Implementing a globally harmonized risk assessment‐based approach for regulatory decision‐making of crop protection products

A global, harmonized evaluation system for crop protection chemicals based on exposure and risk will improve the ability to inform risk management decisions and better support innovation. This would be achieved through harmonized risk assessment‐based regulatory decision‐making realized through the application of the best available science, via integration of new methods and traditional data to create tailored exposure‐driven risk assessments. A requirement to achieve success is a structure that encourages direct communication between the regulatory community and the regulated industry, which would enable a more rapid incorporation of new technologies and advancing science. An approach that emulates the International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) for pharmaceuticals would bring together regulatory authorities and the regulated industry along with relevant experts from academia and Non‐Governmental Organizations to discuss scientific and technical advances and their implementation. These discussions would also encourage the elimination of outmoded practices that no longer serve a purpose resulting in more uniform testing requirements and best practices for data evaluation to support safe use and scientifically defensible human health and environmental risk assessments. New and developing technologies offer exciting opportunities to improve the current toxicity testing paradigms to provide better solutions and diminish animal testing. Implementation of a harmonized approach will increase the speed, efficiency and accuracy of regulatory decision‐making for human health and environmental protection while increasing the efficiency of providing safe and effective innovative products to the agriculture community. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

Herbicide‐resistant genetically‐modified crop: its risks with an emphasis on gene flow

Herbicide‐resistant genetically‐modified (GM) crops are the most widely cultivated worldwide, representing 78% of GM crops in 1999, followed by insect‐resistant GM crops with Bt gene. Gene flow is the most touching risk arising from GM crops, and is categorized as three types: within species, between species and between GM crop and other organisms. This review shows that gene flow is a reality in the plant kingdom with evolutionary change. Herbicide resistance evolves naturally and spreads dynamically in weeds. One of the most concerning crop in relation to gene flow is Brassica napus, which has a high outcrossing rate and many relative species. In contrast, frequency of gene flow via outcrossing is relatively low in inbreeding cereal crops such as rice, wheat and barley, but published reports have shown that substantial gene flow is possible. Another possible and immediate risk is herbicide‐resistant GM crops becoming volunteer weeds. Dry direct‐seeded rice is one of the most likely crops in this respect. Stacking different resistance genes in a crop would accelerate multiple resistance evolution in weeds. Multiple resistance to three major herbicides has already been observed in oilseed rape cultivation. More efforts must be made for long‐term risk assessment on GM crops in the natural ecosystem. More studies on weed biology and ecology, particularly reproductive processes in weeds, are essential for better understanding of gene flow and systematic management strategy. We hope that this review motivates researchers to analyze data available now, to collect fundamental information on crops and weeds in agro‐ecosystem, and to lead to better risk assessment and management.     

Toxicity of δ‐phenothrin and resmethrin to non‐target insects

BACKGROUND: The susceptibility of adult house cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.), adult convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens (Guérin‐Méneville), and larval fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), to resmethrin and δ‐phenothrin synergized with piperonyl butoxide (PBO) was evaluated in a laboratory bioassay procedure. RESULTS: The 1 day LC₅₀ values for resmethrin + PBO were 23.2, 32.08 and 307.18 ng cm^?2 for A. domesticus, H. convergens and S. frugiperda respectively. The 1 day LC₅₀ values for δ‐phenothrin + PBO were 26.9, 74.91 and 228.57 ng cm^?2 for A. domesticus, H. convergens and S. frugiperda respectively. The regression relationship between species mortality and concentration explained 51–81% of the variation for resmethrin + PBO and 72–97% of the variation for δ‐phenothrin + PBO. The LC₅₀ values decreased with time for these insecticides for all surrogate species. In terms of sensitivities among the insects to resmethrin + PBO and δ‐phenothrin + PBO, A. domesticus was most sensitive, followed by H. convergens and then S. frugiperda. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that resmethrin + PBO was generally more toxic than δ‐phenothrin + PBO. Based on the results, A. domesticus seems to be a good surrogate species for estimating potential non‐target terrestrial insect impacts from exposure to pyrethroids used in public health applications. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Eco‐efficiency as a strategy for optimizing the sustainability of pest management

Agricultural industrialization and the subsequent reliance on pesticides has resulted in numerous unintended consequences, such as impacts upon the environment and by extension human health. Eco‐efficiency is a strategy for sustainably increasing production, while simultaneously decreasing these externalities on ecological systems. Eco‐efficiency is defined as the ratio of production to environmental impacts. It has been widely adopted to improve chemical production, but we investigate the challenges of applying eco‐efficiency to pesticide use. Eco‐efficiency strategies include technological innovation, investment in research and development, improvement of business processes, and accounting for market forces. These components are often part of integrated pest management (IPM) systems that include alternatives to pesticides, but its implementation is often thwarted by commercial realities and technical challenges. We propose the creation and adoption of an eco‐efficiency index for pesticide use so that the broad benefits of eco‐efficient strategies such as IPM can be more readily quantified. We propose an index based upon the ratio of crop yield to a risk quotient (RQ) calculated from pesticide toxicity. Eco‐efficiency is an operational basis for optimizing pest management for sustainability. It naturally favors adoption of IPM and should be considered by regulators, researchers, and practitioners involved in pest management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Factors driving public tolerance levels and information‐seeking behaviour concerning insects in the household environment

BACKGROUND

The public's negative attitudes towards household insects drive tolerance for these insects and their control. Tolerance levels are important in integrated pest management (IPM), as are pest knowledge and information. The risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model describes the relationships between personal factors and information‐seeking behaviour. We combined IPM and RISP to determine important relationships between factors driving insect tolerance levels and information‐seeking behaviour through an online survey and tested whether this model is valid and generally applicable.

RESULTS

Relationships between variables from both IPM and RISP models were tested for seven insect species. Tolerance levels were measured with two factors: willingness to pay for pest control and whether insects are tolerated. Willingness to pay for control was positively affected by age, experience, risk perception, insect characteristics, and negative emotions and affected behavioural intention, by influencing information sufficiency and information‐seeking behaviour. Tolerability was influenced by perception of insect characteristics and determines whether control measures are taken.

CONCLUSION

It was possible to combine the RISP and IPM models. Relevant driving factors were a person's age, experience, risk perception, negative affective responses, tolerance levels, relevant channel beliefs about online forums, information sufficiency and information‐seeking behaviour. There was, however, variation in important factors between different insects. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Toxicity of diafenthiuron to honey bees in laboratory,semi‐field and field conditions

BACKGROUND: Cardamom, an important spice crop often attacked by many insect pests, is controlled mainly using synthetic insecticides. As honey bees play a vital role in pollination in cardamom, the impact of insecticides on honey bees needs to be explored to assess its safety. RESULTS: Risk assessment based on contact toxicity revealed diafenthiuron to be a non‐selective insecticide to bees with a low selectivity ratio (the ratio between the LD₅₀ for beneficial and pest species). A dose of diafenthiuron that killed 90% of cardamom borer, Conogethes punctiferalis Guenee, was found to kill 100% of Indian bees. Based on the hazard ratio (the ratio between the field‐recommended dose and the LD₅₀ for the beneficial), diafenthiuron was found to be slightly to moderately toxic to bees. Diafenthiuron, even at low concentrations of LC₁ (the concentration that killed 1% of bees), was found to affect the foraging and homing behaviour of Indian bees. Of bees fed with 30 µg mL^?1 of diafenthiuron, 40% were found missing on the third day after exposure. However, diafenthiuron did not affect bee visits to the cardamom fields. CONCLUSION: Diafenthiuron is more highly toxic to Apis cerana indica F. than to C. punctiferalis by contact, using selectivity ratio and probit substitution methods of risk assessment, but the hazard ratio revealed diafenthiuron to be a slightly to moderately toxic chemical. Diafenthiuron was found to affect the foraging and homing behaviour of bees at sublethal concentrations. Thus, sublethal effects are more relevant in risk assessment than lethal and acute effects. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Monitoring of plant and airborne inoculum of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in spring oilseed rape using real‐time PCR

Sclerotinia stem rot of spring oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. In Sweden, the disease leads to severe crop damage that varies from year to year. A real‐time PCR assay was developed and used to determine the incidence of S. sclerotiorum DNA on petals and leaves of spring oilseed rape as well as in air samples, with the aim of finding tools to improve precision in disease risk assessment. Five field experiments were conducted from 2008 to 2010 to detect and study pathogen development. Assessments of stem rot showed significant differences between experimental sites. The real‐time PCR assay proved fast and sensitive and the relationship between percentage of infected petals determined using a conventional agar test and the PCR assay was linear (R² > 0·76). There were significant differences in S. sclerotiorum incidence at different stages of flowering. The incidence of S. sclerotiorum DNA on the leaves varied (0–100%), with significantly higher incidence on leaves at lower levels. In one field experiment, S. sclerotiorum DNA was not detected on petals during flowering, whereas the pathogen was detected on leaves, with a corresponding stem rot incidence of 7%. The amount of S. sclerotiorum DNA in sampled air revealed that spore release did not coincide with flowering on that experimental site. Thus, using a real‐time PCR assay to determine the incidence of S. sclerotiorum on oilseed rape leaves, rather than on petals, could potentially improve disease risk assessment.     

Are honeybees suitable surrogates for use in pesticide risk assessment for non‐Apis bees?

Historically, bee regulatory risk assessment for pesticides has centred on the European honeybee (Apis mellifera), primarily due to its availability and adaptability to laboratory conditions. Recently, there have been efforts to develop a battery of laboratory toxicity tests for a range of non‐Apis bee species to directly assess the risk to them. However, it is not clear whether the substantial investment associated with the development and implementation of such routine screening will actually improve the level of protection of non‐Apis bees. We argue, using published acute toxicity data from a range of bee species and standard regulatory exposure scenarios, that current first‐tier honeybee acute risk assessment schemes utilised by regulatory authorities are protective of other bee species and further tests should be conducted only in cases of concern. We propose similar analysis of alternative exposure scenarios (chronic and developmental) once reliable data for non‐Apis bees are available to expand our approach to these scenarios. In addition, we propose that in silico (simulation) approaches can then be used to address population‐level effects in more field‐realistic scenarios. Such an approach could lead to a protective, but also workable, risk assessment for non‐Apis species while contributing to pollination security in agricultural landscapes around the globe. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Activity of the botanical aphicides 1,5‐diphenyl‐1‐pentanone and 1,5‐diphenyl‐2‐penten‐1‐one on two species of Aphididnae

1,5‐Diphenyl‐1‐pentanone (A) and 1,5‐diphenyl‐2‐penten‐1‐one (B) are natural products extracted for the first time from Stellera chamaejasme. Laboratory bioassay showed that the two products have strong contact activity and very good anti‐feedant activity against Aphis gossypii and Schizaphis graminum. Both products showed dose‐dependent relationships for both forms of activity against the two aphids, the contact activity of B being about twice that of A. Both products were inferior to methomyl in contact activity but superior in anti‐feedant activity against the two aphids. This is the first report of aphicidal activity in these two compounds, which may represent a new class of aphicide. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Farm‐scale evaluation of herbicide band application integrated with inter‐row mechanical weeding for maize production in four European regions

To promote integrated weed management (IWM) implementation in Europe, robust evidence on the sustainability of such tools and strategies is needed to motivate their adoption by stakeholders. This can only be achieved through assessing and validating them at real farm scale and using existing farm equipment, under diverse climatic and soil conditions representative of European agriculture. In 2013 and 2014, 12 on‐farm experiments (i.e. real field conditions on commercial farms, with natural weed flora) were conducted in four important European grain maize‐producing regions comparing the efficacy of herbicide band application integrated with inter‐row mechanical weeding as a potential IWM tool with the conventional broadcast herbicide application (CON) used by the farms. The IWM tools tested were as follows: (i) early post‐emergence herbicide band application combined with hoeing, followed by a second hoeing in southern Germany, (ii) early post‐emergence herbicide band application followed by hoeing in eastern Hungary and central Slovenia and (iii) pre‐emergence herbicide band application followed by hoeing in northern Italy. Herbicide band application integrated with hoeing provided good and partial weed control along and between maize rows respectively. No significant yield differences were detected between IWM and CON. IWM greatly reduced herbicide input and was economically sustainable over the duration of this study with no significant difference in gross margin compared with CON in all cases. This IWM tool could therefore be considered for implementation in European maize systems.