Altered pesticide use on transgenic crops and the associated general impact from an environmental perspective

The large-scale commercial cultivation of transgenic crops has undergone a steady increase since their introduction 10 years ago. Most of these crops bear introduced traits that are of agronomic importance, such as herbicide or insect resistance. These traits are likely to impact upon the use of pesticides on these crops, as well as the pesticide market as a whole. Organizations like USDA-ERS and NCFAP monitor the changes in crop pest management associated with the adoption of transgenic crops. As part of an IUPAC project on this topic, recent data are reviewed regarding the alterations in pesticide use that have been observed in practice. Most results indicate a decrease in the amounts of active ingredients applied to transgenic crops compared with conventional crops. In addition, a generic environmental indicator -- the environmental impact quotient (EIQ) -- has been applied by these authors and others to estimate the environmental consequences of the altered pesticide use on transgenic crops. The results show that the predicted environmental impact decreases in transgenic crops. With the advent of new types of agronomic trait and crops that have been genetically modified, it is useful to take also their potential environmental impacts into account.     

基于推荐用量分析我国新烟碱类杀虫剂的登记现状

本文对目前中国农药信息网上公布登记的吡虫啉、烯啶虫胺、啶虫脒、噻虫啉、噻虫嗪、噻虫胺、呋虫胺、氯噻啉、哌虫啶、环氧虫啶等10种新烟碱类杀虫剂的信息进行了查询,分别从登记剂型、作物、防治靶标等方面对这10种杀虫剂的登记推荐有效成分用量情况进行了统计分析,最后,挑选用量范围最大的3种有效成分,5种作物,5种靶标进行组合,并对可能的18种组合进行了数据分析。结果发现:1)在防治草坪-蛴螬和甘蔗-蔗螟上,吡虫啉的有效成分用量要明显高于噻虫嗪和噻虫胺两种药剂,最高分别为2 100.00和1 500.00 g/hm~2;2)在防治韭菜-韭蛆上,噻虫嗪的有效成分用量要明显高于吡虫啉和噻虫胺,最高为1 732.50 g/hm~2;3)在防治小麦-蚜虫方面,吡虫啉的推荐有效成分用量范围最大(相差120倍),且偏高数值点最多;4)在防治水稻-飞虱上,同样是吡虫啉的偏高数值点最多。为减少农药施用,建议在病虫防治时推荐应用有效成分用量较低的农药类型(包括推荐有效成分用量更低的农药剂型和生物活性更高的农药有效成分)。未来农药登记用量将在农药最低有效剂量研究的基础上,针对不同药剂在不同作物的特定防治靶标提出更加科学、合理的推荐用量,为我国农药的合理减施提供科学依据。     

Pesticide usage in some vegetable crops in Great Britain: real on-farm applications

The last decade has seen an increasing requirement throughout the United Kingdom (UK) for accurate, timely information on pesticide usage on fresh produce such as vegetables to satisfy government legislation and provide data as part of the registration and review process of pesticides. These data, collected by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair's Pesticide Usage Survey Group (PUSG), provide information on current and past usage patterns and allow the impact of use on the environment, operator and consumer to be more accurately assessed from actual usage patterns rather than worst-case scenarios. Surveys of commercially grown carrot, Brussels sprouts and onion crops in Great Britain were undertaken at regular intervals between 1986 and 1999, using fully stratified samples of growers. Only on Brussels sprouts was there a significant decline in pesticide use over this period, but the frequency of treatments increased on all three crops, reflecting the recent introduction of more active molecules and lower dose rates. The implications for growers of EU Directive 91/44 are discussed if active ingredients are lost because they fail to achieve Annex 1 listing.     

Benchmark study on glyphosate-resistant cropping systems in the United States. Part 4: Weed management practices and effects on weed populations and soil seedbanks

BACKGROUND: Weed management in glyphosate‐resistant (GR) maize, cotton and soybean in the United States relies almost exclusively on glyphosate, which raises criticism for facilitating shifts in weed populations. In 2006, the benchmark study, a field‐scale investigation, was initiated in three different GR cropping systems to characterize academic recommendations for weed management and to determine the level to which these recommendations would reduce weed population shifts. RESULTS: A majority of growers used glyphosate as the only herbicide for weed management, as opposed to 98% of the academic recommendations implementing at least two herbicide active ingredients and modes of action. The additional herbicides were applied with glyphosate and as soil residual treatments. The greater herbicide diversity with academic recommendations reduced weed population densities before and after post‐emergence herbicide applications in 2006 and 2007, particularly in continuous GR crops. CONCLUSION: Diversifying herbicides reduces weed population densities and lowers the risk of weed population shifts and the associated potential for the evolution of glyphosate‐resistant weeds in continuous GR crops. Altered weed management practices (e.g. herbicides or tillage) enabled by rotating crops, whether GR or non‐GR, improves weed management and thus minimizes the effectiveness of only using chemical tactics to mitigate weed population shifts. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Simulation of apparent infection rate to predict severity of soybean rust using a fuzzy logic system

ABSTRACT Few biologically based models to assess the risk of soybean rust have been developed because of difficulty in estimating variables related to infection rate of the disease. A fuzzy logic system, however, can estimate apparent infection rate by combining meteorological variables and biological criteria pertinent to soybean rust severity. In this study, a fuzzy logic apparent infection rate (FLAIR) model was developed to simulate severity of soybean rust and validated using data from field experiments on two soybean cultivars, TK 5 and G 8587. The FLAIR model estimated daily apparent infection rate of soybean rust and simulated disease severity based on population dynamics. In weekly simulation, the FLAIR model explained >85% of variation in disease severity. In simulation of an entire epidemic period, the FLAIR model was able to predict disease severity accurately once initial values of disease severity were predicted accurately. Our results suggest that a model could be developed to determine apparent infection rate and an initial value of disease severity in advance using forecasted weather data, which would provide accurate prediction of severity of soybean rust before the start of a season.     

基于登记用量分析三唑类杀菌剂在中国的登记现状

对中国农药信息网 (http://www.icama.org.cn/) 上登记的21种三唑类杀菌剂的信息进行分析,选择出单剂登记推荐有效成分用量差异大、离群高值点数多的8种杀菌剂 (三唑酮、丙环唑、三唑醇、粉唑醇、烯唑醇、戊唑醇、腈菌唑和氟环唑),分别从登记的农药剂型、作物、防治靶标等方面对其以单剂登记的推荐有效成分用量进行统计分析,从中进一步筛选出推荐有效成分用量差异大、离群高值点数较多的3种有效成分 (戊唑醇、氟环唑和丙环唑)、4种登记作物 (草坪、香蕉、香蕉树和小麦) 和3种登记防治靶标 (褐斑病、叶斑病和白粉病) 进行组合,并对目前已登记的10种“有效成分-作物-靶标”组合进行数据分析。结果发现:1) 丙环唑防治草坪褐斑病的推荐有效成分用量最高 (936.00 g/hm2),且推荐有效成分用量差异数值最大 (180.00~936.00 g/hm2);2) 氟环唑防治香蕉叶斑病的离群高值点数最多,且推荐有效成分用量差异最大 (62.50~450.00 g/hm2);3) 在防治小麦白粉病上,戊唑醇的推荐有效成分用量差异值最大 (51.60~262.50 g/hm2),且离群高值点数最多。为减少农药用量,建议在田间防治作物病害时,优先选择推荐有效成分用量较低的农药品种 (包括推荐有效成分用量更低的农药剂型和生物活性更高的农药有效成分)。另外,针对同一种农药制剂产品,建议不同厂家能统一确定合理的推荐有效成分用量。未来农药登记时将在农药最低有效剂量研究的基础上,针对不同作物的特定防治靶标提出更加科学、合理的推荐有效成分用量,为农药的合理减施提供科学依据。     

PRO_PLANT—a computer—based decision-support system for cereal disease control1

The task of the knowledge-based advisory system PRO_PLANT is to help farmers reduce to a minimum the input of fungicides, and in later stages all pesticides, while giving as good economic returns as high-input routine sprays with their potential environmental hazards (e.g. ground and surface water contamination). The system was first developed for cereal diseases and is now (till 1994) being extended to the most important pesticide applications on field crops (cereals, maize, rape, potato, sugarbeet). It can be used by consultants or farmers as a stand-alone version. PRO_PLANT at present consists mainly of disease-specific knowledge bases for diagnosis of fungus infections in cereals and rules for optimized fungicide treatments. The scientific basis has been derived from expert knowledge and field trials over several years, and the knowledge representation is rule-based. During a consultation, information on the field, cultivar resistance, seed treatments and fungicides is considered. Necessary weather data comes from the German Weather Service via BTX or from a small home-run weather station. The prototype was first tested in 1991 and an improved version was then tested in 1992 with 40 consultants and 30 farmers. In 1993, the system will be used by the advisory service of Nordrhein-Westfalen and commercially distributed to farmers.     

草地贪夜蛾侵害我国大豆的风险预警

草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda是一种在全世界范围内危害性极强的害虫。2019年初突然侵入我国云南省并迅猛扩散迁移至国内大部分地区,对玉米等作物生产造成重大影响。我国大豆与玉米生产区重合较多,草地贪夜蛾是否会对大豆产生重大危害是一个值得注意的问题。本文从草地贪夜蛾的食性特点和迁移速度以及新生境3个方面评估了此类昆虫可能对我国大豆造成的危害,并对我国大豆生产中草地贪夜蛾的短期和长期预防策略进行了展望,以期为大豆生产中潜在的风险提供预警。     

Maize–soybean intercropping effect on yield productivity,weed control and diversity in northern Ghana

The cereal–legume cropping system is a common practice across the tropical world. However, there are limited quantitative data on the effect of cereal–legume intercropping on weed species diversity. A study was conducted in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana to evaluate the effect of maize–soybean intercropping on yield productivity and weed species control. The treatments used include three maize maturity types (extra‐early: Abontem, early: Sammaz 27 and medium: Obatanpa) intercropped with soybean at three intraspacing (10, 20 and 30 cm), and their sole crop treatments were laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that the land equivalent ratio (LER) for the intercrops was above 1, indicating better intercrop productivity than the sole crops. An average of 40% land was saved for the intercrops compared with the sole crops. Intercropping Sammaz 27 maize with soybean significantly increased LER by 9% compared to the other types. Intercropping maize with soybean significantly reduced weed biomass at 6 and 9 weeks after planting (WAP) and at harvest relative to the sole maize. The weed biomass at 6 and 9 WAP and harvest increased (p < .05) with increasing soybean intraspacing. The grass and broadleaf weed species count at 6 WAP and harvest from the sole crops were significantly higher than that of the intercrops. The results suggest that intercropping early maize maturity type with soybean at 10 cm intraspacing could be used to increase grain yield, LER and control of grass and broadleaf weeds in a maize‐based cropping system in the Guinea savanna zones of West Africa.     

The strobilurin fungicides

Strobilurins are one of the most important classes of agricultural fungicide. Their invention was inspired by a group of fungicidally active natural products. The outstanding benefits they deliver are currently being utilised in a wide range of crops throughout the world. First launched in 1996, the strobilurins now include the world's biggest selling fungicide, azoxystrobin. By 2002 there will be six strobilurin active ingredients commercially available for agricultural use. This review describes in detail the properties of these active ingredients--their synthesis, biochemical mode of action, biokinetics, fungicidal activity, yield and quality benefits, resistance risk and human and environmental safety. It also describes the clear technical differences that exist between these active ingredients, particularly in the areas of fungicidal activity and biokinetics.     

Impact of leaf damage by defoliators on yield of soybean as a sole crop and as a main crop in intercropping systems

Defoliators are common insect pests of soybean and often cause economic losses. Insecticides are the first option that farmers choose to minimize the damage caused by the defoliators, and the result is not only the emergence of resistance to insecticides in the pests but also environmental pollution. A field experiment carried out at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India, in 2013 and 2014 in the kharif season (June to September) tested nine intercrops in soybean – all grown as rain-fed crops – for their ability to reduce the damage caused by defoliators to soybean leaves and the effect on grain yield of soybean. Of the three species of defoliators, namely Spodoptera litura, Hedylepta indicata, and Diachrysia orichalcea, S. litura was the most severe. Maize and pigeonpea proved the most effective intercrops because of their phenology, repellent chemicals, and physical barriers and also because they were not the natural hosts of the defoliators and did not compete with soybean. In these two crops, the incidence of the defoliators and the extent of damage to soybean leaves were the lowest and the yields were the highest (3.56 t ha^?1 in soybean–maize and 3.25 t ha^?1 in soybean–pigeonpea).     

麦冬种植中植物生长调节剂使用情况、残留现状及影响综述

麦冬为常用中药材,在其生长过程中合理施用植物生长调节剂可增加产量,但过量及不当使用则可能带来不利影响。文章概述了中国麦冬种植中植物生长调节剂的使用状况及残留现状,梳理了使用植物生长调节剂对麦冬产量、农艺性状与外观、有效成分,以及对后茬作物、土壤环境及人群健康的影响等相关研究进展,并提出了加大基础研究、加深管理规范衔接、加快用药登记、加强用药指导和用药监督、推进标准制定和完善风险评估技术规范等促进麦冬安全用药的对策和建议,可为麦冬产业的绿色健康发展提供参考。     

2019年及近年我国农药登记情况和特点分析

总结、分析了2019年及近年我国农药登记的基本情况和特点。最近7年来,每年微毒/低毒农药登记数量与当年农药登记总量的比值,及与本年度新增登记数量的比值均持续上升,其比值的年均值分别为82.0%和93.4%;环境友好的剂型在迅速增加,悬浮剂与本年度新增产品登记数量的比值一直处于领先位置,可分散油悬浮剂的比值增长突显,乳油比值在逐年递减;杀虫剂、杀菌剂和除草剂3大类农药登记数量与本年度新增登记数量的比值趋向显著平均;低风险的新农药登记数量在不断增加,生物源农药登记数量增长稳定,5年来其有效成分和产品的年均增长率分别为9.88%和9.46%。从政策和技术上促进特色小宗作物用药登记产品数量快速增加。上述特点表明,我国农药正朝着有利于人畜健康和生态环境安全的方向发展。     

Use of models to assess the reduction in contamination of water bodies by agricultural pesticides through the implementation of policy instruments: A case study of the Voluntary Initiative in the UK

Through normal agricultural use, pesticides may reach environmental water bodies via several routes of entry. Various policies and initiatives exist to reduce the effects of pesticides in the environment. One such initiative in place in the UK is the Voluntary Initiative (VI). The VI is a voluntary scheme put forward by the Crop Protection Association with other crop protection and farming organisations to reduce the environmental impacts of pesticides. Mathematical models of pesticide fate can usefully be applied to examine the impact of factors influencing the contamination of water bodies by pesticides. The work reported here used water quality models to examine how changes in farmer behaviour could potentially impact pesticide contamination of environmental water bodies. As far as possible, uncalibrated, standard regulatory models were used. Where suitable models were not available, simple models were defined for the purposes of the study and calibrated using literature data. Scenarios were developed to represent different standards of practice with respect to pesticide user behaviour. The development of these scenarios was guided by the Crop Protection Management Plan (CPMP) aspect of the VI. A framework for the use of modelling in the evaluation of the VI is proposed. The results of the modelling study suggest that, in several areas, widespread adoption of the measures proposed in the VI could lead to reductions in pesticide contamination of environmental water bodies. These areas include pesticide contamination from farmyards, spray drift and field runoff. In other areas (including pesticide leaching to groundwater and contamination of surface water from field drains) the benefits that may potentially be gained from the VI are less clear. A framework to evaluate the VI should take into consideration the following aspects: (1) groundwater is more at risk when there is a combination of leachable compounds, vulnerable soils, shallow groundwater and high product usage; (2) surface water contamination from drains is most likely when heavy rain falls soon after application, the soils are vulnerable and product usage is high; (3) surface water contamination from drift is most likely when the distance between the spray boom and water body is small and product usage is high; (4) surface water contamination from farmyards is dependent on the nature of the farmyard surface, the competence of the spray operator and the level of product usage. Any policy or initiative to reduce pesticide contamination should be measured against farmer behaviour in these areas.     

棉铃虫作供试虫的Bt毒力生物测定感染饲料的研究

研究表明,酵母粉、黄豆粉和维生素C是棉铃虫生长发育的必需成分;仅用醋酸即可达到防腐的目的。本研究确定生物测定感染饲料配方为:黄豆粉7g、酵母粉4g、维生素CO.5g、36％醋酸1.25ml、琼脂1.5g,水100ml.醋酸用量占饲料重量的1～1.5％为宜。     

Quantitative relationships between Ostrinia nubilalis activity and deoxynivalenol contamination in French maize

We investigated the indirect effect of an insecticide spray against the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner; Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on mycotoxin contaminations of grain maize at the harvest stage. Between 2004 and 2009, 45 paired plots comparing insecticide treatment with untreated control were studied in Alsace administrative region, in the northeast of France. An average reduction of 78% in O. nubilalis larval densities was observed in insecticide-treated plots compared with control plots. Mean levels of deoxynivalenol mycotoxin in harvested grain were significantly reduced from 849 ppb in the control samples to 152 ppb in the insecticide-treated samples. A statistical modelling approach involving Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) was employed to identify and rank the associated variables for damage and pest density on different plant parts, on deoxynivalenol levels in harvested grain at harvest. The modelling revealed that the occurrence and the density of O. nubilalis larvae in maize stalks and in ears are the best indicators for deoxynivalenol contamination. The identification of these deoxynivalenol contamination risk factors, along with other factors such as genetic background, harvest date and crop rotation allows improvement of the risk assessment and risk forecasting in maize crops in order to manage crop safety and maintain maize deoxynivalenol mycotoxin levels below the European Regulation (EC) No. 1126/2007 threshold.     

Jointness in farmers' decision to apply pesticides in multiple crops and its determinants at the farm level in Bangladesh

Decision about pesticide application for pest control is an issue of major concern, but research on factors affecting decision-making is limited. This study investigates jointness in farmers' decision to apply pesticides in multiple crops and socio-economic determinants of pesticide use across crops using a survey of 2083 farms from 17 districts in Bangladesh applying a multivariate Tobit model. Overall, 75.4% and 12.7% of the farmers applied pesticides in one and two crops, respectively. The decision to apply pesticides in multiple crops was found to be negatively correlated, providing evidence of jointness. Also, individual socio-economic factors exerted variable influences on pesticide use in different crops. Output price significantly increases pesticide use whereas the influence of fertilizer price and labour wage is varied. Educated farmers use significantly more pesticides in rice and oilseed. Marginal and small farmers use significantly less pesticides in wheat/maize and pulse. Policy implications include price policies to reduce fertilizer prices and engaging agricultural extension agencies and non-governmental organizations to disseminate information on specific crop combinations which will synergistically reduce pesticide use.     

荷兰农药登记及应用情况

本文概述了荷兰农药登记的基本情况,应用中存在的一些问题,荷兰政府为解决问题而采取的具体措施等.荷兰的农药登记与管理由CTB负责,农药登记和应用均以保护环境为根本目的,荷兰政府采取各种行之有效的措施降低农药环境污染的风险.     

Herbicide-resistant crops and weed resistance to herbicides

The adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops has increased dramatically during the last 3 years, and currently over 52 million hectares of GM crops are planted world-wide. Approximately 41 million hectares of GM crops planted are herbicide-resistant crops, which includes an estimated 33.3 million hectares of herbicide-resistant soybean. Herbicide-resistant maize, canola, cotton and soybean accounted for 77% of the GM crop hectares in 2001. However, sugarbeet, wheat, and as many as 14 other crops have transgenic herbicide-resistant cultivars that may be commercially available in the near future. There are many risks associated with the production of GM and herbicide-resistant crops, including problems with grain contamination, segregation and introgression of herbicide-resistant traits, marketplace acceptance and an increased reliance on herbicides for weed control. The latter issue is represented in the occurrence of weed population shifts, the evolution of herbicide-resistant weed populations and herbicide-resistant crops becoming volunteer weeds. Another issue is the ecological impact that simple weed management programs based on herbicide-resistant crops have on weed communities. Asiatic dayflower (Commelina cumminus L) common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L) and wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus L) are reported to be increasing in prominence in some agroecosystems due to the simple and significant selection pressure brought to bear by herbicide-resistant crops and the concomitant use of the herbicide. Finally, evolution of herbicide-resistant weed populations attributable to the herbicide-resistant crop/herbicide program has been observed. Examples of herbicide-resistant weeds include populations of horseweed (Conyza canadensis (L) Cronq) resistant to N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (glyphosate). An important question is whether or not these problems represent significant economic issues for future agriculture.     

新疆棉花病虫害防治药剂剂型研发策略

棉花是我国重要的经济作物,也是受病虫害危害最严重的农作物之一。目前化学防治仍是棉田病虫害防治的重要技术。新疆棉区是我国最大的棉花主产区,气候类型属于典型的温带大陆性气候,具有光照充足、夏季高温干旱、多风、昼夜温差大等特殊气候特点,农药药液喷施过程中容易发生蒸发、飘移、降解等损失,严重影响药剂的防治效果。本文综述了温湿度、风、光照等环境因子对药剂防治效果的影响,以及国内外对提升药剂防治效果采取的调控措施,并结合新疆棉田的特殊气候条件提出了剂型研发的新策略。在提升产品理化稳定性的前提下,还需综合考虑有效成分的理化性质、棉花叶片的结构及润湿特性、施药器械等多种因素。结合农药学、植物保护学、界面化学、有机化学等多学科交叉理论知识指导,利用先进的技术和载体材料研发环境响应型、靶向高效的农药剂型,结合配套使用技术及措施,探索农药高效利用及减量调控途径,为实现农药减量增效、引领棉花产业绿色发展提供科技支撑。