
hazard quotient for bees.
The occupational indicator group comprises acute and chronic indicators which estimate
the risk to operators, re-entry of workers, bystanders including children, and residents.
Results
For a selection of risk indicators calculated trends will be presented in a case from the
end evaluation of the Dutch Policy Document on Sustainable Plant Protection. Usage data
were obtained from surveys conducted in the years 1998 and 2008 and compound data
from Dutch registration dossiers.
KEY WORDS: risk indicator, pesticide, environment, HAIR, Sustainable Use
References
21 |
Kruijne, R., J.W. Deneer, J. Lahr and J. Vlaming, 2011a. HAIR2010 Documentation -
Calculating risk indicators related to agricultural use of pesticides within the European
Union. Alterra, Wageningen UR, Report 2113.1, 202 p.
Vlaming, J., R. Kruijne and J.G. Groenwold, 2011. HAIR2010 Software manual. Alterra,
Wageningen UR, Report 2113.2, 60 p.
www.pesticidemodels.eu
The Danish pesticide load as a basis for taxation
Jens Erik Ørum, Senior advisor
Institute of Food and Resource Economics
University of Copenhagen (UCPH)
Rolighedsvej 25, 1958, Denmark
[email protected] +45 3533 6879
Regardless of a 33 and 50% value tax on pesticides and despite of several pesticide
action plans Danish pesticide use has increased by around 50% from 2002 to 2011.
But why did we tax the pesticides by their value and why did we focus on pesticide use
instead of pesticide harm? There is no evidence that expensive pesticides are more
harmful than cheap pesticides, and it will be costly for society to enforce a pesticide use
reduction. Studies indicated that pesticide harm in most cases could be reduced
decoupled from pesticide use by substitution of harmful pesticides with less harmful, but
as efficient pesticide. Consequently the new Danish pesticide action plan will focus on
pesticide harm instead of pesticide use and the Danish parliament has decided to replace
the present value taxation with slightly increased pesticide load taxation. The basic
problem however was to define and estimate the pesticide harm of individual pesticides.
To solve the problem, a Danish pesticide harm/pesticide load indicator that incorporates
pesticides estimated harm to farmers’ health, ground water, and non-target organisms,
was defined. The pesticide harm is estimated by using the same end-points and
parameters, e.g. risk of cancer, degradation and leaching of metabolites to ground water,
bioaccumulation, and toxicity for bees, that are used for registration for use of the
pesticides. The pesticide load for individual pesticides as well as the total load for all
pesticides sold in each year from 2007-2011 has now been estimated. It turns out, that
there is a significant variation in the harmfulness of the available pesticides, as well as
significant possibilities for substitution of harmful (now more expensive) pesticides with
less harmful (now cheaper) pesticides in most crops.
The new pesticide load taxation may consequently lead to an aprox. 50% reduction in the
total pesticide load. Some less harmful pesticides, like the SU herbicides, may hoverever
be favorized to much by the load taxation. In case of wide spread SU resistent weed
problems, other more harmful pesticides or costly changes in the crop rotation will be
needed.
23 |
Norwegian pesticide taxation
Erlend Spikkerud, senior scientific officer, Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Moerveien
12, 1430 Ås, Norway. Phone: +47 64944342. Fax: +47 64944410. email:
As a follow-up of the Norwegian Action Plan for Pesticide Risk Reduction (1998-2002), a
new tax system was implemented in 1999. The new tax system was differentiated
according to human health and environmental criteria. The tax is area-based with a base
rate of 25 NOK per hectare (about 3.4 euros). This is then multiplied with a factor (0.5-9)
for one of the five tax classes, to give the tax for each plant protection product (PPP).
Standard area dose (g or ml per hectare) is used to convert tax per hectare to tax per kg
or litres of product.
Each plant protection product is placed in one of three health classes based on the
classification and labelling of the product and on exposure factors related to mixing and
application. Three environmental classes are based on the active ingredient(s)
environmental fate and effects. The health and environmental classes are combined into
five tax classes for professional use products. In addition there are two classes for
private garden products (concentrated and ready-to-use).
An evaluation was performed in 2003, which included a farmer survey, comments from
industry, a look at the costs for farmers, and an evaluation of the sales and risk trends.
Unfortunately, it was too early to draw clear conclusions about how the use of PPPs was
affected, since massive hoarding in 1998 resulted in large variation in sales data over
several years. The evaluators still concluded that the new tax system seemed to be a
better system than the old system, which was based on import value.
Recommendations from the evaluation led to revisions of the system that was
implemented in October 2004.
Financed by the new risk reduction action plan (2010-2014), the Norwegian Agricultural
Economics Research Institiute in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural
and Environmental Research is now performing an evaluation of the tax system to be
finished in late 2012.
Environmental risk communication for assessing the requirements in
integrated pest management (IPM)
Räsänen Kati, Kurppa Sirpa, Nousiainen Riikka, Lehtonen Eeva, Junnila Sanni
MTT - Agrifood Research Finland, Myllytie 1, FI-31600, Jokioinen, Finland
Tel: +358 50 5715461, Fax. +358 20 772 040, Email: [email protected]
Indicators are needed in monitoring risk reduction actions according to the EU strategy,
where health and environmental risks are aimed to be reduced, for example via
integrated pest management (IPM). The actions are based on the EU legislation, for
example directive for sustainable use of plant protection products (PPP) (2009/128/EC).
PPP usage and sales data are examples of those risk indicators, but these do not reflect
the actual risks caused by various types of pesticides.
In this study, we introduce a new method to assess the progress of IPM in reducing
environmental risks, and for achieving sustainable development, as required. In our
novel approach, we combine Geographical Information Systems (GIS), HAIR risk
indicators and LCA (life cycle assessment) tools together. PPP effects are studied
beginning from selected fields and leading to two dimensional views: risks to the
environment and environmental impacts to the food chain. LCA thinking is linked to the
both dimensions. The method is demonstrated in Figure 1. The development has been
started in PesticideLife project (2010–2013) coordinated by MTT Agrifood Research
Finland and co-financed by EU LIFE+ program.
11.9.2012© Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskus 1
Food product
LCA and ecotoxicity
Environ
mental
impact
Environmental risks
Plant protection product
Crop
Plant pathology
Weather observation
Water systems
Cultivation technique
Risk indicators
Cultivation
(conventional, IPM, organic)
Environment
Food chain
Risk communication
Risk indicators and GIS
Soil system
Spatial statistics
Sta
tistics
Modified from figure first presented by Pauliina Laitinen.
PPP
usage data
Figure 1. A method to study the progress of IPM. PPP environmental risks are evaluated
using GIS tools and HAIR-indicators, and potential of environmental impacts are
assessed in food chain with LCA against final product as a functional unit.
In this study, the method is demonstrated based on a case study. The usage data of
plant protection products (kg of active ingredient per hectare) was surveyed at field
25 |
scale. Data was obtained from a case study carried out by Finnish Information Centre of
the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Tike), covering data from 2007 and 1.5 % from
all crop farms in Finland. The study was also a pilot study to prepare for collecting
pesticide usage data regularly in the future by Finnish authorities. The data was
compared to PPP sales data in a year 2007, surveyed by Finnish Chemical Agency
(TUKES).
HAIR (HArmonised environmental Indicators for pesticide Risk) is an instrument used for
mapping environmental and human risks. With HAIR, different risk indicators can be
calculated to study the effects of agricultural pesticides used in various conditions in
Europe (HAIR, 2010). Geographical Information Systems (GIS) was used for mapping
PPP usage data derived from the case study. Field plots, cultivation technique, soil
parameters, surface and groundwater bodies, weather observations and plant disease
observations were combined in GIS. Spatial statistics will be used to explain pesticide
use. Effects of local growing and environmental conditions on the pesticide use and
dynamics through growing season were demonstrated by GIS. With HAIR the view was
extended for risk assessment in environment.
In our research, for clarity and simplicity, usage of only one active ingredient of
insecticide (α-cypermethrine), fungicide (prothioconazole) and herbicide (glyphosate) in
oat, barley and wheat fields were mapped. Glyphosate was chosen because of its broad
usage (the total sales of glyphosate was 557 tons from total of 1191 tons of herbicides
sold in 2007 in Finland) it is also a target in many research interest. Two other active
ingredients were chosen for the study because they are known to be toxic to aquatic
organisms in low concentrations, despite their low usage in farms (2.7 tons of
prothioconazole from total of 187 tons of fungicides and 160 kg of α-cypermethrine from
total of 35 tons of insecticides in 2007 in Finland). Thus we had a fairly narrow data in
the pilot survey of the actual use of pesticides.
In the food chain oriented perspective, life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to study
impacts of PPP usage through food chain. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for
identifying and evaluating the environmental aspects and potential impacts from the
whole life cycle of products and services. The result is expressed against certain quantity
or value of final products or service units. These are called functional units. Benefits of
LCA are diverse. It is improving understanding of environmental aspects of products and
services at different life cycle points. By combining the life cycle points for different
categories of environmental impacts, for instance ecotoxicity, we can see a profile of
impacts through the particular food chain. From such a profile of a schedule of life cycle
points, we can identify most hazardous key impacts. In general, eco-toxicity grows with
increasing number of successive treatments or with treatments that occur in unfavorable
weather conditions or if targeting of pesticide application is poor. Most-evidently, eco-
toxic impact in relation to benefit as yield increase or yield value, in these cases,
increases too high. In IPM strategy, we should pre or proactively try to modify the
production chain, use protective actions, use strictly targeted applications to source of
pest or diseases, minimize eco-toxic applications by resistant cultivars etc., in order to
avoid these most eco-toxic instances in the chain profile. The aim is that, with correctly
timed and highly directed applications we increase the capability of a crop to use
maximally the growth resources and avoid nutrient release to the environment. When
this is achieved, eco-toxic impact related to yield amount and overall environmental
impact remains minimal.
In our LCA research, we co-operate with Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).
Calculations of ecotoxicity in life cycle assessment include a substance fate, exposure and
characterized impact of a substance. In the step of life cycle inventory assessment (LCIA)
characterization factors were calculated with Usetox (Usetox, 2010) and Recipe (Recipe,
2012) models for studying ecotoxicity effects on aquatic and soil organisms, respectively.
PPP emissions from field application to the different environmental compartments were
modeled with PestLCI. Potential ecotoxicity impact induced by PPP usage, collected also
from the case study, was used as an indicator in LCA.
The method will be demonstrated in the seminar, and the preliminary results will be
shown, for example in animations. This method will be useful tool for risk communication
concerning examination of temporal and spatial variation of chemical emissions. It can be
extensively applied and used by scientists, politicians, advisors, farmers and consumers.
References
1.Directive on the sustainable use of pesticides 128/2009/EC. Available at internet access
http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:309:0071:0086:EN:PDF. Visited
08/31/2012.
2.HAIR 2010. Available at internet access
http://www.hair.pesticidemodels.eu/home.shtml. Visited 08/31/2012.
3.Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 2011: National Action Plan on the Sustainable
Use of Plant Protection Products. - Working Group Memorandum, mmm 2011:4, Helsinki,
46 pp.
http://www.mmm.fi/attachments/mmm/julkaisut/tyoryhmamuistiot/newfolder_25/647YN
G83G/Trm2011_4_en.pdf. Visited 08/31/2012.
4.PesticideLife+ project, 2009-1013. Available at internet access
https://portal.mtt.fi/portal/page/portal/mtt/hankkeet/pesticidelife. Visited 31/08/2012.
5.Recipe, 2012. ReCiPe Mid/Endpoint method, version 1.07, July 2012. Available at
internet access http://www.lcia-recipe.net/. Visited 09/05/2012.
6.Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 concerning statistics on pesticides 128/2009/EC.
Available at internet access http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:309:0071:0086:EN:PDF. Visited
08/31/2012.
7.Usetox, 2010. USEtox™ UNEP/SETAC model for the comparative assessment of
chemicals released to air, water and soil and their toxic effects on the human population
and ecosystems, version 1.01, 15 February 2010, Available at internet access
http://www.usetox.org. Visited 09/05/2012.
27 |
How to manage control of diseases in winter wheat using an IPM
approach?
L. Nistrup Jørgensen,
Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Flakkebjerg, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is the most important cereal crop in Europe and the third
most important worldwide and several diseases like septoria tritici blotch (Mycosphaerella
graminis), yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis), tan spot (Drechslera tritici-repentis) and
powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) are known as serious diseases in winter wheat
production. Major differences in disease prevalence and economic importance in wheat
are observed for diseases in general, encouraging the use of adjusted control strategies
including use of monitoring and thresholds (Jørgensen et al. 2008). Today the common
European agricultural policy questions the increasing dependency of pesticides and
supports the concept of integrated pest management (IPM) by establishing a framework
for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides (Directive
2009/128/EC), and by 2014 all EU members must have implemented IPM with the aim to
reduce the impact and use of pesticides. IPM includes among other things the use of
monitoring, application of specific disease thresholds, use of decision support systems
(DSS), cropping of resistance varieties and information about pathogen virulence as well
as other relevant agricultural information. Examples of DSS and thresholds are now
publicly available via the EuroWheat website www.eurowheat.org, which also informs
about options for disease control, such as agricultural practices and fungicide efficacies
(Jørgensen et al. 2010). Control of septoria tritici blotch relies mainly on a risk
assessment based on precipitation from gs 32 to gs 71. The disease is regarded as
present in all fields although the severity varies depending on time of sowing and level of
resistance in cultivars. Due to the long latent period control measures based on risk
evaluations should be carried out before attack can be found on the upper two leaves.
Attack of yellow rust is very much driven by survival of the disease during winter,
cultivars susceptibility and the virulence of the yellow rust population. As the disease is
very epidemic once established control thresholds are very low. For powdery mildew
cultivars susceptibility is important too but also late sowing on particularly sandy soil has
been seen to increase the risk significantly almost regardless of cultivar resistance.
Thresholds for control of powdery mildew are also low but yield responses are minor once
the crop has reach heading. The need for control of tan spot and Fusarium head blight
(Fusarium spp.) are very linked to crop rotations and tillage methods and can both be
kept at low and almost insignificant levels by applying none chemical methods avoiding
maize and wheat as previous crop together with avoiding minimal tillage. For all diseases
correct timing and correct choice of fungicides and dose is very important in order to
optimize control measures and avoid significant yield reductions. In order to avoid
control failure from the use of fungicides; monitoring for sensitivity to major fungicide
groups should be carried out and anti-resistance management strategies should be
applied in order to minimize the risk for buildup of resistance. Jørgensen LN, Hovmøller MS, Hansen JG, Lassen P, Clark B, et al. 2010. EuroWheat.org - a support to integrated disease management in wheat. Outlooks on Pest Management 21:173-5 Jørgensen, LN, Nielsen, G.C.,Ørum,J.E, Jensen, JE. & Pinnschmidt, HO. (2008) Integrating Disease Control in Winter Wheat –Optimizing Fungicide Input. In: Modern Fungicides and Antifungal Compounds V. Proceedings from 15th International Reinhardsbrunn Symposium 2007. 197-210.Eds. Dehne HV. et al. DPG Spectrum Phytomedizin.
IPM-PORTAL information solution for IPM-cultivations
Pertti Rajala, general manager Plant Protection Society of Finland, Jani Hyytiäinen,
technology director Lojaali Interactive Oy
Motivation
EU directive 2009/128/EC defines IPM as follows: “‘integrated pest management’ means
careful consideration of all available plant protection methods and subsequent integration
of appropriate measures that discourage the development of populations of harmful
organisms and keep the use of plant protection products and other forms of intervention
to levels that are economically and ecologically justified and reduce or minimize risks to
human health and the environment”.
IPM needs lots of information and skills to be successful. All information should be
available to all participants in the field production.
Problem
To handle all data and information we should have best possible system for the IPM.
Participants who need information are: farmers, advisors, food industry, agribusiness,
scientists, authorities and consumers. Data should be open source if possible. In field
level we need information how to monitor and identify the pests, how to control and
prohibit the pest entry to fields. Farmer and advisor need field data. Food industry needs
to control the quality and quantity of the yield. Scientists need field data for developing
new pest forecasts and control methods, agribusiness need information of need of
pesticides and authorities need statistics of agri- and horticulture production for the
legislation or consumer use.
Approach
Agrifood Research Finland MTT got a task to develop horticultural IPM programme for
Finland. A need for information Portal for IPM was placed in task statement. MTT gave
the task to develop a IPM portal to Plant Protection Society of Finland (PPSF). MTT
interviewed several horticultural farmers to get general information of IPM status in
Finland. This data was also used to create the elements of the portal. PPSF interviewed
experts of advisors, food industry, agribusiness, scientists and authorities to further
development of the portal. A demo-portal was launched June 2012 and it has been tested
in four (4) demo-farms, which cultivate strawberry. Also other participants can test the
demo-portal
Results
Interviews gave us information, that monitoring and identification of the pests are most
difficult for the farmers. Monitoring data is very valuable to all participants in IPM. The
more effective we can benefit monitoring results, the better IPM system we get. Advisors
and authorities need a reliable system to inform current change in IPM control system
(new pests and information for the control). Alert info with email and phone mails can be
added to portal. The dynamic factor in portal is temperature sum (W). When temperature
sum reaches critical level, portal alerts farmer to check monitoring and control systems.
Documentation of pests found in fields and control methods are very important for all
participants and also compulsory in Directive. Farmers appreciate easy system to
document actions in the field. Portal tries to create easy system for that purpose.
29 |
Social media is also new media that is needed to create active information system for
IPM. Farmers need local “chat” with other fellow farmers, but also with advisoral experts
to help to solve the problems.
Conclusions
Finnish Demo-portal contains following elements: monitoring, identification, control
methods, prohibition methods, documentation of monitoring and control, social media
and alert information system. This system needs lots of testing technically and mentally.
Discussions with all participants in all levels should be done properly before the system
can be expanded for the real use.
Decision algorithms for herbicide resistance management
Per Rydahl, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology, Flakkebjerg, DK-4200 Denmark.
Ole Q. Boejer, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology, Flakkebjerg
Mette Sønderskov, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology, Flakkejberg
Solvejg K. Mathiassen, Aarhus University, Inst. of Agro-ecology, Flakkebjerg
email address: [email protected]. Phone: +45 87158197, mob. +45 22283378
Since the introduction of phenoxyacids for weed control in the 1950ies, conventional
farmers have become increasingly dependent on herbicides as a key measure for weed
control. In recent years herbicide resistance involves different herbicide modes of action
(MOAs), and herbicide resistance has also has been reported for an increasing number of
locations, including the Nordic countries.
In literature, many recommendations can be found regarding management of already
resistant weeds, and also a relatively rich collection is available of recommendations,
which should provide protection against further development of herbicides resistance.
Unfortunately, many of these recommendations are supported only by a relatively poor
documentation on the expected efficacy of different measures. For example, only poor
documentation exist regarding the effect of sequences in application of different herbicide
MOAs.
Nevertheless, many measures are now recommended to farmers, and integration of
herbicide resistance management in the Danish decision support system named 'Crop
Protection Online' (www.ipmdss.dk) is presently in the design phase. Two core principles
have been applied: 1) weeds that are already resistant shall subsequently be controlled
with very high efficacy and by alternative MOAs or alternative control, and 2) MOAs, for
which incidents of resistance have already been detected on a regional level, shall be
used in maximum every second generation of weeds. This rule has also been interpreted
into subordinate rules regarding a) growing habits of different weeds (summer- or winter
annuals) and b) efficacy of previously used MOAs used alone or in combinations, e.g. in
co-formulations, tank-mixes and splitapplications.
In addition, mechanical control measures will be recommended by CPO in situations,
where requirements for effiacy can be met.
31 |
Pest control perspective in Lithuania in the context of sustainable use of
pesticides
Semaskiene Roma
Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Instituto 1, Akademija, Kedainiai distr., Lithuania
E-mail: [email protected]
Insect pest organisms, diseases and weeds can affect crops and have a serious impact on
the economic output. Reduced tillage and mono-cropping are becoming increasingly
common in conventional farms in Lithuania. Growing conditions, climate warming,
development of pesticide resistance and other factors cause disease and pest outbreaks,
changes in pathogens, pests and weed populations.
Leaf spotting diseases (Mycospharella graminicola, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis,
Phaeosphaeria nodorum, Pyrenophora teres), aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi, Sitobion
avenae) have become prevalent in cereal fields in recent years. Ramularia leaf spot
(Ramularia collo-cygni) occurs in spring barley crops from year to year. Fusarium head
blight is a more and more common disease in cereals also and a very severe attack of
this disease in spring cereals was recorded in 2012. Sclerotinia stem rot (Sclerotinia
sclerotiorum) and Phoma stem canker (Leptosphaeria spp.), Alternaria spot (Alternaria
spp.) cause severe attacks nearly every year and cause significant yield losses in oilseed
rape. Stem (Ceuthorhynchus napi ir C. pallidactylus) and pod pests (Ceuthorhynchus
obstrictus, Dasineura brassicae), slugs (Deroceras reticulatum) are becoming an
increasingly important issue. Apera spica-venti, Avena fatua, Lamium purpureum require
a special attention in choosing the control measures. Resistance of insect pest organisms,
diseases and weeds to pesticides has emerged as one of the most critical problems
recently. New and well known crop protection problems need to be addressed. Pest
management practice in conventional farms is mainly based on chemical control now, but
the future of the plant protection will rely on Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Integrated strategies seek to employ cultural control options, and only use the chemical
crop protection methods when they are fully justified. Research recommendations for
Lithuanian farmers on pest control techniques are based on minimising pest risk by
cultural means. Pesticides should be used only when no other alternatives of controlling
and limiting the damage caused by pests are available.
Acknowledgements
The research on Prospects for pest control in Lithuania in the context of sustainable
use of pesticides was supported by the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture in 2011-
2012, project registration no. MT-11/5.
Use of decision support system and field monitoring network in control of
cereal diseases with lowered doses of fungicides in Estonia
Mati Koppel, Pille Sooväli, Department of Biochemistry and Plant Protection, Jõgeva
Plant Breeding Institute, J.Aamisepa 1, Jõgeva alevik 48309, Estonia
Phone + 372 7766903, Fax 3+3727766902, [email protected]
The development of an internet based decision support system in Estonia started from
collaboration with Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences in frames of projects
“Development of a Decision Support System for Integrated Pest management in Estonia
(1999) and “Development and Implementation of an Internet based Decision Support
System for Integrated pest Management in Estonia (2000-2002). Models of the Danish
Decision Support Systems PC-P Diseases concerning diseases, pests and weeds of cereal
crops were tested and adopted to Estonian conditions. An internet based system I-
Taimekaitse (taimekaitse.eria.ee) is publicly available since 2002.
The further development of I-Taimekaitse has been carried out in collaboration of Jõgeva
Plant Breeding Institute, Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture and Estonian
University Life Sciences in frames of the project “Development and implementation of an
Internet based decision support system in plant protection” supported by Estonian
Ministry of Agriculture. Estonian The system has been regularly updated with information
on efficacy of fungicides and resistance of varieties. Efficacy of disease control models of
I-Taimekaitse has been tested in 17 trials on spring barley and in 33 trials on spring and
winter wheat during the period 2003-2009. In both crops the most common
recommendation has been a single fungicide treatment in post-anthesis period (GS 55-
65) with 0,37-0,46 of full dose in barley and 0,33-0,60 of full dose in wheat. Good
biological and economical efficacy has been obtained in all trials. Despite of its good
efficacy in field trials, I-Taimekaitse is used only by small number of farmers. The time
and knowledges needed for field inspection and entering data into the computer are
major limitations for more widespread use of the system.
Development of simplified DSS was started in 2010. A field trial network of varieties of
spring and winter cereals consisting of more widespread varieties of spring and winter
wheat, winter rye, spring barley and oat have been established in farmer’s fields in seven
locations for this purpose. Three fungicide treatment regimes with half fungicide dose
have been applied in all crops - early treatment (BBCH 32-37), late treatment (BBCH 55-
65) and both treatments. Disease incidence in untreated and fungicide treated variants
has been recorded in the trials throughout the growing season and made available in the
Internet. Yield increase from fungicide application and economic return are used for
assessment of need of fungicide use. The routine, two time fungicide application was
reasonable only in limited number of varieties. In drier years and/or in more resistant
varieties the fungicide use did not result in yield increase. A single application with half
fungicide dose has been adequate in majority of varieties in most locations.
The use of field trial network has been a good and reasonable tool for timely informing
of farmers on need of disease control according to location and cultivated varieties.
33 |
EuroWheat.ORG – Support for integrated disease management in wheat
Jørgensen, L.N1. Hovmøller, MS1, Hansen, JG2;Lassen, P2, Clark, B.3, Bayles, R.3,.
Rodemann, B4., Flath, K, 5Jahn M. 5, Goral, T.6 Czembor, J., 6 Cheyron, P7. Maumene, C.7
De Pope, C.8 Ban, R. 9, Nielsen, GC.10. Berg, G. 11
1Aarhus University, Flakkebjerg, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark, 2Aarhus University, Foulum,
Tjele, Denmark, 3NIAB/TAG, Cambridge, UK, 4 Julius Kuehn Institute, Braunsweig,
Germany, 5 Julius Kuehn Institute, Klein Machnow. Germany, 6 Plant Breeding and
Acclimatization Institute (IHAR), Poland, 7 Arvalis, Bougnewille, France. 8 Institut national
de la recherche agronomique (INRA), Grinon, France. 9St. István University (SZIE),
Hungary 10Knowledge Centre for Agriculture, Skejby, Denmark.11 Swedish Board of
Agriculture, Plant Protection Centre, Alnarp, Sweden
Abstract
Wheat diseases have a major impact on yield, quality of grain and fungicide
requirements. EuroWheat collates data and information on wheat disease management
from several countries, analysing and displaying this information in a European context.
It provides significant added value on a European scale to support local advisers,
breeders and other partners dealing with disease management in wheat through
supporting IPM in the broadest sense. Information in EuroWheat include:
Fungicides
Many countries provide information about fungicide efficacy based on national field trials.
EuroWheat has collected this information giving an overview of registered products, their
efficacy (Fig. 1) and resistance risk: • Fungicide efficacy ranking – eight wheat diseases ranked by five different countries
• Review on problems related to fungicide resistance
Wheat IPM
Under this heading information and links to relevant disease management tools are
given:
• Overview and links to decision support systems dealing with wheat diseases in Europe
• Wheat disease thresholds recommended in eight countries
• Information and thresholds for seed borne diseases
• Overview and documentation of cultural practices reducing specific diseases
Pathogens
Pathogen characteristics such as virulence and aggressiveness play a significant role in
evaluating the risks of disease epidemics in cultivars possessing various sources of
disease resistance. Since many of the most damaging pathogens, such as the rusts, may
be spread by the wind across national borders, updated information about pathogen
features in neighboring countries serve as an ‘early warning’ for farmers:
• Overview and analysis tool for wheat yellow rust virulence pathotypes in Europe (six
countries)
• Fusarium head blight: how to minimise attack and mycotoxins
• Cultivar resistance to Fusarium head blight, including ranking of cultivars
Expert and information system Predictor
Míša Petr, Tvarůžek Ludvík, Spitzer Tomáš, Matušinsky Pavel
Agrotest Fyto, Ltd., Havlíčkova 2787, 767 01 Kroměříž, Czech Republic.
+420 573 317 109, [email protected]
The basis of integrated plant protection is a correct option of a type, dose and timing of
pesticide application. When making decisions about crop protection action (e.g. pesticide
application), it is very important to well estimate risks of spreading and severity of
diseases and pests. One of the most significant factors critical for severity of plant
infection by diseases are climatic conditions. Based on detailed knowledge of
epidemiology of individual diseases (their requirements for optimum climatic conditions),
risks can be predicted in advance and appropriate measures can be chosen. Agrotest
Fyto, Ltd. has been aiming at the development of mathematical form of prediction
models and decision-making algorithms for a long time and these are gradually
integrated into newly developed software Predictor. It is a server application with
possible on-line access of users through the protocol http/s. The system includes tools for
processing meteorological data. The software DatabaseConvertor has been developed to
convert data from the most common resources. Users have an opportunity to work, for
instance, with data downloaded from automated meteorological stations. The software
interface also allows manual input of variables or loading data from tables in text format.
Individual prediction models are integrated in the software as separate modules. Models
are developed on experimental data from area of Kromeriz and now are tested on wider
area across the Moravia region. Predictor application integrates the following seven
models: (i.) model for prediction of winter wheat infection by fusarium head blight
(contamination of grain with deoxynivalenol), (ii.) model for prediction of winter wheat
infection by leaf blotches (Mycosphaerella graminicola and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis),
(iii.) model for prediction of winter wheat infection by eyespot (Oculimacula spp.), (iv.)
model for prediction of winter wheat infection by take-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis),
(v.) model for prediction of sugar beet infection by Cercospora beticola, (vi.) model for
prediction of oilseed rape infection by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, (vii.)
preliminary model for prediction of mineral nitrogen release on the basis of soil physico-
chemical properties and weather conditions.
The work was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, Project No.
RO0211.
35 |
Use of rain protective tree covering to reduce incidence level of sweet
cherry fruit decay
Regina Rancane, Liga Vilka
Latvian Plant Protection Research Centre, Struktoru 14a, Riga, LV-1039, Latvia;
telephone +371 67553764, fax +371 67551265, e-mail [email protected]
Cherry fruit cracking induced by the rain and high humidity is one of the main reasons for
the high incidence level of fruit decay. Damaged fruits are not marketable due to poor
fruit quality. Rain protective tree covering is used to protect sweet cherries (Prunus
avium L.) during the most critical infection periods. The objective of the research was to
estimate the impact of the rain covering to fruit decay in comparison with uncovered
area. Investigations were carried out two years in the Latvia State Institute of Fruit-
Growing. Observations and assessments were done on four sweet cherry cultivars:
‘Iputj’, ‘Krupnoplodnaya’, ‘Lapins’ and ‘Meelika’. In the experiment fungicides were not
used, only one application was carried out with the copper during the early spring. Both
years the covering period lasted from the beginning of flowering until the end of the
harvest. During assessments BBCH stage for the each cultivar was fixed. The incidence
level of decay was higher in the uncovered area, cv. ‘Iputj’ reached 91% in 2011 and
40% in 2012, but under covering respectively 43% and 19%, highest incidence level of
decay in uncovered area was associated with a heavier cracking. Very good effectiveness
of covering presented cv. ‘Krupnoplodnaya’ in 2012, when in the uncovered area an
incidence of decay reached 23%, but under covering four times less, only 6%. The
incidence of fruit decay in cv. ‘Lapins’ and ‘Meelika’ was very low (1-6%) in both years, a
significant impact of the rain covering was not observed. Results showed that the most
common cause of fruit decay in the experiment was brown rot (Monilinia spp.) in average
75-95%, gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) only 3-20%.
Observations showed that the incidence level of decay under the covering is lower, it
means that pesticide use could be reduced what is important aspect for the integrated
production.
Research was supported by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), project Nr.
2010/0317/2DP/2.1.1.1.0/10/APIA/VIAA/142, 2011-2013.
Yellow sticky traps for decision-making in whitefly management
Delia M. Pinto & Irene Vänninen
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Production Research, 31600 Jokioinen, Finland
[email protected], tel. +358-29-5317922
Yellow sticky traps (YSTs) are a key component of IPM programs for several greenhouse
pests. The development of YST-based decision-making tools e.g. sampling protocols and
economic thresholds, however, has been limited. This paper assesses to what extent
YST-counts comply with the four criteria of trustworthy sampling of reliability,
representativeness, relevance and practicality in an attempt to understand the feasibility
of designing YST-based decision-making tools for managing whiteflies in greenhouse
crops, particularly tomato and cucumber. Several factors that are known to affect flight
behavior and thus, trap catches are identified, and the possibility of manipulating them to
improve the efficiency and the reliability of YSTs or of interpreting them with automated
tools is discussed. Several YST-based action thresholds have been suggested in the
literature, particularly for chemical control. A few studies showed the correlation between
trap and visual counts, which are discussed in the context of whiteflies and trap
densities. There are a number of approaches and technological innovations to decrease
the effort and time associated to counting, a method to facilitate the identification of
species in mixed populations on the trap, and sampling methods such as sequential
sampling for calculating appropriate sample size, which have been already put in practice
to develop YST-based sampling protocols.
Knowledge gaps are identified and discussed, and a route map for further research to
advance YSTs as a decision-making tool in whitefly management is outlined.
37 |
Communication and information exchange of integrated pest management
(IPM)
Aino-Maija Mustalahti, Sanni Junnila, Irmeli Markkula, Kari Tiilikkala, Kati Räsänen and
Erja Huusela-Veistola
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Production Research, FI-31600 Jokioinen, Finland
PesticideLife project, co-funded by EU Life+ program, was generated to help
implementation of EU frame directive about sustainable use of pesticides in practice.
From 2014 onwards general principles of IPM shall be included in farming. Different IPM
methods are demonstrated and developed in cereal farms in cooperation with the
farmers. Efficient communication between project partners and other stakeholders is an
essential part of the project, and IPM information is transferred also to the wider network
of farmers.
The project has nine demonstration farms and fifteen other contract farms. A
questionnaire was made for those farmers in autumn 2012 concerning their opinions and
experiences about IPM. This feedback is analyzed and reviewed as a case study in order
to develop and improve IPM communication in the future. According to this survey, some
of farmers got involved in the project in order to improve profitability of their farming
and to develop their knowhow about IPM already before 2014. By IPM methods some of
them have learned to avoid routine sprayings. They also found out that most of the
methods are already included in their farming practice. The terms integrated pest
management and IPM were often unknown or unclear and this can be one challenge in
the future communication. IPM communication will be long term and active action, and
positive aspects will be highlighted.
In PesticideLife project a small key group of farmers already came along to test different
IPM methods and to discuss their experiences. The challenge is how to make all farmers
interested and involved in the provided information. As an answer to lack of IPM
information, a special IPM portal will be developed jointly with other IPM projects. In the
future all information related to IPM will be collected under this portal.
Continuous learning is needed in the IPM. Cooperation between all stakeholders and
organizations involved in IPM is essential in communication and information exchange.
The best result will be achieved when all the resources are combined with a nationally
coordinated network. Research, co-operation and sharing the information is needed also
in the future. It is planned to develop a national pilot farm network in collaboration with
different IPM projects. Producing new local information and communicating about the
results will be a basis when planning a common IPM education system. Updated
information about crops and cultivars, monitoring systems and threshold values will be
needed. More research will be also needed on strategies to prevent pesticide resistance
and to develop biological control methods also for major crops.
Disease resistance of spring cereal varieties for IPM in Latvia
Ilze Priekule, Olga Treikale, Brigita Javoisha
Latvian Plant Protection Research Centre, Struktoru 14a, Riga LV-1039, Latvia; telephone
+371 67551501, fax +371 67551265, [email protected]
The first and the most important step of an IPM approach is a taking of preventive
measures to prevent pest build up. The host plant resistance to the diseases has been
extremely successful technique for suppressing disease population or damage.
Cereals are the main crops grown in Latvia; occupied area was 48% (526.6 thousand ha)
from all sowings in 2011; from those 64% spring type (wheat 39%, barley 33%, oat
21%).
The base of variety selection for growing mainly is a yield potential and grain quality.
There are widely grown spring cereal varieties in Latvia which origin is Latvia, Germany,
Poland, Sweden etc. Important element of a spring cereal growing technology is a
disease control. There is a wide spectrum of diseases spread and been economically
important in Latvia in spring cereals: root rots (Fusarium spp., Bipolaris sorokiniana,
Gaeumannomyces graminis etc.), leaf diseases (Blumeria graminis, Drechslera teres,
Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, Septoria tritici, Stagonospora nodorum, Puccinia striiformis,
P.triticina etc. ), ear diseases (Fusarium spp., Ustilago nuda, U.avenae, Tilletia caries
etc.) which have been able to control by chemical control methods. The growing
technology of spring barley and oat quite often doesn’t contain using of fungicides.
Therefore the information about disease resistance of spring barley and oat is very
important for farmers selecting varieties for growing.
In the action plan for preparation of a system to implement IPM principles there is planed
an activity – the collection of information about cereal variety reaction to the diseases in
Latvian conditions. Information will be available for farmers through the public database
on the webpage of the State Plant Protection Service – the responsible body for
implementation and using of IPM in agricultural production. Field tests of spring barley
and oat varieties were carried out in 2008-2012 evaluating an incidence and severity (%)
of main diseases in natural conditions. Plot size 10.5 m2, 4 replicates, seed material
untreated, no fungicide applications, other technological elements according to the local
GAP. Duo to variable climate conditions by years results are fluctuating but there can be
marked varieties infected in lower level by root rots and main leaf diseases, more
suitable for growing in the integrated plant production system based on a reasonable
using of fungicides.
Research was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2009-2012.
39 |
The influence of cultivar and stand density of spring barley on weed
infestation
O. Auškalnienė G. Pšibišauskienė,
Department of Soil and Crop Management, Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research
Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Instituto al.1., Kėdainiai distr. LT-58344. Lithuania
E -mail: [email protected]
Crop shading ability may improve weed control without additional costs and negative
environmental impacts. Effects of cultivar morphology on weed growth were shown in
different crops, but mainly in cereals. It is known, that cereal varieties differ in
competitiveness against weeds, and therefore choice of variety is one of preventive weed
control methods.
The influence of plant density on weed suppression was investigated in the crops of
spring barley cultivars with different plant height in the field trials conducted at the
Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture in 2008 and 2009 in Central Lithuania (55º23′50″N
and 23º51′40″E). The soil of the experimental site is Endocalcary-Endohypogeyic
Cambisol (CM-p-w-can), neutrally acid light loam, rich in phosphorus and potassium.
Seed rates were adjusted for seed weights and germination rate to give a population
density of 200, 400 or 600 plants per m2. The data of biomass of some annual
dicotyledonous weeds showed, that the changes in weed biomass were higher due to the
changing plant density compared to the cultivar influence. Strong and significant effects
of crop density on weed growth were established - weed biomass decreased with an
increasing sowing density of spring barley. Crop density was a more reliable factor
compared with cultivar selection for enhanced crop competitiveness against weeds.
Spring barley plant height was a relevant indicator defining competitive ability against
weeds.
The augmentation of spring barley seed rate from 2 to 4 million viable seeds per hectare
was found to be adequate for satisfactory suppression of broad-leaved weed infestations
for tall spring barley cultivars. For short cultivars the seed rate could be higher.
Integrated management of apple scab using iMETOS forecasting model
Alma Valiuškaitė, Laisvūnė Duchovskienė, Elena Survilienė-Radževičė, Neringa
Rasiukevičiūtė, Rimantas Tamošiūnas
Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Kaunas
30,Babtai LT54333, Kaunas district, Lithuania.
Phone: +37037555217, fax:+37037555176, e-mail: [email protected]
The main aim of Integrated Pest Management in horticulture is the investigated
forecasting systems of the key pests and diseases using modern warning equipment.
Investigation on the efficacy of Venturia inaequlis forecasting model in horticulture under
Lithuanian climate conditions using internet forecasting system “iMETOS” from Pessl
Instruments Ltd. Austria was started at the Institute of Horticulture in 2007. In 2007–
2011 field trials were carried out in the apple orchards to compare the current apple
control strategy – conventional diseases management (CDM), traditional spraying
program by apple growing stages; and integrated diseases management (IDM) spraying
program by forecasting system “iMETOS”. This system is internet based monitor for real
time management decisions and recorded rainfall, air temperature, relative humidity, leaf
wetness and calculated apple scab infections periods according to Mills and Laplante at
three levels: light, medium and high. Susceptible to apple scab cultivars was sprayed
when release of ascospores, ascopores and conidia light infection risk reached more than
70–80%. Venturia ianequalis forecasting model gave possibility to optimize the use of
fungicides against apple scab and to reduce 2-3 applications per season. CDM and IDM
shoved high scab control in apple trees and there were not found any essential
differences in scab incidence between to management systems. An efficacy of CDM and
IDM against diseases incidence on leaves was 89–94% and 90-95% respectively.
Efficiency against disease incidence on fruits was 90% and 95% respectively.
41 |
Management of horticultural insect pests using a forecasting system
iMetos
L. Duchovskiene, A. Valiuskaite, R. Tamosiunas, N. Rasiukeviciute, E. Surviliene
Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Institute of Horticulture
Plant Protection Laboratory
Kauno str. 30, Babtai, Kaunas district
Phone +370 37 55 52 17, Fax.+370 37 55 51 76, [email protected]
Carrot fly is the most harmful insect pest of carrot crops in Lithuania. The carrot fly has
only two generations in Lithuania. The damage by larvae of the first generation is seldom
a problem except in the very early crops for summer harvest. Pyrethroid applications
(deltamethrin, tau-fluvalinate) against carrot psyllids also keeps the carrot fly of first
generation population low. Larvae of the second generation can cause considerable
quality loss in carrot yield harvested at the end of the season. We used P. rosae
emergence model based on soil temperatures accumulation. The results of the study
demonstrated that insecticide treatments applied according P. rosae forecasting model
were more accurate and efficacious and quantity of damaged carrots (Nerac F1)
decreased almost three-fold compared with the conventional system in 2011.
Codling moth is considered to be the key pest of apple worldwide. Damage threshold for
codling moth in Lithuania is 5 adult moths per pheromone trap. However, actual damage
level often does not exceed established damaged threshold. Codling moth reproductive
potential is determined by weather conditions, the major limiting factor being air
temperatures at sun down. Sexual mating and egg laying will take place from 15°C on.
Good egg laying days are starting at 17°C. iMetos codling moth forecasting model points
out nights where the temperatures at sundown is higher than 12 °C to be flight days and
days where sundown temperature is higher than 15°C to be flight days. Inseciticide
applications against first generation are suggested after 3 consecutive days where egg
laying was possible have passed. In this study, predictions of the codling moth flight and
egg laying forecasting model were compared to actual codling moth activity in order to
test the validity of this model in Lithuanian conditions. Overall, good accordance of model
predictions and actual activity patterns of codling moth was observed.
This work was carried out within project "Development of models for horticultural
disease and pest forecasting system"
Learning to apply IPM in strawberry demonstration farms
Nieminen Kati1 , Lindqvist Isa1, Tuovinen Tuomo1, Känninen Jari2, Raatikainen Arja3,
Vänninen Irene1. 1MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Production, 31600 Jokioinen,
Finland; 2Marjaosaamiskeskus, Sisä-Savon Seutuyhtymä, Jalkalantie 6, 77600
Suonenjoki;
3ProAgria Etelä-Pohjanmaa, Huhtalantie 2, 60220 Seinäjoki. Irene. Vanninen@
mtt.fi, t. +358-29-5317922
To address the enforcement of the plant protection directive 2009/128 EU, a
crossdisciplinary project, IPM-AID, was started in 2011 at MTT to study the conceptual
and methodological, as well as learning and innovation diffusion related factors that
contribute to success of IPM adoption in strawberry production. Results from workshops
with berry growers showed that they find documentation, monitoring and using threshold
values as the most challenging aspects of IPM. These issues were taken as the focus of
demonstration farm trials begun in 2012. The first objective was to find out to what
extent the current guidelines are applicable for IPM implementation in strawberry as
measured by quality and quantity of yield. The second objective addresses three points:
the nature of learning and conceptual change that is assumed to take place during
demonstration trials, and farm-specific factors behind the successes and failures of IPM
implemention. In all four farms a strawberry block of about one hectare was divided into
two plots. The IPM plot was grown according to existing Finnish guidelines of monitoring
and decision-making, integration of biological and chemical control, and documentation.
The other served as a control grown according to the farmer’s own practises. The
analysis of the success of IPM was based on farmers’ documented pest monitoring and
control actions, and the flower-stalk analysis and laboratory inspection of pests and their
damages. The conceptual and learning part of the study was based on personal, in-depth
reflective interviews of farmers on expectations regarding participation in the
demonstration farm trial and the IPM elements used on the farm, thoughts about IPM to
capture potential conceptual changes regarding pest management, and opinions, critique,
and ideas to improve demonstration farm activity. Time management seems to be the
main hindrance for integrating the use of monitoring and thresholds in farming activities.
Monitoring methods need to be adaptable in each farm’s conditions without sacrificing
reliability, relevance and representativeness of monitoring. This is essentially a question
of the value of information that should somehow be measured and perceived by the
grower.
43 |
Management of strawberry blossom weevil and European tarnished plant
bug in organic strawberry and raspberry using semiochemical traps
Atle Wibe1, Ilze Apenite2, Catherine Baroffio3, Anna-Karin Borg-Karlson4, Jerry
Cross5, David Hall6, Lene Sigsgaard7, Nina Trandem1
1Bioforsk - Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Norway,
Tel +47 404 80 087, e-mail [email protected],
2Latvian Plant Protection Research Centre, Latvia,
3Agroscope Changins-Wadenswil ACW, Switzerland, 4KTH-Royal
Institute of Technology, Sweden, 5EMR-East Malling Research, United Kingdom,
6NRINatural Resources Institute, United Kingdom, 7University of Copenhagen, Denmark
The strawberry blossom weevil (Anthonomus rubi) and the European tarnished plant bug
(Lygus rugulipennis) cause large (10 - >80%) losses in yield and quality in organically
grown berries. A consortium with 6 European countries has been created to work on the
management of those pests. The pheromones of A. rubi and L. rugulipennis have
previously been characterized in England by NRI/EMR. For the attraction of A. rubi the
importance of using host plant volatiles in combination with the pheromones has also
been documented. The natural semiochemical mechanisms of sexual attraction and host
plant finding of A. rubi and L. rugulipennis will be further studied and exploited to
develop effective semiochemical traps for their management through mass trapping.
Attractive lures for these two species will then be combined into a single multitrap with
the aim of managing the two pests simultaneously in strawberry. This will be one of the
first approaches using semiochemicals to target horticultural pests from different insect
orders simultaneously. In raspberry we will test if lures for A. rubi can be combined with
commercially available lures for raspberry beetle (Byturus tomentosus).
The project, "Softpest Multitrap", is organized in the following work packages;
1) Chemical analysis of plant volatiles,
2) Pest insects in strawberry,
3) Pest insects in raspberry and
4) Trap design and lure development.
"Softpest Multitrap" is funded by the CORE Organic II Funding Bodies, partners of the
FP7 ERA-Net project CORE Organic II (Coordination of European Transnational Research
in Organic Food and Farming systems, project no. 249667).
Experiences in implementing IPM guidelines on farms producing
vegetables for food industry in Finland
Marja Aaltonen, Asko Hannukkala, Erja Huusela-Veistola, Janne Kaseva, Anne Nissinen,
Hannu Ojanen, Sakari Raiskio, Kari Tiilikkala
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Production Research, FI-31600 Jokioinen, Finland
tel. +358 400 283 002 e-mail [email protected]
Integrated production (IP) of field vegetable farming was launched in Finland at the
1990‘s, which gave the basis for developing Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
According to EU directive (2009/128/EC) "Sustainable use of pesticides" definition of IPM
principles and national guidelines is a topical issue at the moment, since growers are
required to implement IPM in their production already in the year 2014. In 2011, MTT
Agrifood Research Finland started the EU funded IPM project “Produced in Satakunta with
care” in collaboration with Apetit Pakaste Oy and Pyhajarvi Institute in the western
Finland where contract farms of the Apetit Pakaste Oy are mainly situated. During the
project IPM principles are implemented and current IP guidelines updated in close
collaboration with contract growers of field vegetables.
In Finland statistics of sales of pesticides have been collected since 1953. These records
represent the total of pesticide sales and more detailed data is urgently needed. Since
2003 Apetit Pakaste Oy has collected a unique database of pesticide use and fertilisation
practices of the most important vegetables (carrot, potato, pea, swede, celeriac,
cauliflower) in field block level, which includes the actual areas treated with pesticides
and the frequencies of applications. The data provide valuable information of current
practices of pesticide use, which serves as base line when evaluating the effects of the
new guidelines on pesticide use in the future.
Contract growers already apply many IPM principles in their vegetable production. For
example Apetit Pakaste Oy requires in current contract guidelines a four to six year crop
rotation depending on the crop species to prevent certain severe pests. However,
updating of the contract guidelines to meet the EU directive (2009/128/EC) requirements
is necessary. Guidelines have to be case-specific and to fit to local conditions. Therefore,
the first workshop to gather the basic knowledge about farmers’ understanding of IPM
principles and highlighting the most critical points of implementing these principles in
farm level was organized in March 2012. The obtained knowledge will be utilized during
the further development and updating of the IPM guidelines in close interactive
collaboration between farmers, experts and the company.
45 |
Sensitivity of Mycosphaerella graminicola isolates, collected in Lithuania,
to triazoles cyproconazole and epoxiconazole
Ronis Antanas, Semaskiene Roma
Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Instituto 1, Akademija, Kėdainiai distr., Lithuania
E-mail: [email protected]
Mycosphaerella graminicola (anamorph Septoria tritici) causes Septoria leaf blotch
disease of wheat. The disease can be responsible for yield losses of 30–50% and, when
severe, requires management with a fungicide. Single conidium isolates were collected
from 2009 to 2011, from different locations of Lithuania and were tested for sensitivity to
DMI group fungicides - epoxiconazole and cyproconazole. The laboratory in vitro test was
employed for the assessment of sensitivity. Fungicide concentrations were chosen
according to FRAC methods. Microtitre plates with 96-wells were inoculated with
suspensions of pycnidiospores taken from single pycnidia of leaves. In total, over the
three experimental years, 164 isolates from 27 locations were tested. From 1 to 12
isolates were extracted per location . The results show that the isolates of Mycosphaerella
graminicola fungy became less sensitive to the fungicide cyproconazole (Figure 1). In
2009, for 57.5 percent of all the tested isolates the average EC50 value was 3.0 mg l-1. In
the fallowing year, the average EC50 value was 6.0 mg l-1 for 80.3 percent of all the
tested isolates. In 2011, the average EC50 value was 6.0 mg l-1 for 67.2 percent of all the
tested isolates but it was found that 9.4 percent of isolates had the average EC50 value of
12.0 mg l-1. Also, it was found what the sensitivity of Mycosphaerella graminicola isolates
to the fungicide epoxiconazole was nearly on the same level over the experimental years.
The average EC50 values were between 2.0 and 2.5 mg l-1 for the majority of the tested
isolates.
Figure 1. Sensitivity of Septoria tritici isolates to DMI group fungicides cyproconazole
and epoxiconazole.
Acknowledgements
The paper presents research findings obtained through the long-term research
programme "Harmful organisms in agro and forest ecosystems" implemented by
Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry.
Cyproconazole
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
<1.0 3.0 6.0 9.0 12.0 >12.0
EC50 (mg/l)
% Isola
tes
2009 2010 2011
Epoxiconazole
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
<0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 >3.0
EC50 (mg/l)
% I
so
late
s
2009 2010 2011
Biometrical indicators of Chenopodium album plants depending on
different plant population density and sowing time of spring barley
G. Pšibišauskienė, O. Auškalnienė
Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry,
Department of Soil and Crop Management, Instituto al. 1., LT-58344, Kėdainiai distr. e-
mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
One way to control weeds in cereals is to improve the ability of the crop itself to suppress
weeds. Lithuanian literature sources reported - the spring barley crop is strong in weed
suppression ability. When searching for alternatives for herbicides it is important to
consider the factors responsible for cultivated crops’ ability to suppress weeds as well as
to estimate the changes in the morphology and productivity of segetal flora in response
to different competitive ability of a crop. Research into biological changes in segetal flora
in spring barley of contrasting competitive ability was done by a field trials over the
period of 2008-2010 at the Institute of Agriculture, LRCAF (55 23’15.74“N;
23°52’34.24“E). The soil of the experimental site was Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic
Cambisol. Plants of Ch.album were analyed in spring barley crop of different plant
density: 0, 2, 4 and 6 million viable seeds per hectar. The influence of spring barley
sowing time on Ch. album biometrical indicators were tested in 2011 in the greenhouse
experiment in Denmark. In both trials the plants of Ch.album that started maturing were
pulled out and weighed, stems and leaves were counted. Plant branches with flowers and
seeds were cut and put into cloth bags and kept in a well-aerated, dry room. When dried
to air dry weight, the seeds were thrashed, flowers and seeds were counted. Analysis of
the three years’ experimental findings indicated that Ch. album plants which grew
without competition from crop plants were five times taller, produced more branches and
had by 54 - 59 times more leaves, produced 67 times more biomass compared with
those that grew in a barley crop stand. The positive, strong and moderately strong
relationships between weed biomass and leaves, stems, flowers, ripened seed indicated
that with increasing plant biomass of Ch. album the number of vegetative and generative
organs significantly increased. The number of flowers and ripened seeds of Ch. album
grown without competition from crop plants was 300–400 times higher compared with
those that grew in a crop. With increasing spring barley seed rate Ch. album biomass
declined irrespective of the sowing time. When these weeds emerged earlier than barley
plants, a significant biomass reduction was obtained between the thinnest and denser
crops. In the case when spring barley emerged simultaneously with Ch. album, with
increasing seed rate, biomass of weeds declined. With the increasing spring barley seed
rate, biological productivity of Ch. album may declined by 60 %.
47 |
Developing cultivation know-how for outdoor vegetable production
Produced in Satakunta with care
Teija Kirkkala, Marko Jori, Johanna Pihala
Pyhajarvi Institute, FI-27500 Kauttua, Finland
tel. +358 50 343 0432 e-mail: [email protected]
The Satakunta County in southwestern Finland has a long tradition of outdoor vegetable
cultivation. The centralisation of vegetable cultivation to the region derives from
appropriate environmental conditions for cultivation and close cooperation between
primary producers and the refining industry. Produced in Satakunta with care education
scheme was launched in spring 2011 in order to further develop the local vegetable
cultivation and refining industry.
Local farmers make up the main target group of the scheme, but also people involved in
the logistics, refining, product development and marketing of vegetables in the county of
Satakunta are targeted.
The main themes of the education programme consist of all the factors affecting product
quality development, beginning from sowing of soil, all the way up to transportation and
refining. Among other issues, the scheme focuses on pest and weed control, cultivation
methods and techniques, storage conditions, pitting techniques and product loading and
transportation. The versatile cultivation material collected from the farmers will be
utilized in the planning process of the education programme.
Plant protection will be under particular attention. Moreover, the farmers will be provided
with plant specific IPM-guidelines for species such as carrot, potato and pea. MTT
Agrifood Research Finland will be in charge of the guideline development. However, the
planning work will be carried out together with the farmers. Practicality of the guidelines
will be imperative for their successful implementation. Local farmers of the Satakunta
County will act as forerunners in the launching of the IPM-guidelines.
The Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland will provide the scheme with its
primary funding through the Centre for Economic Development, transport and the
Environment of Satakunta. The scheme will be implemented during years 2011 and
2013. The scheme will be coordinated by the Pyhäjärvi Institute. Cooperation partners
include MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Apetit Pakaste Ltd. and local vegetable farmers of
the Satakunta County.
Detection of Sclerotinia stem rot in oilseed rape using real-time qPCR- a
tool for site specific risk assessment
Ann-Charlotte Wallenhammar1,2* Charlotta Almquist1,3, Anna Redner2
SLU, Dept of Soil and environment, Precision Agriculture and Pedometrics, PO Box 234
SE-532 23 Skara, Sweden
Rural Economy and Agricultural Society/ HS Konsult AB, P.O. Box 271, SE-701 45
Örebro, Sweden
Eurofins Food & Agro Sweden AB, P.O. Box 887, SE-531 18 Lidköping, Sweden
*Corresponding author:
E-mail: [email protected] Ph+ 46-196032718
fax +4619102133
The soil-borne pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, causes severe damage from year to
year in fields of oilseed rape in Sweden. A real-time qPCR assay was developed and used
to determine the incidence of S. Sclerotiorum DNA on petals of spring oilseed rape
(SOSR) in central Sweden in 2006-2007. Further studies of the infection process of S.
sclerotiorum were performed in 2008-2010, when the incidence of DNA of S. sclerotirum
on petals and leaves at different leaf levels was determined regularly prior to and during
the flowering period using the real-time PCR assay. A modified commercial plant DNA
extraction kit was used to extract DNA from single leaves. Two different cultivars of
SOSR were planted in field experiments where the disease was known to have occured
earlier. Assessment of disease incidence in the crop confirmed the DNA-assays. Air
samples were collected in 2009-2011 using a Burkard 7-day spore sampler and DNA
measured.
The real-time qPCR-assay was quick and accurate. The method developed enabled us to
study the infection process by detecting DNA on petals, leaves and tape. The results
show that DNA was detected on all leaf levels prior to flowering. The DNA- levels
increased and was significantly higher at lower leaf levels. The spore trap provided
important information about the onset of spore release and prevalence of airborne spores
over time. Analyses from 2009-2010 confirm spore release prior to flowering, and hence
indicate that analyses of petals appear to be an unreliable detection method. Our results
are of great importance for understanding disease development and for improving
support to determine the site-specific demand of a fungicide treatment. During 2011 and
2012 the methods were validated and results are underway.
49 |
Early detection and quantification of Ramularia beticola in sugar beets
using spore traps and real-time PCR
Thies Marten Wieczorek1,2, Annemarie Fejer Juestensen2, Lise Nistrup Jørgensen2, Anne
Lisbet Hansen3, and Lisa Munk1
1 University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences,
Højbakkegård Allé 13, DK-2630 Tåstrup 2 Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, Forsøgsvej 1, DK-4200 Slagelse 3 NBR Nordic Beet Research, Sofiehøj, Højbygaardvej 14, DK-4960 Holeby
Contact: [email protected]
Ramularia leaf spot is one of the most important leaf diseases in sugar beets (Beta
vulgaris L.) in northern European countries. It is caused by the ascomycete Ramularia
beticola Faut. & Lamb. and thrives in cool, temperate climate at relatively high humidity
and temperatures between 17 and 20°C. If not controlled, yield losses can amount to 15
– 20 %. Over the last decades an increase of severe attacks of Ramularia leaf spot has
been reported in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. The disease is typically controlled
preventatively using fungicides like epoxiconazole or epoxiconaozle + pyraclostrobin.
According to IPM guidelines, fungicides in Denmark are presently recommended to be
applied if a severity threshold of 5 % is exceeded, the first application normally around
August the 1st. The second application is performed when new infections are observed
with threshold 5-10 %. Typically 25-50% of the commonly used fungicide dose is
recommended for each treatment.
Preliminary field trials have indicated a more efficient control of fungal diseases and
higher sugar yield if sugar beets are treated with fungicides before visual symptoms
occur. For a better determination of the optimized timing of disease control, more
advanced methods are needed. In collaboration between the Universities of Copenhagen
and Aarhus and the R&D enterprise Nordic Beet Research (NBR) a study was conducted
with the goals a) to develop an early detection system based on spore trapping and b) to
develop a real-time PCR based method to detect and to quantify R. beticola DNA in air
samples obtained from Burkard® spore traps.
Primers were designed based on the ITS region sequences and tested on R. beticola
isolates from 2010 and 2011. The specificity of the primers was tested on related fungi,
including Cercospora beticola and other Ramularia fungi. Real-time PCR was used to
measure the quantity of the DNA of R. beticola collected on tapes from the Burkard Spore
Traps®. Three spore traps were set up in sugar beet fields at three different sites on the
Danish island of Lolland. Based on real-time PCR, R. beticola DNA was detected in the air
samples 14 and 16 days prior to first visible symptoms on untreated plants, which is in
accordance with the reported latency of 2 weeks of the fungus. It was observed that the
amount of DNA varied depending on weather conditions. It is further investigated how
different amounts of DNA can be linked to weather conditions in order to be able to
predict which conditions have been most conductive for spore production and spreading.
The results from spore trapping are linked to fungicide treatments in field trials using
different timings, in order to investigate if spore trapping can be linked to
recommendations for spraying. It is expected that the results can lead to an IPM based
recommendation where spraying only takes place when a real risk has been verified
based on spore trapping or weather data.
IPM concept and challenges on Finnish berry farms: an activity theoretical
approach to direct implementation studies
Vänninen Irene, Nieminen Kati, Lindqvist Isa, Tuovinen Tuomo
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Production, 31600 Jokioinen, Finland.
[email protected], tel. +358-29-5317922
IPM aims at keeping pest numbers low by taking into account economic, ecological and
societal needs. The generalized object of IPM, therefore, encompasses a wide range of
aspects that need to be melted together into a concept that may differ from the existing
concept of pest management among the growers. If the object (motive) of IPM activity is
to be reconstructed, all other elements of an activity system (AS) need to be realigned to
serve the object to avoid problems in work activities on a farm. The grower (the subject),
has a central position in the interplay of AS elements: she defines the object of her
production and pest management activities, and translates the generalized object into a
specific one realized in the practical activity of her farm.
The contradictions between the elements of an AS may suggest why IPM either fails or
succeeds on farms. The hypotheses that seem to have been made regarding challenges
of implementing IPM include the following: growers lack the necessary information and
skills to apply IPM on a routine basis (contradiction between subject and tools), the tools
are insufficient to serve the new object (tools vs. object), and it is hard to communicate
IPM to consumers to make them pay extra for IPM-based produce (subject vs.
community). Less attention has been paid to possible contradictions between the subject
and the object, i.e. how the growers interpret IPM and how the interpretation influences
the success of IPM adoption in a situation where change is imposed by a directive. The
framework described above was used to study the degree of alignment between the
generalized concept of IPM and the specific IPM concepts of berry growers. The
generalized concept of IPM was presented to 25 groups of 5-10 berry growers in the form
of an IPM jigsaw puzzle consisting of the nine elements described in the directive. Five
open-ended, simple questions were used to evoke discussion among the participants
during one hour workshop sessions. The transcribed sessions were analysed for
contradictions between different elements of AS, and for the nature of IPM concept
among the growers. The results are discussed in terms of what they revealed about the
biggest challenges of IPM implementation on berry farms and ways to resolve the
challenges.
51 |
Weed control in maize under different tillage methods at the conditions of
the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine
Viktor Zadorozhnyi
Institute of Feed Research and Agriculture of Podillya of the National Асаdemy of
Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine
Prospekt Yunosti 16, UA 21100 Vinnitsa, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]
Background
Maize is one of the leading crops and its grain is used for food, feed, ethanol production
etc. In recent years areas under this crop in Ukraine have grown up to 4.6 m. ha, and
grain production exceeded 18 m. t.
Objectives
The problems of maize productivity increase and search of the ways of reduction of
energy costs for its production, mainly introduction of no-till technology and efficacy
weed control practices, are still very urgent for the farmers.
Materials and Methods
Field trials were carried out in 2010-2012. Three methods of soil tillage were researched
in the trial:
1. Plowing at the depth of 20-22 сm;
2. Disking at the depth of 10-12 сm;
3. No-till.
Two concepts were used for weed control:
1. Weed control without herbicides;
2. Topramezon 62.5 a.i. g/ha-1+dicamba 160 a.i. g/ha-1 + metolat 1.25 L/ha-1 ha-1.
The pre-sowing application of glyphosate 1440 a.i. g/ha-1 took place at the no-till plots.
The post-emergence application took place at 3-leaf phase of maize and grass weeds
were at the 1-3 leaf stage and broad-leaved weeds were at the first true leaf stage.
Results
Analysis of research results has shown that the plots had a mixed type of weed
infestation before herbicide application. Weed number on untreated plots was 138 m-2,
among them such weeds as Setaria glauca L. – 45-76 m-2 and Echinochloa cruss-galli (L.)
Roem. – 26-45 m-2 dominated. As for perennial species there were Elуtrigia repens L. –
2-4 m-2 and Convolvulus arvensis L. – 1-3 m-2. Application of topramezon 62.5 a.i. g/ha-1
+ dicamba 160 a.i.g/ha-1 + metolat 1.25 L/ha-1 ha-1 provided 91-94 % weed control.
Yield increase 2.37 t ha-1 was obtained against a background of plowing where herbicide
was applied.
Conclusions
Efficacy of weed control concept has not been sufficiently different against methods soil
tillage. Grain maize yield in no-till variant was reliably lower than in plowing.